China’s new high-speed train, the CR450, set a new record by reaching a speed of 453 kilometers per hour during trials on the Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu high-speed railway. This result surpassed China’s CR400 Fuxing, which currently holds the record at 350 km/h. The CR450 is planned to be commercially operated at 400 km/h.
World’s fastest train breaks record
The prototype of the CR450 was unveiled in November last year. The train is undergoing continuous testing and must cover a total of 600,000 kilometers before entering commercial service. The project was launched by the China State Railway Group in 2021.
Shiftdelete.netThe train is expected to begin carrying passengers in 2026 after completion of testing. Production is carried out by subsidiaries of the state-owned China Railway Vehicle Manufacturing Corporation (CRRC).
To achieve this high speed, the CR450 has been equipped with several structural innovations. The 12.5-meter nose section of the current 350 km/h trains has been increased to 15 meters. This change reduces air resistance. Fully enclosed bogie systems and protective panels under the carriages have minimized drag.
As a result of all these structural changes, total aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 22 percent. Furthermore, the train’s height has been reduced by 20 centimeters and its weight has been reduced by 55 tons. The CR450 accelerates from 0 to 350 km/h in just 4 minutes and 40 seconds, a time 100 seconds shorter than the current Fuxing trains.
When the CR450 enters service, it will become the fastest wheeled-rail train, that is, the train running on conventional rails. Currently, the Shanghai Maglev train, with its magnetic levitation system, is the fastest commercially operated train at 460 km/h.
