China’s high-speed rail enthusiasts glimpse the future as 450km/h train spotted

The CR450 seen heading towards Beijing this week will be the fastest commercial service in the world when it starts operations next year

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China’s next-generation Fuxing bullet train, the CR450, was seen travelling from Tianjin to Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Weibo/龙龙井拿铁
Zhang Tongin Beijing

Published: 3:00pm, 27 Dec 2024

China’s next innovation in high-speed rail the CR450, tipped to be the world’s fastest commercial train when it starts operations next year, was captured by enthusiasts in a series of videos as it made its way from Tianjin to Beijing on Wednesday.

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It was the second glimpse of the CR450 – designed with a trial speed of 450km/h (280mph) and a commercial operating speed of 400km/h (249mph) – after a test video briefly surfaced online in November before it was taken down.

The train resembles an arrow when viewed from the side. Its sleek, bullet-shaped nose has slightly angular contours, while the cockpit features trapezoidal side windows and decorative breathing lights.

Last month’s apparently leaked test video featured a train marked CR450AF-0001, while the latest images show an eight-car CR450 with its serial number covered by white tape.

The body is unpainted but the Fuxing branding of China’s bullet trains is visible, highlighting that the new train builds upon the foundation of the CR400, which debuted in 2017.

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Today, China’s high-speed rail system is the world’s largest network in operation, covering more than 45,000km (28,000 miles).

The China State Railway Group announced in September that the CR450 train had entered its full assembly phase, with prototype units expected to roll out before the end of the year.