China High-Speed Rail Map: Top Routes & Latest Ticket Info

Planning a trip up north? Eager to experience the vast high-speed rail network but not sure where to begin? Don’t worry—Trip.com has put together the ultimate guide to high-speed rail, covering everything from route maps and popular journeys to tips on how to book your tickets and more.

High-Speed Rail Overview

brown train rail under blue sky during daytime Via Unsplash (by Jake Weirick)

China Railway Highspeed—often called China High-Speed Rail or simply high-speed rail—refers to the extensive network of high-speed railways operating across China, serving as a true cornerstone of the country's modern transportation infrastructure.

By 2019, high-speed rail had connected 32 of China's 34 provincial-level regions, with only Tibet and Macau yet to join the network. Fast forward to the end of 2023, and the country’s rail network has expanded to an impressive 159,000 kilometers, boasting 45,000 kilometers of high-speed lines—the largest network of its kind in the world!

What’s more, China is setting its sights on expanding its high-speed rail network to an impressive 70,000 kilometers by 2035, making travel easier than ever for over 90% of the population.

Popular High-Speed Rail Routes

High-Speed Rail Categories

• High-speed rail lines designed for speeds of 300–380 km/h, including the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity, Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway, Beijing–Shenyang High-Speed Railway, Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Shanghai–Kunming High-Speed Railway, Harbin–Dalian High-Speed Railway, the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Railway, and many more.
• High-speed rail lines designed for speeds of 200–250 km/h, including routes like the Qinhuangdao–Shenyang Passenger-Dedicated Line (now the Qinhuangdao–Shenyang section of the Beijing–Harbin Line), the Hefei–Nanjing Railway, the Hefei–Wuhan Railway, the Lianyungang–Huai'an–Yangzhou–Zhenjiang Railway, and the new double-track Jinhua–Wenzhou line, among others.
• Railways designed for speeds of 200–250 km/h that accommodate both passenger and freight trains on the same tracks, including routes like the Han–Yi, Heng–Liu, and Jin–Bao Railways, among others.

High-Speed Rail Route Map | Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Rail

The Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Rail connects Hong Kong with Shenzhen and Guangzhou, with full service officially launching on September 23, 2018. This 142-km line begins at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, whisking you to Guangzhou South in just about 47 minutes and to Shenzhen Futian in a mere 14 minutes. It’s a game-changer for travel in the Greater Bay Area, truly bringing everything within a one-hour reach!

As a key part of China’s national high-speed rail network, it opens up a world of possibilities, letting you conveniently reach over 60 Mainland cities. With easy transfers at Shenzhen North or Guangzhou South, you can effortlessly zip off to destinations all across the country!

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Rail Schedule

High-Speed Rail Route Map | Explore China’s High-Speed Rail Network

Photo credit: Train Speed

China’s ambitious railway plan features five distinct types of high-speed lines, ranging from dedicated passenger routes to upgraded tracks and exciting new western connections. Since 2016, the network has evolved into the "Eight Verticals and Eight Horizontals" grid, which now serves as the backbone of the country's high-speed rail map.

These major corridors—including the Beijing–Shanghai, Coastal, Land Bridge, and Along-the-Yangtze routes—work seamlessly with intercity rail to create convenient 1–4 hour travel circles between major cities, and quick 0.5–2 hour connections within city clusters.

Popular High-Speed Rail Routes

1. Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway

Photo credit: Valery Rabchenyuk, Unsplash | Tianjin

Just in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity High-Speed Railway officially launched, changing the way we travel between these two major cities. Spanning 120 kilometers and designed for speeds of up to 350 km/h, this lightning-fast rail line slashed travel time from a two-hour trek to a breezy 30-minute ride, truly bringing these two bustling municipalities closer together than ever before.

The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway wasn't just China’s first high-speed rail line to feature independent intellectual property rights—at the time of its debut, it also ranked among the fastest high-speed railways in the world.

2. Beijing to Shanghai High-Speed Railway

Photo credit: Edward He, Unsplash | Shanghai

The Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway has been whisking travelers between these two iconic cities since 2011. When it first opened, it held the title of the world’s longest high-speed rail line completed in a single construction phase, setting a new benchmark for travel with its world-class standards.

Spanning 1,318 kilometers with a top speed of 350 km/h, this high-speed rail line connects Beijing, the nation's political and cultural heart, with Shanghai, its bustling economic hub. The journey whisks you through seven provinces and municipalities—Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai—getting you from city to city in as little as 4 hours.

By February 2013, the total number of passenger trips had hit a major milestone, surpassing 100 million for the first time! Fast forward to 2021, and that incredible figure had soared past 1.3 billion.

3. Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Rail

Photo credit: Florian Wehde, Unsplash | Hong Kong

The Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Rail is a high-speed railway in China that seamlessly connects Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shenzhen with Hong Kong, making your travels between these vibrant cities easier than ever.

It’s also a key part of the Beijing–Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong passenger-dedicated line, which is a vital component of Mainland China’s “Four Vertical and Four Horizontal” high-speed rail network. Serving as a backbone for the Pearl River Delta’s intercity rapid transit system, these trains can whisk you along at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour!

4. Shanghai to Hangzhou High-Speed Railway

Photo credit: Luobing, Unsplash | Hangzhou

The Shanghai–Hangzhou High-Speed Railway is a dedicated passenger line that effortlessly connects the bustling metropolis of Shanghai with the scenic beauty of Hangzhou.

Connecting Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Hangzhou East Railway Station, this 166-kilometer route is a key segment of the Shanghai–Kunming Passenger-Dedicated Line, which is part of the national "Four Verticals and Four Horizontals" high-speed rail network. Designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour, this line has been whisking travelers between these two vibrant cities since it opened on October 26, 2010.

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