For a country whose speed at multiplying its economic wealth and overall rate of progress is nothing less than a tracer bullet, it is hardly a surprise that China is home to some fascinating developments in the ambit of the bullet train. While countries like Singapore, India, Malaysia, Spain, Iran and many others are yet to develop their versions of the bullet train, China is on the long road to add fascinating miles and legs to this incredible engineering marvel. Back in China, where hundreds and thousands travel in an annual pilgrimage for the lunar new year holiday, the fate of this crammed travelling experience is being changed for the better thanks to the country’s bullet trains.
It is an essential and well-known fact that China already boasts of the longest network of bullet train. But now, according to reports, it has been found that China is pumping 3.5 trillion yuan into expanding its railway system, which is nearly the size of $556 billion dollars. Some countries have half the size of defence budget than what China is singularly pumping toward burgeoning its spread of bullet trains. It is also believed that in the course of the next two years, China is set to expand its railway system by 18%.
The high-speed rail network shall extend its reach westward, a region where famous ancient Chinese poet Li Bai described as being as difficult in accessing as is the journey to the skies. That said, renewing its focus on urban transportation specifically during the festive season, China is said to provide a cushy comfort to millions who travel for engaging in a spiritual experience. It is believed that during the Spring Festival, wherein much of the country is shut down for a week-long holiday, an estimated 400 million people- which is more than US’ current population- shall travel by train over the Lunar New Year or the Spring festival.
Unlike other countries, that have been a witness to a rise in low-cost, no-frills budget airlines, in China the trend is different. High-speed rails exploded nearly a decade ago with nearly a 25,000 kilometer network developed within 2013-17. With the advent and subsequent rise of the bullet trains, urban transportation and mobility is catered to specifically during months of peak travel in lines with these trains’ ample travel capacity. Isn’t this fascinating!