China High Speed Railway Network
China has world’s largest high speed railway network as long as 42,000 km (26,100 mi) and capable of accommodating high speed trains running at 250 - 350 km/h (186 - 217 mph).
The present high speed railway network mainly consists of four north-south and four east-west trunk railways.
According to the long-term plan, the network will be extended to eight north-south and eight east-west high speed lines by 2030, with a tital length of 45,000 km (27,960 mi).
Line | Open Date | Length (km) | Designed Speed (km/h) |
---|---|---|---|
Four North - South High Speed Rail Lines | |||
![]() | --- | 1,450 | --- |
Beijing-Shanghai | 2011/06/30 | 1,318 | 300 |
Hefei-Bengbu | 2012/10/16 | 132 | 350 |
![]() (Beijing-Guangzhou in operation since 2012) | --- | 2,440 | --- |
Beijing-Shijiazhuang | 2012/12/26 | 281 | 350 |
Shijiazhuang-Wuhan | 2012/12/26 | 948 | 350 |
Wuhan-Guangzhou | 2009/12/26 | 1,069 | 300 |
Guangzhou-Shenzhen | 2011/12/26 | 142 | 350 |
Shenzhen-Hong Kong | 2018/09/23 | 200 | |
![]() | --- | 1,300 | --- |
Beijing-Shenyang | 2019 | 698 | 350 |
Harbin-Dalian | 2012/12/01 | 921 | 300 |
Panjin-Yingkou | 2013/09/12 | 89 | 350 |
![]() | --- | 1,464 | --- |
Hangzhou-Ningbo | 2013/07/01 | 155 | 350 |
Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou | 2009/09/28 | 275 | 200 |
Wenzhou-Fuzhou | 2009/06/30 | 294 | 200 |
Fuzhou-Xiamen | 2010/04/26 | 226 | 250 |
Xiamen-Shenzhen | 2013/12/28 | 514 | 200 |
Four East - West High Speed Rail Lines | |||
![]() | --- | 1,400 | --- |
Zhengzhou-Xuzhou | 2016/09/10 | 360 | 350 |
Zhengzhou-Xi'an | 2010/02/06 | 523 | 300 |
Xi'an-Baoji | 2013/12/28 | 167 | 250 |
Baoji-Lanzhou | 2017 | 401 | 250 |
![]() | --- | 2,266 | --- |
Shanghai-Hangzhou | 2010/10/26 | 159 | 350 |
Hangzhou-Changsha | 2014/12/10 | 924 | 350 |
Changsha-Kunming | 2016 | 1,183 | 350 |
![]() | --- | 770 | --- |
Qingdao-Jinan | 2008/12/20 | 413 | 250 |
Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan | 2009/04/01 | 232 | 250 |
Shijiazhuang-Jinan | 2017 | 323 | 250 |
![]() | --- | 1,985 | --- |
Shanghai-Nanjing | 2010/07/01 | 311 | 300 |
Nanjing-Hefei | 2008/04/18 | 157 | 200 |
Hefei-Wuhan | 2009/04/01 | 359 | 250 |
Wuhan-Yichang | 2012/07/01 | 292 | 200 |
Yichang-Lichuan | 2010/12/22 | 275 | 160 |
Lichuan-Chongqing | 2013/12/28 | 278 | 200 |
Chongqing-Suining | 2012/12/31 | 167 | 200 |
Suining-Chengdu | 2009/07/07 | 146 | 200 |
North - South Lines
![]() |
Map of China High Speed Railway Network |
Length: 819 miles (about 1,318 kilometers)
Major stations: Beijing South, Tianjin South, Jinan West, Xuzhou East, Nanjing South, Shanghai Hongqiao
Duration: 5 - 6 hours
Route description: This is one of the busiest lines in China's high speed railway network. By June 30, 2017, the 6th anniversary of operation, this line has served 630 million passengers. It also has two branches: Nanjing – Hangzhou Line, and Bengbu – Hefei – Hangzhou Line.
Harbin - Beijing - Hong Kong - Macau
It consists of two trunk lines, Beijing – Harbin and Beijing – Guangzhou – Shenzhen - Hong Kong, and a branch line, Guangzhou – Zhuhai – Macau.

