Published on: 2026-10-17
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
img src=”http://images.china.cn/site1005/2026-10/17/118736896_587f727e-ae6f-4ad6-b6fb-c26e4170e242.jpg”/>
Beijing, October 16 /Xinhua/ — China will adjust the national train numbering system and introduce a new X series for future trains with a maximum operating speed of over 350 km/h, announced on Friday China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China State Railways).
The changes will be implemented in two stages – at the end of November and at the end of December. According to the KZD statement, after the changes are made, the trains will continue to run according to the current schedule.
The newest Chinese high-speed train “Fuxing” CR450, with a maximum test speed of 450 km/h and an operational speed of 400 km/h, passed all standard tests by March 2026, announced Zhao Hongwei, chief scientist of the China Academy of Railway Sciences /CARS/. Currently, it is the fastest high-speed train in the world in terms of operational speed.
The CR450 train reaches such a speed while consuming approximately the same amount of electricity as existing high-speed trains. Zhao Hongwei noted that at a speed of 400 km/h, the CR450 consumes less than 22 kWh per kilometer, whereas, according to CARS, high-speed trains traveling at 350 km/h consume between 19.5 and 23.5 kWh per kilometer.
According to the KZD numbering system, letter prefixes indicate the speed category or type of train service. After the changes are made, the new series “X” will be applied to trains with a maximum operational speed of over 350 km/h, while the series G, T, and K will denote trains with maximum operational speeds of 350 km/h, 300 km/h, and 200-250 km/h, respectively.
In recent years, China’s railway network has continued to expand, and the number of train departures has increased significantly. From 2014 to 2025, the number of high-speed trains traveling at 300-350 km/h increased by 209 percent – from 1,018 to 3,149 standard train sets. Against this backdrop, some series of train numbers are approaching the limits of available number ranges, which is the key issue that this adjustment aims to address.
According to the plan for scientific and technological innovations in the railway sector for the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), published on Monday, China plans to develop at least 20 typical application scenarios or demonstration projects in areas such as the operation system of high-speed trains with a speed of 400 km/h. -0-
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source asserts and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.