China Targets 400 km/h High-Speed Rail Operations and 15,000 km Network Expansion by 2030

China, November 2026 – China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has outlined an ambitious railway development programme for the 2026–2030 period, covering high-speed rail expansion, network modernisation and increased freight capacity. The programme aims to strengthen domestic connectivity while advancing technologies required for commercial train operations at speeds of up to 400 km/h.

Under the plan, China intends to construct approximately 15,000 kilometres of new railway lines, including around 10,000 kilometres of high-speed rail. The country also aims to expand its total railway network to approximately 180,000 kilometres by 2030, with high-speed railway infrastructure accounting for about 60,000 kilometres. By the end of 2025, the existing network had reached 165,000 kilometres, including more than 50,000 kilometres of high-speed lines. Railway fixed-asset investment reached 601.2 billion yuan (approximately US$90.06 billion) during the first nine months of 2026, representing a 1.3% year-on-year increase.

A major technological priority is the development of a complete system of engineering, safety and operating standards for 400 km/h high-speed rail services. This will involve advances in rolling stock, signalling, railway infrastructure and operational management. China also plans to largely complete the main corridors of its eight-vertical and eight-horizontal high-speed railway network, while expanding regional connections and developing major routes along the Yangtze River, coastal regions and international border corridors.

Freight transportation will remain another focus, with China targeting an additional 220 million tonnes of railway freight volume. The programme also предусматривает the introduction of freight train services on selected railway lines designed for passenger train speeds of up to 200 km/h, depending on transport demand. These developments are expected to improve infrastructure utilisation, strengthen connections between inland production centres and major ports, and support industrial supply chains. China's railway expansion is also expected to generate demand across construction, rolling stock, steel, electrical equipment and railway technology industries.

The country's technological development also has implications for international railway cooperation. Indonesia's Jakarta–Bandung high-speed railway, known as Whoosh, provides an example of China's integrated railway technology overseas. Operating at speeds of up to 350 km/h, the line has carried more than 18 million passenger trips since entering commercial service in October 2023, with a reported on-time performance rate of 99.4% over its first three years. China's next development phase therefore combines domestic network expansion with efforts to strengthen its capabilities in delivering integrated railway,

Source: Global Times