A photo shows a "Fuxing" train before beginning a test run. (Photo/Xinhua)
The top speed for China's new bullet train "Fuxing" was temporarily increased to 350 kilometers per hour during testing from Beijing to Xuzhou, which is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail link on July 27, 2017, reports Xinhua News Agency.
According to China Railway Corporation (CRC), the upgraded train is expected to start its official operation in September this year after the new Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway operation plan is implemented, which will cut the travel between Beijing and Shanghai on high-speed trains to 4 and a half hours.
Most high-speed trains in China have been limited to 300 kilometers per hour except for those traveling between Beijing and Tianjin as of July, 2011.
A high-speed train accident on July 23, 2011 left 40 people dead. Subsequent investigations have determined speed was not a factor in the accident. However, authorities decided to cut speeds in August of that year for all high-speed trains, and have left the maximum at the same level since then.
While most have presumed safety is the main concern, He Huawu, chief engineer of the China Railway Corporation, has been on record saying that "there wouldn't be any technical or safety problems if the speeds were raised to 350 kilometers. However, the total costs would increase".
It is reported that apart from the Beijing-Shanghai line, other high-speed railways will also go back to a 350 km/h speed limit soon.
