Next-gen high-speed train begins type testing in Hubei

China's next-generation high-speed train began type testing in Central China's Hubei province on Thursday, according to Hubei Daily on Friday.

On Thursday morning, the CR450 prototype departed from Yichang North Station on the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu high-speed railway line and headed toward Wuhan, officially launching a testing phase expected to last about two weeks. During this period, engineers will conduct a series of trials to verify the train's performance and gather data for future calibration and system optimization.

The high-speed railway section, which has conducted field testing, is expected to begin operations in the latter half of the year.

At the end of last year, China unveiled two prototypes of the CR450 high-speed train, designed to reach test speeds of 450 kilometers per hour and operational speeds of 400 km/h. Once in commercial service, they will become the fastest high-speed trains globally, surpassing the current CR400 model, which operates at 350 km/h.

Designed to be the world's fastest high-speed train, the CR450 marks a major step forward in China's railway innovation, with breakthroughs in speed, safety and energy efficiency.