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World's Fastest Train Debuts at 235 MPH in China

by Amar Toor on December 11, 2009 at 03:05 PM


For the past couple of decades, China's population -- and its economy -- has been growing faster than a speeding bullet. Now, they have a train fast enough to keep up.

As the BBC reports, China's new Wuhan-Guangzhou railway is now the fastest train in the world. Making its debut yesterday, the train tops out at a speed of over 380 km/h, or over 235 mph, and, according to early reports, the ride is surprisingly smooth. Traveling from the central city of Wuhan all the way down the south coast, it's also the longest rail line in China, and after Thursday's successful trial run of the new high speed train, it's become the hottest ticket in the country. Though the line won't open for official business until later this month, airlines have already begun slashing fares to compete with the Wuhan-Guangzhou express, and officials hope that it'll help ease the holiday travel rush at airports and on roadways.

Thursday's unveiling was the culmination of four years, and nearly $15 billion worth of investment. But it seems like it may be just the beginning -- China's already got 42 other high-speed lines that are slated to be completed within just the next three years. Given the size of the country, the density of the population, and the exponential speed at which technology (and CO2 emissions) seems to be growing in China, there may be no other country today that needs this kind of infrastructural boost more. [From: BBC]

Tags: china, rail, railway, top, trains, worlds fastest, WorldsFastest

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