Is High-Speed Rail profitable in China?

It was profitable every year between 2014 and 2019, according to national railway operator China State Railway Group Co. It is also known as “the most profitable” rail line, with annual growth rate of profits registered at 39.4 percent from 2014 to 2019.

How much does it cost to build high-speed rail in China?

Total investments in new rail lines including HSR reached $49.4 billion in 2008 and $88 billion in 2009. In all, the state planned to spend $300 billion to build a 25,000 km (16,000 mi) HSR network by 2020.

How much high speed rail does China have?

China boasts the world’s longest high-speed rail network with some 35,000 kilometers of express lines in operation.

Why is building high speed rail so expensive?

The costs are being driven by changes in designs submitted in the original contracts, delays in moving underground utilities and long-standing problems buying all of the land along the right of way.

Why does Japan have high speed trains?

‘new main line’), colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development.

What impact has China’s high-speed rail network had on the world?

“China has built the largest high-speed rail network in the world,” said Martin Raiser, the World Bank’s country director for China. “The impacts go well beyond the railway sector and include changed patterns of urban development, increases in tourism, and promotion of regional economic growth.

Is China’s high-speed rail under the weight of debt?

But deeper inspection also reveals infrastructure projects buckling under an enormous weight of debt. The majority of China’s high-speed rail is reliant on debt financing, which led to CRC’s debt increasing almost tenfold from $70.70bn in 2005 to $4.72tn in 2016.

What are the requirements for high-speed rail service in China?

Thus, high-speed rail service in China requires high-speed EMU train sets to be providing passenger service on high speed rail lines at speeds of not less than 200 km/h (124 mph).

Why is the Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway so important?

This December will mark the ten-year anniversary of the opening of the Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway in China. It represents a seminal moment in the country’s modern history. The 1,100km service marked China’s first foray into the world of high-speed rail; it has not looked back since.