China's CR450 high-speed train marks breakthrough in commercial speed trial

China's newly-unveiled CR450 bullet train, with a top speed of 450 kilometers per hour (kph) and a commercial operating speed of 400 kph, is set to mark a milestone in the speed of commercial operation of high-speed railways, promising faster, safer and more energy-efficient journeys.

A prototype of the CR450 bullet train that will run at 400 kph debuted in Beijing on Sunday, said the country's railway operator China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

The train is capable of running at 450 kilometers per hour in test.

Since 2018, China has been researching the foundational theories and key technologies for high-speed rail operating at 400 kph.

After seven years of development, the CR450 prototype was launched, marking a significant milestone as the country completes its exploration into commercial operations at an unprecedented speed.

In 2021, the CR450 technological innovation project was officially launched, focusing on the development of the 400-kph CR450 train and integrated high-speed rail infrastructure technologies.

By 2022, the CR450's technical specifications were finalized and rigorous tests and simulations were conducted.

In 2022 and 2023, new components were tested on the CR450 train on the Mile-Mengzi and Fuzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou high-speed railways to verify key technologies and component performance.

In 2024, production of the CR450 prototype began, incorporating smart manufacturing techniques and robust quality control to ensure the smooth rollout of the first train.

"The CR450 train is a new generation of trains developed to strengthen and expand China's leadership in high-speed rail technology. It features a higher speed, enhanced safety, greater energy efficiency, smarter operation and improved passenger comfort," said Zhao Hongwei, chief researcher of the China Academy of Railway Sciences.

The CR450's key performance indicators, namely operating speed, energy consumption, interior noise and braking distance, are setting a new international benchmark.

The train is 22 percent more energy-efficient, with a 10-percent reduction in weight and a 2-decibel reduction in cabin noise.

Passenger service space has increased by 4 percent and intelligent features, including advanced train control, driver interaction, safety monitoring and passenger services, have been upgraded.

"Next, we will meticulously organize and schedule a series of tests and assessments in multiple scenarios and at various speed levels to further evaluate the CR450's performance and accelerate its readiness for commercial operation," said Zhang Dayong, director of the Science and Information Technology Department of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

China's CR450 high-speed train marks breakthrough in commercial speed trial

China's CR450 high-speed train marks breakthrough in commercial speed trial

China's CR450 high-speed train marks breakthrough in commercial speed trial

China's CR450 high-speed train marks breakthrough in commercial speed trial

Chinese and foreign scientists have jointly carried out a series of exchange and investigation activities this week to respond to the United Nations' initiative on glacier preservation.

The United Nations declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, accompanied by the proclamation of the 21st March of each year as the World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025.

A public advocacy and glacier investigation activity with the initiative of "Let the Glacier Cool" was launched at Dagu Glacier scenic area in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a key place in global glacier preservation, from Monday to Tuesday.

In 2024, the Global Glacier Loss List (GGCL) project was jointly launched by Rice University, the University of Iceland, the Icelandic Glaciological Society, the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The project tracks recently disappeared, almost disappeared, and critically endangered glaciers worldwide. Among them, the Dagu Glacier is the only glacier in China on the list.

In this regard, Chinese and foreign glacier experts and scholars conducted in-depth investigations into the changes in Dagu Glacier during the event.

"Let China's voice be heard in the 2025 International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, World Day for Glaciers, and the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences. We need to awaken people's awareness of glacier changes, and everyone can reduce emissions and live a green life to slow down global warming, so that we can prolong the life of glaciers," said Li Zhongqin, a researcher at the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources (NIEER) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Meanwhile, the Dagu Glacier International Academic Summit Forum was held in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, from Sunday to Tuesday.

The forum was jointly organized by the NIEER, the Center for Glacier Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE) under the CAS, and the Sichuan Dagu Glacier Administration Bureau.

More than 100 glaciologists, climate policy experts and representatives of international organizations from more than 10 countries including China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, the United States and the United Kingdom, attended the conference online and offline, and had in-depth dialogues on the scientific challenges and international cooperation in global glacier protection.

"Because of global warming, glaciers around the world are generally melting. For example, the latest research data released last month showed that the annual loss of global glaciers, if converted into water equivalent, is 273 billion tons. The public can clearly see that the glaciers are shrinking rapidly and disappearing rapidly," said Kang Shichang, director of the IMHE.

Global experts gather in Sichuan to respond to UN glacier initiative