China Railway
China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., short form China Railway, is the state-owned rail transport operator and rail infrastructure manager in Mainland China.
China Railway is recognized as one of the largest rail operators in the world in terms of both network size and passenger volume. The company has played a pivotal role in China's economic development, enabling mass mobility and freight transport across urban and rural regions. Its network integrates high-speed, conventional, and freight services, making it a cornerstone of China's domestic logistics and transportation infrastructure.
China Railway operates passenger and freight transport throughout China with 18 regional bureaus. China has the highest railway usage in the world.
History
China Railway Corporation was established in 2013 to be responsible for railroad construction, operation, and maintenance.The origins of China Railway trace back to the Qing dynasty and early 20th century, when private and foreign-managed lines began connecting major cities. Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the government nationalized most railway assets and created a centralized system for construction, operation, and expansion, laying the foundation for modern China Railway.
Under the Chinese Corporate Law, China Railway Corporation was reorganized into China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. on 18 June 2019. This meant the Ministry of Finance would act as an investor on behalf of the state and the company would be led by a board and managed by board-chosen executives.
By the end of 2019, China Railway employed 2 million people and operated 139,900 km of railroads, of which 35,388 are high-speed railroads.
Passenger services
China Railway operates two main types of passenger rail services. Tickets for both types of trains are sold offline at ticket offices, and online at China Railway's official online booking website, , and its associated mobile app, Railway 12306. 12306.cn is the only official online platform authorized to sell China Railway tickets.In addition to standard ticketing, China Railway has implemented a range of digital services including e-tickets, QR code scanning, seat selection, and real-time train tracking through the 12306 platform. The system has been upgraded over the years to reduce congestion at stations and improve passenger convenience, particularly during peak travel seasons such as the Chinese New Year.
China Railway High-speed (CRH)
China Railway High-speed is a high-speed rail service operated by China Railway.The introduction of CRH series was a major part of the sixth national railway speedup, implemented on April 18, 2007. By the end of 2020, China Railway High-speed provided service to all provinces in China, and operated just under passenger tracks in length, accounting for about two-thirds of the world's high-speed rail tracks in commercial service. China has revealed plans to extend the HSR to 70,000 km by year 2035. It is the world's most extensively used railway service, with 2.29 billion bullet train trips delivered in 2019 and 2.16 billion trips in 2020, bringing the total cumulative number of trips to 13 billion as of 2020.
China Railway High-speed has also contributed to regional development by significantly reducing travel times between major cities. Studies have shown that cities connected by CRH services experience faster economic growth, higher tourism, and improved labor mobility. The introduction of the CR400 series represents a major technological leap, integrating autonomous safety systems and advanced energy-efficient designs.
Over 1000 sets of rolling stock are operated under the CRH brand including Hexie CRH1/2A/5 that are designed to have a maximum speed of, and CRH2C/3 have a maximum speed of. The indigenous designed CRH380A have a maximum test speed of with commercial operation speed of 350 km/h. The fastest train set, CRH380BL, attained a maximum test speed of. In 2017, the China Standardized EMU brand including CR400AF/BF and CR200J joined China Railway High-speed and are designated as Fuxing together with letters CR. With a gradual plan, the CR brand is going to replace the current CRH brand in service. China's CRH380A Hexie developed by CSR Corporation Limited. it is designed to operate comfortably at a speed of 350 km/h and a maximum speed of 380 km/h, it is also the fastest train in the world. During testing it also reached 486.1 km/h.
Depending on their speed, there are 3 categories of high speed trains, G, D and C.
China Railway Classic Rail
The China Railway Classic Rail network, also known as conventional rail, forms the backbone of China Railway's railway system alongside the high-speed rail network. These traditional railway lines operate at speeds below 160 km/h and serve a dual role in transporting both passengers and freight. Unlike the high-speed CRH services, which primarily use dedicated electrified tracks, Classic Rail consists of older lines that may be single or double-tracked, with varying degrees of electrification.Historically, all Classic Rail trains were olive-green, leading to the nickname "green train" to be used by laypeople. Since 2014, most Classic Rail trains that had other colours have been repainted olive-green. Classic Rail trains are also sometimes referred to as "slow trains" in English.
