New high-speed trains ready for testing

A new generation of high-speed trains will be ready for tests, Huang Qiang, chief researcher with the China Academy of Railway Sciences and also a CPPCC member said.

He said the test speed for the new trains would be 420 km/h and it would run at 380 km/h when it was put into use in 2012, traveling between Beijing and Shanghai.

Designs used in airplanes have been applied in the new trains, such as equipping the carriages with sound systems and even televisions in big compartments.

The new trains are designed for lifespans of 20 years, with eight carriages carrying about 500 passengers, Huang said.