page_title: High-speed rail in China
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: High-speed rail in China / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Asia Express was running on the South Manchuria Railway.
context_page_description: High-speed rail in China is the world's longest high speed railway network and most extensively used. The HSR network encompasses newly built rail lines with a design speed of 200–350 km/h. China's HSR accounts for two-thirds of the world's total high-speed railway networks. Almost all HSR trains, track and service are owned and operated by the China Railway Corporation under the brand China Railway High-speed.
  High-speed rail developed rapidly in China over the past 15 years. CRH was introduced in April 2007 and the Beijing-Tianjin intercity rail, which opened in August 2008, was the first passenger dedicated HSR line. HSR extends to all provincial-level administrative divisions except Macau and Tibet. The HSR network reached 36,000 km in total length in August 2020. The HSR building boom continues with the HSR network set to reach 70,000 km in 2035.
  China's early high-speed trains were imported or built under technology transfer agreements with foreign train-makers including Alstom, Siemens, Bombardier and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
caption: The Asia Express steam locomotive, which operated commercially from 1934 to 1943 in Manchuria could reach 130 km/h (81 mph) and was one of the fastest trains in Asia.
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