As of 2021, the operation length of the high-speed rail (HSR) in China amounted to around 40,000 kilometers. It accounts for 26.7 percent of China’s railroad network, which currently was about 150,000 kilometers long.

The HSR network encompasses newly built rail lines with a design speed of 200–350 km/h (120–220 mph).

Total length of operation network of high-speed railways in China from 2008 to 2021(in 1,000 kilometers)

Ever since they were created, high-speed trains have played a major role in developing and growing cities around the world. The modern trains have undergone a serious upgrade, where they’re equipped with the latest technology, comfort, and increased speed. There’s still room for more developments to take place, but the current high-speed trains have several benefits that include:

Improved Travel and Mobility

A few transportation models are as fast as high-speed trains in existence, making them a very reliable means of transport. With a modern high-speed train known to reach speeds of 165 miles per hour, you should expect to reach your destination very fast and have extra time to do other things. You should expect to travel across cities within minutes at such speed, a journey that might take a few hours using the conventional modes of transportation, such as driving.

Comfort

Comfort is another thing to consider when you mention high-speed rail. With soft fabrics and proper seating conditions, sitting inside one of these trains offers a similar comfort as sitting on your couch.

Reduced Smog in the City

Vehicles might be great for moving around the city, but smog is not something we like very much. It makes the city’s horizon look unclear, with a lower supply of fresh air, making life within these regions unbearable. The introduction of high-speed trains within many cities is seen as an excellent way of curbing smog congestion.

Smog might not have an immediate health impact, but its accumulation is known to pose long-term health risks which might lead to chronic illnesses, such as respiratory infections and cancer. By adopting high-speed trains, cities around the world would encourage people to leave their vehicles home as they head out to work. As a result, there will be fewer emissions and lesser smog to worry about.

Reduced Congestion

Don’t you hate it getting stuck in traffic, especially when heading to work or going back home? It’s becoming a common problem around the world, and countries are trying to implement different measures to curb this problem. Building high-speed rail is seen as the ideal option by many.

For starters, the train can carry many people at once and is cheaper than fueling your vehicle. Bringing your vehicle to the city means you have to pay for parking space, which adds to the vehicle’s operation costs, while a train only requires you to pay for a ticket. There’s also no reason to worry about traffic, and you would be at work or back home within minutes.

Job Creation

As the cities develop and grow, there’s always pressure accompanying the local authority to create jobs. High-speed trains can create job vacancies during their development stages. There’re also the running and maintenance job vacancies that would require people to fill in.

Here are a few job vacancies you should expect with high-speed trains:

• Train engineer, Conductor, Crew member, Train yard manager,
• Cook, Utility Clerk and Dispatcher.

With many potential jobs expected to become available with every high-speed train improvement, we can only conclude that such infrastructure presents unlimited opportunities to the locals.

The value of time saved by HSR users

HSR users can arrive at their destinations earlier to perform more work. Although it is difficult to estimate the value of HRS users’ time, it is safe to say that the time saved should improve the economy of the countries which have HRS.    

Economic Boost

Whenever a city constructs and starts using high-speed trains, you should expect its economy to go through the roofs. For starters, there’s increased revenue from the train ticket sales that goes up with the growing demand. Secondly, the demand for housing goes up due to the availability of a reliable mode of transportation, which brings in more money to the local government.

Additionally, businesses open up in local centers, such as restaurants and coffee shops, which help to stimulate the local economy and hire more people. As the standard of living goes up, the income level goes up with it, helping to improve people’s lives.

Fast and Convenient Travel

Many high-speed trains are known to move at speeds higher than 120 miles per hour, which is more than enough to get you across the city or country. The trains are not bothered by traffic or uneven roads, and you should expect to reach your destination on time and without fatigue.

High-speed trains are perfect for someone who’s in a rush, and driving is not an option. They’re also very reliable and take off sooner than flights. Their schedules are also more reliable than an airport, where you have to go through a million things before the flight takes off.

A Safer Way to Travel

There’re so many dangers involved with traveling and let’s face it, even the safest methods can get dangerous at times. However, high-speed trains are a bit safer compared to driving. Statistics show that over 38,000 people die from car crashes or car-related accidents every year in the US, with only 600 dying from train accidents. The train fatalities result from vehicles getting hit by trains or accidental electrocution by falling on the railway.

High-speed rail crashes or accidents are very rare due to safety measures in place. Technological innovations help train operators detect anything that might pose a risk to the train. The railway is also enclosed to prevent public access, which might interfere with the train’s operation.

By embracing high-speed trains, cities might manage to lower motor vehicle accidents and fatalities in the next few years. Few accidents mean fewer injuries and medical bills.

Reduces Dependency on Foreign Oil

A city with many vehicles means there’s a higher demand for fuel. It also means the gas prices rise, bringing the overall price of everything high as well. Diesel locomotive engines also consume a lot of fuel, making them an unsustainable long-term mode of transportation. Countries would be required to import more oil to curb this demand, which increases the reliance and dependency on foreign oil. Doing so puts the country at a disadvantage as it gives the suppliers power over the pricing.

High-speed rails run on electricity, cutting down fuel consumption. When there’s a high-speed train connecting several cities, people often find no need to use vehicles, which ends up lowering the demand for oil. Such actions also help the city to move away from fossil fuels and dependency on foreign oil.

China is helping Vietnam to construct HSR

The 1,545-kilometer rail line would connect the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City to the capital Hanoi in the north, supplementing the longer 1,729-kilometre railway that dates back to the era of French rule. As VnExpress reported last month, this new rail line would be used to transport passengers, while the existing railway routes would be used solely for freight.

China is helping Indonesia to construct HSR  

China Railway Group Ltd, known as CREC, the Beijing-headquartered State-owned construction contractor, plans to complete $537 million worth of construction works for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project in Indonesia this year, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, said its senior executives.

The 143-kilometer-long railroad is being constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, a consortium involving Indonesia's State-owned companies, and China's centrally-administrated State-owned enterprises including China Railway Signal and Communication Co, China Railway Rolling Stock Corp and Power Construction Corporation of China.

China is also helping many other countries to construct HSR.