Nation's rail network continued to break records in 2024

Last year, more than 3,100 km of new rail was built, including 2,457 km of high-speed rail, linking key cities and regions.

Since 2012, the total length of China's rail network has grown by more than 65 percent, while high-speed rail has expanded over fourfold.

Compared to 2012, when China's total railway length was 98,000 km with 9,356 km of high-speed rail, the country's rail infrastructure has undergone an impressive transformation.

Li Jingwei, deputy head of the development and reform department of China State Railway Group, highlighted the accelerated pace of construction.

"Since 2012, the expansion of China's high-speed rail has intensified, with an average of over 3,000 km of new high-speed rail lines put into operation annually," Li said.

Notably, China is the only country to achieve commercial operation of high-speed rail at 350 km/h, showcasing technological prowess, he said.

"From snowy forests in the northern part of China to the water towns in the eastern region, and from the desert to the sea, China's high-speed rail traverses major rivers and rugged mountains, and connects all regions," Li said.

He added that the high-speed railway network covers more than 96 percent of cities with populations over 500,000, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

By 2030, China aims to have built a world-class modern railway network covering about 180,000 km, including around 60,000 km of high-speed rail. This expansion will create a more efficient and interconnected transportation system, allowing passengers to travel between major cities in just one to three hours and ensuring the swift movement of cargo across the country.

The expansion of the network has not only reduced travel times but also increased connectivity between major cities and more isolated areas, including regions with challenging terrain, where building roads is already difficult, let alone railways. This is particularly true in the rugged mountains of Sichuan and the Xizang autonomous region, where new rail lines have brought services to remote locations, boosting regional development and tourism.