China now has more high-speed rail than rest of the world combined

As of late 2025, China's high-speed rail network spans an impressive 50,000 kilometers, surpassing the combined length of high-speed lines in all other countries, according to China State Railway Group. This extensive network has positioned Chinese manufacturers to lead export markets as well as domestic operations, as argued by British railway historian Christian Wolmar in his book, "Fast Track."

By the end of 2025, the network is projected to total 50,400 kilometers, accounting for approximately 70% of the world's high-speed track. It accommodates an average of 9.36 million passengers per day on 9,346 services, with the capacity to handle over 16 million passengers and 10,000 services during peak hours. The network has expanded by roughly 8 kilometers of route each day since the first line opened between Beijing and Tianjin in 2008, during the Olympic Games.

The system's size is more than three times that of the entire current railway network in Britain. A World Bank study of 27 Chinese high-speed lines revealed an average cost of CNY129 million per kilometer for 350 kph projects and CNY87 million for 250 kph projects, equating to $17 million to $21 million per km. In comparison, European infrastructure costs range from $25 million to $39 million per km, with some areas in California reaching up to $56 million per km.

Wolmar estimates Chinese construction costs between CNY100 million to CNY200 million per km, acknowledging that precise figures can be challenging to determine.

CRRC, a key player in China's railway manufacturing, operates a facility in Changchun, northeastern China, which Wolmar describes as "silent and spotless." The company employs over 18,000 individuals involved in the production of metro cars, trams, intercity stock, and high-speed trainsets. The utilization of lighter materials with advanced technologies results in reduced energy consumption, noise, and vibration.

Fully segregated lines, built on concrete viaducts tens of meters above ground, incur higher initial costs but result in lower track damage and maintenance expenses over time.

Fuxing trainsets, currently operating at 350 kph, are designed to reach 400 kph. CRRC is testing the CR450 model, which is expected to achieve speeds up to 400 kph in commercial service, with a completed design anticipated by 2026. Baggage scanning, online seat reservations, and online ticket purchases have streamlined the passenger experience.

Local passengers can utilize their ID cards for automatic gate entry, while foreigners must queue for manual passport checks. Individuals identified as judgment defaulters on the Supreme People's Court list are prohibited from purchasing tickets at all; in 2018 alone, over 5.5 million such individuals were barred from buying train tickets, and 17.5 million were denied airline tickets.

Chinese high-speed rail is projected to expand to 70,000 kilometers by 2035. Wolmar attributes this ambitious growth to the Chinese political system's ability to raise capital, clear land, and concentrate resources on priority projects, a capability Western governments typically exhibit only during wartime. The European Commission's decision to block a merger between Siemens and Alstom in 2019, a deal supported by France and Germany as a potential counterbalance to Chinese influence, is viewed as an "economic mistake" by French finance minister Bruno Le Maire.

Wolmar supports this stance, advocating for the West to adopt a coordinated industrial strategy and reconsider its competition analysis, which excluded Chinese suppliers from the relevant market.