Just before the new year, China’s lightest and fastest high-speed train, CR450 train prototype, made its debut in Beijing on December 29, 2024, turning a new page on China's advancements in rail technology.  

With a test speed of up to 450 kilometers per hour and an operational speed of 400 km/h, the CR450 is poised to become the fastest commercially operating high-speed train in the world. It also sets new international benchmarks for key performance indicators such as operational speed, energy consumption, interior noise, and braking distance.

Compared to the currently operating CR400 Fuxing trains, which have a maximum speed of 350 km/h, the CR450 is designed to reduce operational resistance by 22 percent and weight by 10 percent.

The innovations realized through the CR450 project are expected to enhance China’s railway technological innovation and independence, further solidifying the country’s leadership in high-speed rail technology on a global scale.