China’s 400km/h trains getting closer to debut, numbering-system change hints

[Beijingwalker]

China’s 400km/h trains getting closer to debut, numbering-system change hints​

Overhaul of designation system creates new class for passenger service operating above 350km/h​

Xinyi Wuin Beijing
Published: 6:30pm, 16 Oct 2026

China’s national rail operator has added a new service category for high-speed trains running above 350km/h to accommodate faster routes in the future, signalling the impending commercial debut of its newest and fastest train model and potentially marking another milestone for the world’s fastest train fleet.

China State Railway Group’s overhaul of its train numbering system would introduce the prefix “X” – short for xin, the Chinese word for “new” – for Fuxing trains with a maximum speed higher than 350km/h, according to a statement on Friday.

“This is primarily intended for use on trains operating at higher speeds in the future,” the statement said.

Fuxing refers to China’s flagship CR series of high-speed trains, designed and manufactured domestically. China has been testing its new CR450 trains, designed to operate commercially at 400km/h, some 50km/h faster than the fastest CR400 models currently in service.

 

[Beijingwalker]

250, 300, 350,400...
50Km seems to be a fixed upgrading unit for speed.

Traveling form the farthest two points in China can be made within one day. A very good alternative to flying.

 

[Beijingwalker]

China has so many high-speed trains it is adding an X-series​

Technology21:53, 16-Oct-2026

China has so many high-speed trains, it's running out of numbers. So it's adding an "X" series for the fastest ones.

China State Railway Group (China Railway) announced the change on Friday. The X-series will be used for trains that run above 350 km/h. The change will be rolled out in two batches, in late November and late December. Services will keep running to the current timetable.

The Fuxing CR450 high-speed train, China, October 20, 2025. /China Media Group
China's newest high-speed train, the Fuxing CR450 electric multiple unit (EMU), has passed all type tests as of March 2026, said Zhao Hongwei, chief researcher at the China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited (CARS). It reaches 450 km/h in testing and 400 km/h in service, making it the world's fastest high-speed train in operation.

And it does that without using much more power. Zhao said the CR450 uses less than 22 kWh per kilometer at 400 km/h, while CARS data shows 350 km/h trains use 19.5 to 23.5 kWh per kilometer.

Under China Railway's numbering system, prefix letters indicate a train's speed category or service type. The X-series will cover trains above 350 km/h. The G, T and K series will denote trains with maximum operating speeds of 350 km/h, 300 km/h and 200-250 km/h.

The Fuxing CR450 high-speed train, China, October 20, 2025. /China Media Group
China's rail network has kept expanding, and so has the number of services. From 2014 to 2025, the number of 300-350 km/h train sets rose by 209%, from 1,018 to 3,149 standard sets. Some number series are now running out of available numbers – the main problem the adjustment addresses.

According to a railway science and technology innovation plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), issued on Monday, China will develop at least 20 typical application scenarios or demonstration projects, including for the 400 km/h high-speed train system.

China has so many high-speed trains it is adding an X-series

China has so many high-speed trains, it's running out of numbers. So it's adding an "X" series for the fastest ones. China State Railway Group (China Railway) announced the change on Friday. The X-series will be used for trains that run above 350

news.cgtn.com

 

[ety]

As they build many more HSR lines, do all the trains able to fill up with near full passengers capacities ?

 

[Beijingwalker]

As they build many more HSR lines, do all the trains able to fill up with near full passengers capacities ?

During National day holidy I took one from Beijing to Hangzhou, full capacity. Tomorrow I'll take one from Beijing to Taiyuan.

 

[ety]

During National day holidy I took one from Beijing to Hangzhou, full capacity. Tomorrow I'll take one from Beijing to Taiyuan.

I mean on ordinary days outside national holidays on many of the less popular and busy routes. I have seen some videos of some HSR train coaches travelling quite empty.

 

[Michael]

I mean on ordinary days outside national holidays on many of the less popular and busy routes. I have seen some videos of some HSR train coaches travelling quite empty.

The railway system employs specific operational scheduling mechanisms.
At times, an entire carriage may be reserved for a particular segment of a train's journey. Consequently, you might observe that while some carriages on the same train are fully occupied, others remain completely empty.

Furthermore, on many active rail routes, the volume of passenger traffic in opposite directions can be highly disproportionate at any given time.
In Sichuan, there is a significant surge in passenger traffic on Friday afternoons as people travel from Chengdu to other cities within the province; conversely, the volume of travel from those other cities toward Chengdu is notably lower during the same period. By Sunday afternoon, however, this pattern reverses entirely. Therefore, it is perfectly normal to encounter trains that are largely empty.

 

[Beijingwalker]

400km/hour CR450 train

 

[Beijingwalker]

 

[Beijingwalker]