This photo shows a prototype of CR450 bullet train undergoing tests in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

​As China's CR450 bullet train sets a new world record in speed, its designer told the Global Times that the train can brake from 400 kilometers per hour to a complete stop within just 6,500 meters — the same as trains operating at 350 km/h — achieving higher operational speed without increasing braking distance

The remark was made by a designer from from China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation CRRC Qingdao Sifang Rolling Stock Research Institute (CRRC SRI), who is involved in the CR450 project.

Dubbed the "world's fastest high-speed train," the CR450 high-speed train prototype, unveiled late last year, is undergoing a series of tests under various speeds and conditions.

During the latest trial on Sunday, the CR450 bullet train set new records of 453 kilometers per hour for a single train and 896 kilometers per hour for a combined two-train meeting speed, China Media Group reported.

To verify the feasibility of multi-level emergency braking and anti-slip control technologies, the project team spent more than 20 months conducting braking and anti-slip tests under various conditions on a bogie rolling test platform, simulating the full braking process of the CR450 bullet train, the designer told the Global Times on Tuesday.

By quantitatively studying parameters, braking methods, and performance indicators, the team ensured precise braking and stopping at high speeds, the designer said, adding that the achievement was made possible by breakthroughs in control algorithms, material technology, and multi-level emergency braking control systems.

The CR450's record-setting performance is also attributed to its reduced aerodynamic drag and more powerful traction.

According to CMG, the train uses permanent-magnet traction motors with a conversion efficiency over three percent higher than that of the asynchronous motors used in the CR400 model, delivering a traction power of 11,000 kilowatts.

Meanwhile, the CR450's nose has been extended from 12.5 meters on the 350 km/h model to 15 meters, featuring a sharper shape to reduce drag.

Over the past five years, researchers have worked incrementally — improving drag reduction by as little as 0.1 percent at a time — to ultimately cut overall train resistance by 22 percent, the CMG reported.

The CR450 bullet train can accelerate from a standstill to 350 km/h in just 4 minutes and 40 seconds, 100 seconds faster than the current Fuxing model running at the same top speed, according to the report.