Length: 808 miles (1,300 kilometers)
Major stations: Beijing Xinghuo, Chengde South, Chaoyang North, Fuxin, Shenyang, Shenyang North, Tieling West, Siping East, Changchun West, Harbin West, Dalian, Puwan, Anshan, Jilin, Shuangji, Yingkou East
Duration: 7 hours between Beijing and Harbin, 3.5 – 4.5 hours between Dalian and Harbin
Route description: Besides the main line, it also has several branches, Harbin - Dalian, Panjin - Yingkou, and Changchun - Jilin - Hunchun. The section between Beijing and Shenyang along the main line is under construction and bullet trains are currently detouring along Beijing-Tianjin-Qinhuangdao-Shenyang Line.
![]() |
China High Speed Train |
Length: 88 miles (142 kilometers)Length: 1,516 miles (2,440 kilometers)
Major stations: Beijing West, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou East, Wuhan, Changsha South, Hengyang East, Guangzhou South, Shenzhen North, Hong Kong West Kowloon
Duration: 9 hours
Route description: Reputed as “world’s longest high speed railway, the whole line has been opened on September 23, 2018. Guangzhou – Zhuhai – Macau
Major stations: Guangzhou South, Shunde, Xiaolan, Jiangmen, Xinhui, Zhongshan, Zhuhai North, Zhuhai
Duration: 1 – 1.5 hours
Route description: This line is scheduled to be connected with the Macau Light Rail which is under construction. When finished, passengers can travel between Macau and Guangzhou more conveniently.
Guangzhou - Zhuhai High Speed Railway
Hangzhou – Fuzhou – Shenzhen
Major stations: Hangzhou East, Shaoxing North, Ningbo, Taizhou, Wenling, Wenzhou South, Fuzhou South, Putian, Quanzhou, Xiamen North, Chaoshan, Shenzhen North
Duration: 9.5 – 10.5 hours
Route description: It travels along China’s southeast coastal line, connecting Yangtze River Delta with Pearl River Delta by high speed trains. According to the long-term plan, this railway will be extended northward to Shanghai, Nantong, Yancheng, Lianyungang, Qingdao (Yantai), Weifang, Dongying, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao, Dandong (Dalian), and westward to Zhanjiang and Beihai (Fangchenggang), forming a network along China's long coastal line.
The following five lines are in the long-term plan of China high speed railway network and scheduled to be finished by 2030.
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Beijing – Hong Kong – Taipei
Travel route: Beijing – Hengshui – Heze – Shangqiu – Fuyang – Hefei (Huanggang) – Jiujiang – Nanchang – Ganzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong, including Hefei – Fuzhou – Taipei and Nanchang – Fuzhou (Putian) branches.
Hohhot – Nanning
Travel route: Hohhot – Datong – Taiyuan – Changzhi – Jiaozuo – Zhengzhou – Xianyang – Yiyang – Loudi - Shaoyang – Yongzhou – Guilin - Nanning
Beijing – Kunming
Travel route: Beijing – Shijiazhuang – Taiyuan – Xi'an – Chengdu (Chongqing) – Kunming, including a branch Beijing – Zhangjiakou - Datong
Baotou – Haikou
Travel route: Baotou – Yan’an – Xi'an – Chongqing – Guiyang – Nanning – Zhanjiang – Haikou – Sanya, including the branch Yinchuan - Xi'an line.
Lanzhou (Xining) – Guangzhou
Travel Route: Lanzhou (Xining) – Chengdu (Chongqing) – Guiyang – Guangzhou
East - West Lines
Xuzhou – Lanzhou
Length: 870 miles (1,400 kilometers)
Major stations: Xuzhou East, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Luoyang Longmen, Huashan North, Xi'an North, Baoji South, Tianshui South, Lanzhou West
Duration: 8 hours
Route description: It has been opened on July 9, 2017. The high speed train can continue running west along the finished Lanzhou-Xinjiang High Speed Railway to Urumqi. Also, the line will be extended further towards the east to Lianyungang. By then, this will really be a very long high speed line across China in the east-west direction.
