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Today, China’s high-speed rail has grown to 50,000 km (30,000 miles) of high-speed rail that operates at speed of 300 km/h (186 mi/h). China is planning to double its high-speed network by 2035.
A key reason for this massive investment in the development and deployment of high-speed rail is population density. The proximity of the large cities and a high volume of demand make high-speed rail an ideal mode of transportation. As an example, the trip from Guangzhou to Changsha, a distance of 350 mi, takes roughly 2 h and 20 min by train, compared to an hour by plane, but still, traveling by train is quicker and cheaper when considering the additional time required for check-in, security, and boarding.
Another factor is the higher efficiency in traveling by train as opposed to plane. For instance, there are 41 trains carrying 1,200 passengers each between Beijing and Shanghai on a daily basis compared to 50 flights that carry many fewer passengers and cost more. In contrast to transportation between major cities in Europe, for instance, trips from Paris to Barcelona are dominated by air travel at lower costs.
Full Article: IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, Volume 21, Number 1, April 2026
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