China's CR450 high-speed train moves a step closer to commercial operation

China's CR450, the world's fastest high-speed train under development, is expected to complete operation assessments and design finalization in 2026, moving a step closer to commercial operation, according to China State Railway Group.

The railway operator said the CR450 science and technology innovation project made major progress in 2025 as it advanced development of the country's next-generation high-speed train.

After two CR450 prototype trainsets rolled off the production line at the end of 2024, they underwent type tests on the Ring Railway test line in Beijing, the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway and the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu high-speed railway, the group said.

The trainsets have passed all type tests and completed 300,000 kilometers of operation assessment on the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu and Shenyang-Baishan high-speed railways, achieving expected results.

According to the group, the CR450 has established a technical system for high-speed trains operating at 400 kilometers per hour. During testing, a single train reached 453 km/h, while two trains have set a record by passing each other at a combined speed of 896 km/h.

When operating at 400 km/h, the CR450's emergency braking distance is less than 6,500 meters, energy consumption is below 22 kilowatt-hours per kilometer, and interior noise is kept within 68 decibels, the group said. Its dynamic performance, safety margin for fatigue strength of load-bearing structures and temperature rise of rotating components are comparable to those of the CR400 trainset operating at 350 km/h.

China State Railway Group said the project has also made breakthroughs in key technologies such as drag reduction, lightweight car bodies, permanent magnet traction and high-performance braking.

The CR450 trainset has fully independent intellectual property rights and has promoted the application of domestically developed key components for 400 km/h operation, including wheelsets, bogie steel plates, pantographs and high-voltage cable terminals, according to the group.

The group said it will continue advancing key technological research and industrial application of the CR450, complete operation assessments and design finalization to a high standard, and steadily move the train toward commercial operation.