China Railway debuts 450 km/h bullet train prototype

China State Railway Group (China Railway) has unveiled a prototype of the next generation commercial bullet train, which the company says is set to become the fastest train in the world.

The train, known as the CR450, is said to be capable of operating at speeds of up to 400 km/h, but can reach a maximum speed of 450 km/h.

China Railway said that the unveiling of the prototype marks a breakthrough in the CR450 project, which was launched in 2021 to develop “safer, more environmentally friendly, more energy-efficient, and smarter” trains.

The new train is set to replace the CR400 in the Fuxing high-speed train series, which operates at speeds of 350 km/h.

If the CR450 enters service as expected, it could reduce travel time between Beijing and Shanghai from four and a half hours to three hours and 18 minutes.

According to local media reports, the CR450 has a total weight of approximately 10 tonnes, making it 10% lighter than its predecessor.

Operational resistance indicators and energy consumption have been reduced by about 20%, while braking performance has also improved by around 20%.

The next step will involve putting the prototype through a series of tests and evaluations to assess its performance.

China Railway did not specify when the CR450 might commence operations, but prior reports suggest that this could occur as early as next year.