A TikTok account focused on sharing travel experiences posted a video chronicling her experience with China's high-speed rail system. The clip's caption makes the user's thoughts clear: "It is incredibly impressive."
@chloejadetravels Train travel in China is incredible I was amazed to learn how many miles this train system actually spreads. It is incredibly impressive. Everyone always says that Japanese trains are amazing… But Chinese train spread even further! It is the World's Largest Network: with over 42,000 km (26,000+ miles) of trains! People think it's new but it Started in 2008. The first major HSR line was the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway. This opened just before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. These trains were SOOO Fast: Trains typically run at speeds of 250–350 km/h (155–217 mph). Some experimental models have exceeded 600 km/h using maglev technology. They are Affordable and Efficient, and it's even GREEN! All part of China's push to reduce air travel and vehicle emissions, making transportation more sustainable. Overall, I'm so impressed by China's real system and it makes traveling through the country so easy #c#chinatiktok2#2025travelc#chinatravelt#travelvloggerh#highspeedrail ♬ original sound - chloe jade travels
In the video, TikTok user Chloe Jade Travels (@cholejadetravels) shares a breakdown of what it's like to travel first class on China's bullet train. She mentions the ease of booking a ticket and is impressed by the train's punctuality, saying, "The trains leave exactly on time." After complimenting the smoothness of the ride, she remarks that "it makes you feel like China is a small country." No small feat given that China is the world's third-largest nation by landmass, per Worldometer. "Even super remote places are accessible," she notes.
China's embrace of high-speed rail is a recent phenomenon. Beijing invested heavily in its rail infrastructure since the first line opened in 2008. Since then, China has added well over 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles) of track. According to the International Railway Journal, China has become extremely cost-effective in laying new track.
As the video's caption reads, "They are Affordable and Efficient, and it's even GREEN!" The environmental benefits of high-speed rail are hard to overstate. Passenger trains are the most environmentally friendly form of long-distance transportation. As the European Environment Agency said, trains had less than a fourth of the harmful carbon pollution of planes. Short-haul flights are the worst offenders, and high-speed rail offers a sustainable alternative.
China is far from being alone in its impressive rail network. Japan's Shinkansen has been in operation since 1964 and carries nearly half a million passengers daily. South Korea's KTX is in the midst of fully electrifying its trains. Taiwan's and Indonesia's networks have also wowed social media users.
The video has generated over 150 comments. Some lamented the lack of high-speed rail in the United States. One user remarked: "I wish we had the political will to do this in the USA."
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Other comments complimented the views that China's bullet train can offer, as one commenter said, "I took high speed train from Chengdu to Songpan. It goes thru mountain with a stunning view."
Another comment mentioned the value offered by cheaper tickets: "I love travelling by HSR in China - though only done the cheapest (second) class - which is absolutely fine."
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