High-speed rail (HSR) has become the backbone of modern connectivity; it has completely altered regional economies, and our means of travel and work.
China has shown to the world that it is a leader when it comes to HSR. At the beginning of the century, it did not have basic rail infra but by 2024-2025, it built the world’s largest high-speed rail network, spanning tens of thousands of kilometres, connecting most major cities at a speed of 350 kmph.
China’s case is a study for India about how it build the HSR through sustained political will, careful planning, and ability to deliver large-scale projects reliably and without delays, all while establishing global benchmarks for speed, efficiency, and economic impact.
India’s story is entirely different. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, India’s first bullet train project, was launched in 2017 with high hopes and expectations. Eight years later, it is still unfinished. Unforeseen delays due to land acquisition, cost, and other logistical issues, have hampered the corridor plan. Although work is finally proceeding, and completion is now closer than ever, the level of disparity between the two countries is stark.
China has developed over 40,000 kilometres of HSR in just over ten years, whereas India’s bullet train project has been marred by repeated shift in deadlines. This story is about two giants on very different paths.
China: From Zero to World Leader in Just Over a Decade
In the beginning of the millennium, our neighbouring country had no high-speed rail line. If media reports are to be believed, trains between major cities like Shanghai and Beijing were slow, crowded, and outdated. But by 2025, China operates the world’s largest and most advanced HSR network, 41,843 km (26,000 miles), covering 75% of cities with populations over half a million.
This massive development is an amalgamation of thorough planning, long term vision, meticulous execution and robust financial planning.
Trips that previously used to take 20-22 hours are now completed in a matter of a few hours, thanks to operating speeds that frequently reach 350 kmph. For instance, the journey from Beijing to Shanghai, which used to take an entire night, now takes less than five hours.
The HSR expansion in China was not a coincidence. It took years for the Chinese government to prepare medium and long-term plans. With a goal of 70,000 km by 2035, the government launched the Medium-and Long-Term Railway Plan in 2004, and revised it in 2008 and 2016. This plan was supported by a clear national vision. With an aim to secure funding and local political support, the China Railway Corporation (CRC) and provincial governments formed joint ventures to build the network.
Cost effectiveness has been of utmost importance. China’s HSR is large and relatively cheap to build, costing US$17 to 21 million per km, which is two-thirds of the global average. Low costs and skilled workers are sustained through standardised designs, a competitive domestic supply chain, and a steady stream of projects.
Engineering Prowess and Technological Leapfrogging
China had to initially rely on foreign technology of global companies like Bombardier, Alstom, and Mitsubishi. However, China soon realised that it is something which is not feasible in the long term. Instead, China developed its own manufacturing and engineering skills and today, Chinese companies export HSR technology globally.
According to some research papers and media reports, the HSR network crosses some of the toughest landscapes on Earth, from Harbin’s freezing winters to the shifting sands of Gobi Desert. Bullet trains that run between Beijing and Zhangjiakou are fully driverless, reducing travel time from three hours to just 45 minutes. It is something exceptional and is exactly what India is aiming for. Our neighbouring country also includes innovations such as facial recognition boarding, 5G control systems, and smart lighting.
Given that China has already mastered the HSR network projects, it is now testing 400 kmph gauge-changing trains for cross-border routes and working on maglev technology that can reach speeds of 620 kmph.
China’s high-speed rail is more than a national achievement, it’s a global export. The $5.3 billion Laos-China Railway connects Kunming to Vientiane. Some reports claim that future projects under the Belt and Road Initiative plan to link Bangkok with Singapore. Similarly, a proposed Chengdu to Tibet line may eventually reach Nepal. India is keeping a hawk’s eye on this development.
Within China, high-speed rail supports balanced regional development. It connects major cities with growing economic centres, similar to how railways transformed Europe and America in the 19th century, but on a faster timeline.
India: The Long Road to First Bullet Train
India has high-speed dreams embodied in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor, covering 508 km in Maharashtra and Gujarat, and designed to operate at 320 kmph. Rail experts claim that travel times will be cut from just over six hours to about two hours and seven minutes. The bullet train is poised to stop at key industrial cities along the route, including Surat, Vadodara, and Anand.
The MAHSR project is being implemented by National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). There is a joint-funding model between the central government and the two state governments. About 81% of the MAHSR ₹1.08 lakh crore (USD 17 billion) budget is financed via a 50-year, 0.1% interest loan from Japan’s JICA, with the remaining budget financed using Indian government equity.
Why It’s Running Late
The Indian Express in its report published on August 8, 2025, quoted Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw as acknowledging that slow land acquisition in Maharashtra stalled the project until 2021. All 1,389.5 hectares are now secured, statutory clearances obtained, 24 of 28 civil contracts awarded, and all 1,651 utility shifts completed.
Construction milestones include the completion of the first segment of a 21-km underwater tunnel and completion of over 310 km of viaducts. The first operational segment, between Surat and Bilimora, is now targeted for July-August 2026. Overall construction will be completed by December 2029, a shift from the original completion date of 2022-2023.
The Cost and Procurement Debate
Critics believe that India’s per-kilometer cost of construction, nearly $27.4 million is much higher than that of China for similar HSR. Instead, a 2017 investigation by The Wire indicated that India could have saved $3.2 billion had the project been subject to a competitive bidding process instead of a direct agreement with Japan.
The soft loan arrangement from Japan provided advantageous terms, but there are risks associated with the historical appreciation of the yen relative to the rupee. Additionally, having Japanese suppliers provide all supplies reduced competition and cost.
Operational and Strategic Challenges
India’s railway system faces heavy daily demand, with overcrowded coaches and minimal spare capacity. While the Vande Bharat Express has boosted semi-high-speed travel, it is still limited to under 180 kmph due to legacy track constraints.
Experts point to leadership bottlenecks, limited operational autonomy, and risk-averse management as factors slowing HSR progress. Upgrades such as the Kavach safety system and AI-based monitoring are rolling out slowly, and large-scale infrastructure modernisation often gets bogged down in bureaucratic processes.
What India Can Learn from China
According to a World Bank report titled ‘China’s High-Speed Rail Development’, China’s high-speed rail success provides lessons for India, something which is highly needed to achieve the goal to become a developed nation. A steady long-term vision with support from different political parties is important to keep progress going. Standardised designs can reduce costs and speed up construction. Similarly, our local governments or urban local bodies need to be actively involved to secure funding and promote cooperation. Keeping a steady flow of projects helps retain skilled labour and lower startup costs. Affordable fares that work with other transport options are also crucial for attracting riders.
Without these changes in structure and policy, India could end up with a bullet train that becomes a one-time prestige project rather than a solid foundation for a transformative rail network. India does not just need one bullet train. It will take a massive network of HSR to fulfil the aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Two Countries, Two Speeds
China has demonstrated its capability to build HSR through meticulous planning and relentless execution, a key elements to its high-speed rail story. India’s is a story still unfolding — ambitious, but processes, cost disputes, and delays of execution have constrained progress.
If India gets its land, procurement, and leadership situations resolved, MAHSR could provide proof of concept towards setting up many more corridors across the country. But in the meantime, the distance between the two Asian giants in the race for high speed will remain the same, as ever.
