China Railway

For other uses, see China Railway (disambiguation).

This article is about the company. For railway system and network in China, see Rail transport in China.

China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., doing business as China Railway (CR), is the national passenger and freight railroad corporation of the People's Republic of China.^[2]

China State Railway
Group Company, Ltd.

Headquarters
Trade name	China Railway
Native name	中国国家铁路集团有限公司
Formerly	China Railway Corporation (2013–2019)
Company type	State-owned limited company
Industry	Rail transport
Predecessor	Ministry of Railways
Founded	19 January 1950 (as ministry) 14 March 2013 (as company)
Headquarters	Haidian, Beijing , China
Area served	China
Key people	Liu Zhenfang (Chairman) Guo Zhuxue (General Manager)
Services	Passenger rail Freight rail
Revenue	CN¥1.245 trillion[nb 1] (2023)
Operating income	CN¥27.465 billion[nb 2] (2023)
Net income	CN¥3.304 billion (2023)
Total assets	CN¥9.351 trillion (2023)
Total equity	CN¥3.223 trillion (2023)
Owner	Ministry of Finance
Number of employees	2 million approx. (2013)
Divisions	Railway operations
Subsidiaries	16 bureaux 5 companies
Website	china-railway.com.cn 12306.cn
Footnotes / references source[1]

China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.
Simplified Chinese	中国国家铁路集团有限公司
Traditional Chinese	中國國家鐵路集團有限公司
Literal meaning	China State Railway Group Limited Company
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Guójiā Tiělù Jítuán Yǒuxiàngōngsī Wade–Giles Chung-kuo Kuo-chia Tʻieh-lu Chi-tʻuan Yu-hsien-kung-ssŭ
Alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	国铁集团
Traditional Chinese	國鐵集團
Literal meaning	State Railway Group
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guó Tiě Jítuán Wade–Giles Kuo Tʻieh Chi-tʻuan

China Railway operates passenger and freight transport throughout China with 18 regional bureaus.^[3] By September 2022, the total assets of China Railway Group are CNY 9.06 trillion (USD 1.24 trillion).^[4] China has the highest railway usage in the world.^[5]

History

China Railway Corporation was established in 2013 to be responsible for railroad construction, operation, and maintenance.^[6]: 209

Under the Chinese Corporate Law, China Railway Corporation was reorganized into China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. on 18 June 2019. This meant the Ministry of Finance would act as an investor on behalf of the state and the company would be led by a board and managed by board-chosen executives.^[7][8]

By the end of 2019, China Railway employed 2 million people and operated 139,900 km of railroads, of which 35,388 are high-speed railroads.^{[6]: 209–211}

Passenger services

China Railway operates two main types of passenger rail services. Tickets for both types of trains are sold offline at ticket offices, and online at China Railway's official online booking website, 12306.cn, and its associated mobile app, Railway 12306 (with both a Chinese interface and an English interface for use by foreigners). As of May 2025, 12306.cn (and its app) is the only official online platform authorized to sell China Railway tickets.^[9]

China Railway High-speed (CRH)

Main articles: China Railway High-speed and High-speed rail in China

China Railway High-speed (CRH) is a high-speed rail service operated by China Railway.

The introduction of CRH series was a major part of the sixth national railway speedup, implemented on April 18, 2007.^[10] By the end of 2020, China Railway High-speed provided service to all provinces in China, and operated just under 38,000 km (24,000 mi) passenger tracks in length, accounting for about two-thirds of the world's high-speed rail tracks in commercial service.^[11][12][13] China has revealed plans to extend the HSR to 70,000 km by year 2035.^[13] It is the world's most extensively used railway service, with 2.29 billion bullet train trips delivered in 2019^[14] and 2.16 billion trips in 2020,^[15] bringing the total cumulative number of trips to 13 billion as of 2020.^[16][17]