Classic Rail trains have significantly lower ticket prices compared to CRH trains and are a popular choice with travellers on a budget.
Despite the rise of high-speed services, Classic Rail remains vital for freight transport and rural connectivity. Many remote towns rely exclusively on conventional trains for daily commuting, agricultural transport, and long-distance freight, ensuring economic inclusion for areas not served by CRH lines.
Logo
The China Railway logo was designed by Chen Yuchang , officially adopted on 22 January 1950. The whole logo represents the front of a locomotive. The upper part of the logo represents the Chinese character 人, while the lower part represents the transversal surface of a rail. The logo means that China's railway belongs to the people. The lower part represents the character 工, means that China's railway belongs to the working class.The evolution of China Railway's branding reflects modernization efforts. In 2017, the Fuxing brand was introduced to standardize high-speed services and unify the visual identity across CRH trains. The logos emphasize technological advancement while retaining cultural symbolism, linking China's modern railways to their historical roots.
The "CR" logo is used on the Fuxing along with the China Railway logo. The "CRH" logo is used on the Hexie.
Companies
There are 21 primary subsidiary companies under China Railway. As of 2008, approximately two million people work in China Railway.Second tier subsidiaries
Corporate affairs
Business trends
The key trends for the China Railway are,| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Revenue | 1.13 | 1.13 | 1.25 |
| Operating income | -34.8 | −54.4 | 27.47 |
| Net income | −49.9 | −69.6 | 3.30 |
| Total assets | 8.92 | 9.20 | 9.53 |
| Total equity | 3.00 | 3.09 | 3.22 |
Partnership with Airlines
China Railway has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:China Railway has Interline agreements with the following airlines:
- XiamenAir
International operations
International trains
China Railway International Group Co., Ltd operates passenger trains from China to Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Vietnam and Laos.Services to Europe (New Silk Route)
China Railway ran goods services to 15 European cities, including routes to Madrid and Hamburg and the experimental East Wind service to London to test demand. The Chinese government refers to the two-week route, starting at Yiwu and with trains to London traversing Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France, as the Belt and Road Initiative. Containers must be transferred several times, as different, incompatible, rail gauges are used in different regions, and the same rolling stock cannot be used throughout.Africa
China has been investing in and helping to rebuild railways in Africa. Below is an incomplete list of rail projects.| Name | Location | Constructed | Company | Cost | Comments & Ref |
| High Plateau line, Algeria | Relizane, Saida, Tiaret, Tissemsilt, Boughezoul to M'Sila, Algeria | 2009–2013 | China Railway Group & China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation | US$2.8bn | |
| Benguela Railway | Lobito to Luau, Angola | 2006–2014 | China Railway Construction Corporation Limited | US$1.83bn | Railway was rebuilt following civil war |
| Chad Railway | Ngaoundéré, Cameroon to Nyala, Sudan via Moundou, N'Djamena and Abéché in Chad | 2012–ongoing | China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation | US$5.6bn | Construction over three phases |
| Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Djibouti City, Djibouti | 2011–2016 | China Railway Group & China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation | US$4bn | Electric |
| Mombasa-Nairobi Railway | Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya | US$5.42bn | |||
| Mali–Guinea Railway | Bamako, Mali to Conakry, Guinea | 2016–ongoing | China Railway Construction Corporation Limited | US$8bn | |
| Mali–Senegal Railway | Bamako, Mali to Dakar, Senegal | 2016–ongoing | China Railway Construction Corporation Limited | US$2.7bn | |
| Nigeria Coastal Railway | Lagos to Calabar, Nigeria | 2014–ongoing | China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation | US$11.1bn | |
| Lagos–Kano Railway | Lagos to Kano, Nigeria | 2011–ongoing, Abuja to Kajuna completed in 2016 | China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation | US$8.3bn | |
| Sudan Railway | Khartoum to Port Sudan, Sudan | 2007–2012, 2014 opened | China Railway Engineering Corporation | US$1.5bn | |
| TAZARA Railway | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia | 1970–1975 | Railway Engineering Corps, Ministry of Railways | US$500m | Currently in need of reinvestment |
| Uganda Railway | Malaba, Kampala, Kasese, Uganda to Rwanda and South Sudan | 2015–ongoing | China Harbour Engineering | US$8bn |