BEIJING: China’s sprawling high-speed rail network passed 50,000 kilometres in total operating distance with the opening of a new line on Friday, state media reported.

The country has the world’s largest rail network — one-fifth longer than the circumference of the earth.

The trip begins in the city of Xi’an — home to China’s famed Terracotta Warriors — and ends in Yan’an to its north, state broadcaster CCTV said. Both cities are in northern China’s Shaanxi province.

Some homes were demolished and displaced residents would receive 5,000 yuan ($700) per household to relocate, local authorities said in 2020 when construction began.

China’s rail network has expanded by around 32 percent compared to 2020, state-owned China Railway added Friday in a statement.

The Xi’an-Yan’an line spans a total of 299 kilometres and the shortest trip takes 68 minutes, CCTV said.

The C9309 train runs at 350 kilometres (217 miles) per hour, outpacing Japan’s Shinkansen, which has a top speed of 320 kilometres (200 miles) per hour.

Beijing has also been financing railways in other Asian countries under its Belt and Road Initiative, which funds infrastructure projects globally, but a number of plans have been stalled or mired in controversy.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2025