Over 1000 sets of rolling stock are operated under the CRH brand including Hexie CRH1/2A/5 that are designed to have a maximum speed of 250 km/h (160 mph), and CRH2C/3 have a maximum speed of 350 km/h (220 mph). The indigenous designed CRH380A have a maximum test speed of 416.6 km/h (258.9 mph) with commercial operation speed of 350 km/h. The fastest train set, CRH380BL, attained a maximum test speed of 487.3 km/h (302.8 mph). In 2017, the China Standardized EMU brand including CR400AF/BF and CR200J joined China Railway High-speed and are designated as Fuxing together with letters CR (China Railway).^[18][19] With a gradual plan, the CR brand is going to replace the current CRH brand in service.^[20] China's CRH380A Hexie developed by CSR Corporation Limited. it is designed to operate comfortably at a speed of 350 km/h (217 mph) and a maximum speed of 380 km/h (236 mph), it is also the fastest train in the world. During testing it also reached 486.1 km/h (302.0 mph).^[21]

Depending on their speed, there are 3 categories of high speed trains, G, D and C (G and some C being the fastest at 350 km/h, D having a speed of 250 km/h and C having a speed of 200 km/h).^[22]

China Railway Classic Rail

Main article: Classic rail in China

The China Railway Classic Rail network (Chinese: 普速铁路; pinyin: Pǔ sù tiělù), also known as conventional rail, forms the backbone of China Railway's railway system alongside the high-speed rail (HSR) network. These traditional railway lines operate at speeds below 160 km/h (99 mph) and serve a dual role in transporting both passengers and freight. Unlike the high-speed CRH (China Railway High-speed) services, which primarily use dedicated electrified tracks, Classic Rail consists of older lines that may be single or double-tracked, with varying degrees of electrification.

Historically, all Classic Rail trains were olive-green, leading to the nickname "green train" (Chinese: 绿皮火车; pinyin: Lǜ pí huǒche) to be used by laypeople. Since 2014, most Classic Rail trains that had other colours (white, red, blue) have been repainted olive-green. Classic Rail trains are also sometimes referred to as "slow trains" in English.^[23][24]

Classic Rail trains have significantly lower ticket prices compared to CRH trains and are a popular choice with travellers on a budget.^[24]

Logo

Logos of China Railway

China Railway symbol (used for all services, including Classic Rail)

China Railway High-speed logo (used on Hexie trains)

Fuxing train logo

Former company logo

The China Railway logo was designed by Chen Yuchang (Chinese: 陈玉昶) (1912–1969), officially adopted on 22 January 1950. The whole logo represents the front of a locomotive. The upper part of the logo represents the Chinese character 人 (people), while the lower part represents the transversal surface of a rail. The logo means that China's railway belongs to the people.^[25][26][27] The lower part represents the character 工 (labour), means that China's railway belongs to the working class.

The "CR" logo is used on the Fuxing (train) along with the China Railway logo.^[28]

The "CRH" logo is used on the Hexie (train).

Companies

CR service regions

There are 21 primary subsidiary companies under China Railway. As of 2008, approximately two million people work in China Railway.

Business	Company	Provinces of operation	Regions of operation
Passenger	China Railway Harbin Group Company (CR Harbin)	Northeastern Inner Mongolia (Hulunbuir and part of Xingan League), Heilongjiang	Northeast China
	China Railway Shenyang Group Company (CR Shenyang)	Liaoning (except Bohai Strait ferry), Jilin, Southeastern Inner Mongolia (Chifeng, Tongliao and part of Xingan League), southern Heilongjiang, northeastern Hebei
	China Railway Beijing Group Company (CR Beijing)	Beijing, Hebei (most parts), Tianjin, western Shandong, northern Henan, eastern Shanxi, with all the exception of Daqin Railway	North China
	China Railway Hohhot Group Company (CR Hohhot)	Inner Mongolia (most parts)
	China Railway Taiyuan Group Company (CR Taiyuan)	Shanxi, also operates Daqin Railway through sub-company
	China Railway Jinan Group Company (CR Jinan)	Shandong (includes Bohai Strait ferry)	East China
	China Railway Shanghai Group Company (CR Shanghai)	Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui (most parts)
	China Railway Nanchang Group Company (CR Nanchang)	Jiangxi, Fujian
	China Railway Guangzhou Group Company (CR Guangzhou)	Hainan, most parts of Guangdong and Hunan	South China
	China Railway Nanning Group Company (CR Nanning)	Guangxi, western Guangdong
	China Railway Wuhan Group Company (CR Wuhan)	Hubei, southern Henan, a little part of Anhui	Central China
	China Railway Zhengzhou Group Company (CR Zhengzhou)	Henan (middle and northern parts), southern Shanxi
	China Railway Chengdu Group Company (CR Chengdu)	Sichuan (most parts), Chongqing, Guizhou (most parts), a little part of Yunnan	Southwest China
	China Railway Kunming Group Company (CR Kunming)	Yunnan (most parts), a little part of Sichuan and Guizhou
	China Railway Qingzang Group Company (CR Qingzang)	Tibet
		Qinghai	Northwest China
	China Railway Lanzhou Group Company (CR Lanzhou)	Gansu (most parts), Ningxia, a little part of Inner Mongolia
	China Railway Ürümqi Group Company (CR Ürümqi)	Xinjiang, a little part of Gansu
	China Railway Xi'an Group Company (CR Xi'an)	Shaanxi (most parts), northeast Sichuan
Freight	China Railway Special Cargo Service Company (CRSCS)	Nationwide
	China Railway Express Company (CRE)
	China Railway Container Transport Company (CRCT)

