China Feels the Need for Speed

The author examines 200 km/h passenger train service between Suzhou and Shanghai, the sixth and latest in a series of speed-ups which have transformed China's passenger operations over the past decade. More than 6,000 km of the Chinese rail network now operates on 200 km/h lines. In addition to reducing journey times, the introduction of China Railway High-speed (CRH) trains, considered a highlight of the latest railway speed-up, has improved passenger comfort. Inserts describe the rapid growth of Chinese railways, in terms of both passenger and freight traffic, as well as details of a decade of speed increases across China.