China to launch new 250 km/h freight trains
China will launch regular freight trains at a speed of 250 km/h. The first test run was completed on July 12, with two trains running between Chengdu and Kunming in Western China at that maximum speed. In the future, the service will run daily.
Freight bullet trains were adapted from previous passenger bullet trains. The new service will cover a distance of 1127 kilometers and deliver the cargo within six hours. In addition to fresh produce, this service is for high value-added products such as biomedical products, electronics, and business documents. The new service marks the start of China Railways' use of bullet trains for its freight network.
In the past, bullet trains have been used to transport cargo in China for special occasions such as the Double Eleven shopping festival, the world's largest online shopping festival. But then not freight trains were used, but the goods were placed directly on the passenger seats. After the end of the shopping festival, these trains were returned to serve passengers.
China has the world's largest high-speed rail network with a total length of 37,900 km.
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