The operating mileage of China's high-speed rail has exceeded 50000 kilometers

       On December 26, 2025, at 10:00 am, with the departure of the C9309 Fuxing intelligent high-speed train from Yan'an Station, the Xi'an Yan'an high-speed railway officially opened for operation. On the same day, the Hangzhou Quzhou high-speed railway and the Wuyi section of the Shanghai Chongqing Chengdu Yangtze River high-speed railway were simultaneously opened, and the operating mileage of China's high-speed railway exceeded the 50000 kilometer mark, firmly ranking in the world and building a high-speed railway network of global scale and modernization level. This milestone is only 17 years after the opening of the Beijing Tianjin intercity high-speed railway in 2008, achieving a breakthrough of zero high-speed rail in China. During the 14th Five Year Plan period, a total of 12000 kilometers of high-speed rail were built and put into operation, an increase of about 32% compared to the end of 2020. Currently, the high-speed rail network covers 97% of urban areas in China with a population of over 500000. The completion rate of the "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed railway main channels has reached 82%, achieving an efficient travel circle of 1-2 hours for 500 kilometers, 4-hour daily round-trip within 1000 kilometers, and 8-hour overnight arrival within 2000 kilometers. The daily passenger volume can reach 16 million, undertaking 80% of the railway's passenger volume and 69% of passenger turnover. The opening of new lines such as the West Extension High speed Railway not only marks the transition of revolutionary old areas such as Yan'an into the era of high-speed railways with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour, but also promotes the first high-speed railway in 128 counties across the country, further strengthening the road network of urban agglomerations such as the Yangtze River Delta, Beijing Tianjin Hebei, and Chengdu Chongqing, accelerating the efficient flow of people, logistics, and information. At the same time, China's independently developed CR450 high-speed train has reached a test intersection speed of 896 kilometers per hour, forming a top-level indicator system for high-speed railways with a speed of 400 kilometers per hour, achieving a comprehensive leap from catching up to leading, and becoming a landmark achievement of China's transportation modernization.