Second tier subsidiaries

Parent	Subsidiary	Operational line
CR Guangzhou	Guangshen Railway Company	Guangzhou–Shenzhen railway
	Guangmeishan Railway Company	Guangzhou–Meizhou–Shantou railway
	Sanmao Company	Sanshui–Maoming railway
	Shichang Railway Company	Shimen–Changsha railway
	Yuehai Railway Company	Guangdong–Hainan railway
CR Kunming	Shuibai Railway Company	Liupanshui–Baiguo railway
CR Nanchang	Wuyishan Railway Company	Hengfeng–Nanping railway
	Quanzhou Railway Company	Zhangping–Longyan–Kanshi railway
	Longyan Railway Company	Zhangping–Quanzhou–Xiaocuo railway
	Xiamen Haicang Railway Company	Haicang branch railway
CR Shanghai	Xiaoyong Railway Company	Xiaoshan–Ningbo railway
	Hejiu Railway Company	Hefei–Jiujiang railway
	Xinchang Railway Company	Xinyi–Changxing railway
	Jinwen Railway Company	Jinhua–Wenzhou railway
	Ningqi Railway Company	Nanjing–Qidong railway
	Ninghe Railway Company	Hefei–Nanjing passenger railway
	Hewu Railway Company	Hefei–Wuhan railway
CR Taiyuan	Daqin Railway Company	Datong–Qinhuangdao railway
CR Wuhan	Huhanrong Railway Hubei Company	Shanghai–Wuhan–Chengdu high-speed railway (Hubei section)
	Luofu Railway Company	Luohe–Fuyang railway
CR Xi'an	Xiyan Railway Company	Xi'an–Yan'an railway
CR Zhengzhou	Anli Branch Line Company	Anyang–Lizhen railway
	Tanghe Branch Line Company	Tangyin–Hebi railway

Corporate affairs

Business trends

The key trends for the China Railway are (as of the financial year ending 31 December):

	2021	2022	2023
Revenue (RMB t)	1.13	1.13	1.25
Operating income (RMB b)	−34.8	−54.4	27.47
Net income (RMB b)	−49.9	−69.6	3.30
Total assets (RMB t)	8.92	9.20	9.53
Total equity (RMB t)	3.00	3.09	3.22
References	[29]	[30]	[31]

International operations

International trains

See also: China Railway International Intermodal Passenger Train

China Railway operates passenger trains from China to Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Vietnam and Laos. Also operates freight (cargo) trains to these countries.

