Spectacular rise of China high-speed rail in 2025
China is the world’s champion of high speed rail. Staggering numbers were given a week ago by Guo Zhuxue, President of the state-owned railway operator, at an annual presentation conference in Beijing. In 2025, China high-speed rail network topped over 50,000 kilometers, cementing the country’s position as the global leader in fast rail.
Over the course of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), China’s operational rail network grew from 146,300 kilometers to 165,000 kilometers, an increase of nearly 13 percent. High-speed rail expanded even faster, surging almost one-third from 37,900 kilometers to 50,400 kilometers. The broader national railway system carried nearly 4.26 billion passenger trips (up 4.2%), according to China State Railway Group. Peak daily ridership past 23.13 million trips, also an all-time highs.
“China has built the world’s largest and most technologically advanced high-speed rail system,” Zhuxue said, noting that the country’s high-speed network now exceeds the combined total length of all others worldwide.
60,000 km of high-speed lines by 2030
Infrastructure investment remained robust. Fixed-asset spending reached 901.5 billion yuan ($128.9 billion), a 6 percent year-on-year increase. More than 3,100 kilometers of new rail lines entered service, including 2,862 kilometers dedicated to high-speed trains.
Looking ahead, China State Railway Group said it aims to handle about 4.402 billion passenger trips in 2026, a projected increase of 3.5 percent. The operator plans to bring more than 2,000 kilometers of new rail lines online this year. By 2030, China intends to expand its total rail network to roughly 180,000 kilometers, with high-speed lines accounting for about 60,000 kilometers, added the State railways president.
The company also highlighted progress on international rail projects and logistics operations in 2025. Construction began on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, while the Serbian segment of the Hungary–Serbia railway became fully operational. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s Jakarta–Bandung high-speed line has now completed two years of safe operations, carrying more than 13 million passengers.
Zhuxue said the railway group will continue to push forward overseas projects, strengthen cross-border transport systems, and deepen international partnerships to improve connectivity and support regional economic growth.
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