248.5 billion yuan in five months: China's railways accelerate — new high‑speed lines enter final stretch
2.6% growth in fixed asset investment, static testing of the Yichang‑Xingshan HSR and the Chaohu‑Ma'anshan intercity line, trial operation of the Xi'an‑Shiyan HSR, track laying on three major corridors — from Chengdu to Chongqing and from Xiong'an to Xinzhou. China continues to expand its rail network.
As reported by CCTV+, China State Railway Group announced on Friday that in the first five months of this year, fixed asset investment in the country's railway sector reached 248.5 billion yuan (about 36.67 billion US dollars), up 2.6% year‑on‑year. Since the beginning of the year, the national railway operator has been scientifically and orderly advancing railway planning and construction, with several key projects achieving new progress.
In May, static acceptance tests began on the Yichang‑Xingshan high‑speed railway in central China's Hubei Province and the Chaohu‑Ma'anshan intercity railway in eastern China's Anhui Province. Meanwhile, the Xi'an‑Shiyan high‑speed railway entered the trial operation phase, finalizing preparations for commercial service.
Wang Hongtiao, deputy director of the transport department at the Xi'an bureau of China Railway, explained: "The trial operation will last at least one month. It will be conducted in three stages: schedule‑based parameter testing, fault simulation and emergency rescue drills, and scheduled train operation. These steps will lay a solid foundation for the smooth opening and safe operation of the line." By the end of May, track laying had begun on several high‑speed rail lines, including the central line of the Chengdu‑Chongqing HSR, the Xiong'an‑Xinzhou HSR, and the Chongqing‑Kunming HSR. In addition, track laying was completed on the entire Nanchang‑Jiujiang high‑speed railway.
Railway investment is not just about tunnels and tracks. It is about regional connectivity, shorter travel times for millions of passengers, and a lower environmental burden. Every new kilometer of HSR in China is another step toward bringing remote cities closer to development hubs. Testing, track laying, commissioning — behind these stages lies the daily work of tens of thousands of construction workers. And when the train starts running on schedule, few will think about how many tests and checks remained behind the scenes. But it is precisely this invisible work that is the main guarantee of safety.