![]() |
Length: 1,408 miles (2,266 kilometers)
Major stations: Shanghai Hongqiao, Hangzhou East, Yiwu, Jinhua, Nanchang West, Changsha South, Shaoshan South, Huaihua South, Guiyang North, Anshun, Qujing, Kunming South
Duration: 10.5-12 hours
Route description: Running from China’s east coastal area to the southwest, this line passes by many different landscapes and is one of China’s most beautiful high speed lines. In addition, the Kunming – Thailand High Speed Line via Laos is under construction. When finished, it will connect the high speed railway network of China with southeast Asia.
Qingdao – Taiyuan
Length: 478 miles (770 kilometers)
Major stations: Qingdao, Weifang, Zibo, Jinan, Zhijiazhuang, Yangquan North, Taiyuan South
Duration: 4 hours
Route description: In the future, this railway will go westward to Yinchuan.
Length: 1,233 miles (1,985 kilometers)
Major stations: Shanghai Hongqiao, Suzhou North, Wuxi East, Nanjing South, Hefei, Wuhan Hankou, Yichang East, Enshi, Lichuan, Chongqing North, Chengdu East
Duration: 14.5 – 15 hours
Route description: It greatly shortens the rail duration for about 20 hours, thus strengthen the communication between Yangtze River Delta with east and south central China.
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Guangzhou – Nanning – Kunming
Length: 798 miles (1,284 kilometers)
Major stations: Guangzhou South, Zhaoqing East, Nanning East, Baise, Puzhehei, Mile, Kunming South
Duration: 9 hours
Route description: The section has been fully opened on December 26th, 2016. As the Nanning - Guangzhou High Speed Railway is crowded, another parallel line will be built by 2030 to accommodate more high speed trains.
The below three lines are also on the long-term plan of high speed railway network.
Suifenhe – Manzhouli
Travel route: Suifenhe – Mudanjiang – Harbin – Qiqihar – Hailar – Manzhouli
Beijing – Lanzhou
Travel route: Beijing – Zhangjiakou – Hohhot – Yinchuan – Lanzhou
Xiamen – Chongqing
Travel route: Xiamen – Longyan – Ganzhou – Changsha – Changde – Zhangjiajie – Qianjiang – Chongqing
Further Reading:
China Railway Network
8 Most Scenic Train Rides in China

- Ticket Types
- Business Class Seat
- First Class vs. Second Class
- High Speed Sleepers
- Facilities
- High Speed Railway Network
- Intercity High Speed Trains
- Maps

- Beijing - Shanghai
- Beijing - Guangzhou
- Beijing - Tianjin
- Beijing - Xi'an
- Beijing - Harbin
- Beijing - Fuzhou
- Beijing - Pingyao
- Beijing - Zhangjiakou
- Shanghai - Chengdu
- Shanghai - Guangzhou
- Shanghai - Hangzhou
- Shanghai - Hong Kong
- Shanghai - Suzhou
- Shanghai - Nanjing
- Shanghai - Kunming
- Xi'an - Chengdu
- Xi'an - Lanzhou
- Xi'an - Luoyang
- Xi'an - Shanghai
- Guangzhou - Zhuhai
- Hong Kong - Beijing
- Wuhan - Guangzhou
- Nanning - Guangzhou
- Guiyang - Kunming
- Guangzhou - Shenzhen
- Guangzhou - Hong Kong
- Guangzhou - Guilin
- Shenzhen - Guilin
- Shenzhen - Xiamen
- Harbin - Dalian
- Haikou - Sanya
- Lanzhou - Xinjiang
- Chengdu-Leshan-Emeishan
- Chongqing - Guiyang
- Guilin - Yangshuo
- Hangzhou - Huangshan
- Jinan - Qingdao
- Kunming - Dali
- Pingyao - Xi'an
- Zhangjiakou – Hohhot
- Zhengzhou - Xi'an
- Chengdu-Dujiangyan-Qingchengshan



















