China’s CR450 high-speed train has set a new speed record for conventional rail vehicles, reaching a top speed of 453 km/h during a test run in the eastern province of Fujian. The fastest conventional high-speed trains in China can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h in regular operation, with a maximum speed of 420 km/h. The CR450 is designed to be an alternative to maglev trains, which have a more complex infrastructure. China plans to use the new high-speed train to increase the average speed of its railway network, which is the largest in the world.
Magnetically levitated trains, or maglev trains, are the only trains that can travel faster than conventional high-speed trains. In China, the Transrapid in Shanghai can reach a maximum speed of around 500 km/h in regular operation, while the domestically developed Maglev train has reached a top speed of 600 km/h during test runs. A maglev train in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang is expected to reach speeds of up to 1,000 km/h in the future, thanks to a vacuum tube. However, the infrastructure required for maglev trains is more complex than that of conventional high-speed trains.
Other countries, such as Japan and South Korea, also operate high-speed trains. Japan introduced the Shinkansen in 1964, which could reach speeds of up to 220 km/h at the time. Current models of the Japanese high-speed train can reach speeds of up to 320 km/h. South Korea’s KTX high-speed lines allow travel speeds of up to 421 km/h. Italy’s Frecciarossa was designed to reach a top speed of around 400 km/h, although it is currently limited to 300 km/h. The CR450’s new speed record for conventional rail vehicles is a significant achievement for China’s railway industry and could pave the way for further advancements in high-speed train technology.
