China and US Miles Apart in Hi-Speed Rail Transportation
By Kelli Luu | 10 May, 2025

While China races ahead with massive investment in advanced public transit, the U.S. faces the urgent need to modernize its aging infrastructure.

China and the U.S. A tale of two transit systems. Public transportation. Millions all over the world use it to get from point A to point B every single day. But depending on where you live, that ride may not be too smooth. China has the world's largest high-speed rail connecting over 550 cities and can reach speeds of up to 217 miles per hour.

You could travel 663 miles from Beijing to Shanghai in a little over four hours. Meanwhile, in the United States, the only high-speed rail is the Amtrak-Acela line between Boston and Washington, D.C., which can reach high speeds of 150 miles per hour. On the West Coast, the Brightline West is currently under construction and is planned to be complete by 2028.

This new high-speed rail will provide travelers an alternative to flying or driving between Las Vegas and Southern California. China has also developed a system of smart subways that enhance passenger experience with things like tap-to-pay, free Wi-Fi, real-time crowd tracking, and even facial recognition for entry. Unfortunately, many systems in the U.S. still rely on cash or swipe cards, things no one wants to carry around.

Riders in China have it easy as everything is integrated into QR codes so you can see transit schedules and reserve e-bikes or scooters all in one single app. Here, every city would have its own app and even if it does have one, good luck trying to set up your payment methods. China is also a leader in electric bus adoption. In 2018, the world had 425,000 electric buses and 421,000 of them were located in China, completely crushing the United States, who owned around 300.

So why is China so far ahead?

The Chinese government is funding transportation accordingly as they see it as essential infrastructure. In 2024, China's total spend on transport infrastructure totaled around 1.2 trillion yuan, or $170.6 billion US dollars. The future of transit is already here, just not evenly distributed. China's already racing ahead and it's time for the US to rethink the ride.