China Expands Railway Network to 165,000 Kilometers
The total length of the operational railway network in China has increased from 146,300 kilometers to 165,000 kilometers during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), according to the China National Railway Group, as reported on Sunday.
This expansion represents a 12.8% increase during the 14th Five-Year Plan, according to the group.
During the same period, the length of China’s operational high-speed railway network rose by 32.98% from 37,900 kilometers to 50,400 kilometers, making China home to the largest high-speed railway network in the world.
In 2025 alone, China recorded investments in railway fixed assets amounting to 901.5 billion yuan (approximately 128.3 billion USD), with 3,109 kilometers of new railway lines put into operation, including 2,862 kilometers of high-speed railway.
The China National Railway Group confirmed that it will continue to develop the railway network during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), indicating that the national operational railway network is expected to reach 180,000 kilometers by 2030, including around 60,000 kilometers of high-speed rail lines.