• 
  The Beijing–Pyongyang passenger train with the emblem of China
• 
  The Beijing–UlaanBaatar–Moscow passenger train
• 
  The Kunming South–Vientiane passenger train

There are 11 international passenger train services:

• 95/8, Dandong–Pyongyang
• 401/2, Suifenhe–Grodekovo
• K3/4, Beijing–Ulaanbaatar–Moscow
• K19/20, Beijing–(Manzhouli)–Moscow
• K23/4, Beijing–Ulaanbaatar
• K27/8, Beijing–Pyongyang
• K4651/2/3/4, Hohhot–Ulaanbaatar
• K9795/6, Ürümqi–Almaty
• K9797/8, Ürümqi–Astana
• Z5/6–T8701/2, Beijing West–Nanning (transfer station)–Gia Lâm (Hanoi)
• D85/86, Puer—Luang Prabang
• D87/88, Kunming South—Vientiane

Services to Europe (New Silk Route)

See also: Eurasian Land Bridge

As of 2017^[update] China Railway ran goods services to 15 European cities, including routes to Madrid and Hamburg and the experimental East Wind service to London to test demand.^[32] The Chinese government refers to the two-week 12,000 km (7,500 mi) route, starting at Yiwu and with trains to London traversing Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France, as the Belt and Road Initiative.^[33] Containers must be transferred several times, as different, incompatible, rail gauges are used in different regions, and the same rolling stock cannot be used throughout.

Africa

China has been investing in and helping to rebuild railways in Africa.^[34][35] Below is an incomplete list of rail projects.

Name	Location	Constructed	Company	Cost	Comments & Ref
High Plateau line, Algeria	Relizane, Saida, Tiaret, Tissemsilt, Boughezoul to M'Sila, Algeria	2009–2013	China Railway Group & China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation	US$2.8bn	[36]
Benguela Railway	Lobito to Luau, Angola	2006–2014	China Railway Construction Corporation Limited	US$1.83bn	Railway was rebuilt following civil war
Chad Railway	Ngaoundéré, Cameroon to Nyala, Sudan via Moundou, N'Djamena and Abéché in Chad	2012–ongoing	China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation	US$5.6bn	Construction over three phases
Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Djibouti City, Djibouti	2011–2016	China Railway Group & China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation	US$4bn	Electric
Mombasa-Nairobi Railway	Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya (extended to Naivasha, Kenya in 2016	2014–2017	China Communications Construction	US$3.6bn	[37]
Kenya–Uganda border	Naivasha, Kisumu to Malaba, Kenya	2016–ongoing	China Road and Bridge Corporation (subsidiary of China Communications Construction)	US$5.42bn	[38]
Mali–Guinea Railway	Bamako, Mali to Conakry, Guinea	2016–ongoing	China Railway Construction Corporation Limited	US$8bn	[39]
Mali–Senegal Railway	Bamako, Mali to Dakar, Senegal	2016–ongoing	China Railway Construction Corporation Limited	US$2.7bn	[40]
Nigeria Coastal Railway	Lagos to Calabar, Nigeria	2014–ongoing	China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation	US$11.1bn	[41]
Lagos–Kano Railway	Lagos to Kano, Nigeria	2011–ongoing, Abuja to Kajuna completed in 2016	China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation	US$8.3bn	[42]
Sudan Railway	Khartoum to Port Sudan, Sudan	2007–2012, 2014 opened	China Railway Engineering Corporation	US$1.5bn	[43][37]
TAZARA Railway	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia	1970–1975	Railway Engineering Corps (now CRCC), Ministry of Railways (now CCECC)	US$500m	Currently in need of reinvestment
Uganda Railway	Malaba, Kampala, Kasese, Uganda to Rwanda and South Sudan	2015–ongoing	China Harbour Engineering (subsidiary of China Communications Construction)	US$8bn	[44][45][46]

List of directors general

China Railway Corporation

• Sheng Guangzu (2013–2016)
• Lu Dongfu (2016–2018)

China State Railway Group

Chairman

• Lu Dongfu (2018–2022)
• Liu Zhenfang (2022–present)

General Manager

• Yang Yudong (2018–2022)
• Guo Zhuxue (2022–present)

Footnotes

1. Including revenue from "Railway Construction Fund"
2. EBIT, including revenue from "Railway Construction Fund" but excluding contribution to "Water Conservancy Construction Fund"

See also

• China portal
• Trains portal
• Companies portal

• Rail transport in China
• List of locomotives in China
• China Railway High-speed
• MTR
• Passenger rail transport in China
• High-speed rail in China