By Zhang Hong & Zhu Xianqiang, Research Team on “Roadmap for the Development of China’s High-speed Railway IC Technology”, Information Center, DRC

Research Report, Special Issues, No 63, 2015 (Total NO 1466) 2015-12-31

Abstract: Since the first railway in the world was put into use in 1825, various countries have vied with each other to break the maximumtrain speed records. The official operation of Japan’sShinkansen(also known as Bullet Train orSuper Express) in 1964 marked the initiation of a global high-speed railway era. China began to build its own high-speed railway at the end of 1990s and since then its high-speed railway companies have gradually made presence overseas and expanded investment in the world with remarkable results. This report reviews the developmentof high-speed railway in the world and makes a technological and economic analysis on high-speed railway. Boasting advanced rail technologies, high-speed railway demonstrateshugetime and environmental benefits, but also reveals high and direct costs. However, in terms of the entire national economy, the booming development of high-speed railway not only coincides with the swift pace of modern lifebut also effectively promotes regional economic development. Under the current circumstances where railwayserves as the main transport means in China, high-speed rail technological progress and improvement will give a strong boost to the development of national economy. The increment of high-speed railway projects will help us soon experience the “high-speed rail era”.

Key words: high-speed railway, time benefit, regional economy