New Shanghai-Beijing Bullet Trains to Run Even Faster

By Justine Lopez

Train travel between Beijing and Shanghai is getting a whole lot better. There have been a bunch of improvements made to some of the high speed trains running between the two cities lately. First we found out that new trains are equipped with wifi, then we learned that other trains feature super comfy beds and now we’re hearing that trains between the capital and Shanghai will soon start running even faster.

The new Fuxing trains which are currently operating on the Beijing-Shanghai line will start running at speeds of 350km/h starting in September. Faster speeds mean that travel time will be cut down by 30 minutes, so the entire journey will only take four and a half hours.

Current trains operating on that route run at 300km/h and take roughly five hours.

A series of tests were recently conducted on the new Fuxing bullet trains. According to a report released on Thursday, the tests have shown positive results. The trains are expected to start running at higher speeds as early as mid-September, though an exact date hasn't been settled on. 

However, it might not all be good news for travelers. According to one expert, faster speeds might mean that fewer trains are actually able to run along the Beijing-Shanghai line. 

According to Zhao Jian, a professor at Beijing Jiaotong University and an expert on China’s high-speed railway system, running trains at varying speeds on the same line could be a “nightmare.” Because most trains will still be operating at speeds of 300km/h, Zhao anticipates a number of issues, including the increased risk of collision and a drastic decrease in the number of daily trains. 

“There are more than 100 trains passing on the line every day. With the higher speed, that could drop to about 80,” he said. “That will not only dent revenues, it will affect passengers too – the intervals between trains will be longer and there will be fewer seats available.”

The Fuxing (meaning great rejuvenation of Chinese nation) trains are the first to be fully developed in China. They took their first journey between Beijing and Shanghai last month. 

There are a number of improvements that come with these new trains. All passengers not only have access to some much appreciated wifi but there are free chargers for electronics too. They also boast top speeds of 400km/h but can run at a consistent speed of 350km/h. The trains are currently operating at speeds of 300km/h, though that will change starting this fall.

[Image via China Daily]

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