China to adjust train numbering system, add X-series for higher-speed trains

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- China will adjust its national train numbering system and introduce a new "X" series for future trains with maximum operating speeds above 350 km/h, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) announced on Friday.

The change will be implemented in two batches in late November and late December. China Railway said train services will continue to operate according to the current timetable after the adjustment.

China's newest high-speed train, the Fuxing CR450 electric multiple unit (EMU), which has a maximum test speed of 450 km/h and an operating speed of 400 km/h, has passed all type tests by March 2026, said Zhao Hongwei, chief researcher at the China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited (CARS). It is currently the world's fastest high-speed train by operating speed.

The CR450 achieves this speed while consuming about as much electricity as existing high-speed trains. Zhao noted that at 400 km/h, the CR450 uses less than 22 kWh per kilometer, while data from CARS show that 350 km/h high-speed trains use 19.5 to 23.5 kWh per kilometer.

Under China Railway's numbering system, prefix letters indicate a train's speed category or service type. After the adjustment, the new X-series will be used for trains with maximum operating speeds above 350 km/h, while the G, T and K series will denote trains with maximum operating speeds of 350 km/h, 300 km/h and 200-250 km/h, respectively.

In recent years, China's railway network has continued to expand, and the number of train services has grown significantly. From 2014 to 2025, the number of 300-350 km/h high-speed train sets increased by 209 percent, from 1,018 to 3,149 standard sets. Against this backdrop, some train number series are approaching the limits of available number ranges, a key issue the adjustment aims to address.

According to a railway science and technology innovation plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) issued on Monday, China will plan no fewer than 20 typical application scenarios or demonstration projects in areas such as the 400 km/h high-speed train operating system.