China to build 15,000 km of railways during 15th Five-Year Plan

China has announced plans to construct approximately 15,000 kilometers of new railways during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, according to Xia Xin, Director of the Infrastructure Development Division of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Railway and Highway Expansion

During a press conference held in Beijing on November 4, 2026, Xia Xin stated that the 15,000 kilometers of new railways will include approximately 10,000 kilometers of high-speed railways. Xia Xin said the goal is to "basically achieving the goal of railway modernization."

Regarding high-speed rail, China aims to accelerate the development of a complete set of technologies and standards for construction and operation at speeds of 400 kilometers per hour. The NDRC intends to "steadily promote commercial operation" of these lines. Additionally, the country plans to build a professional railway freight network, optimize national railway logistics bases, and expand container train operations. Freight trains are expected to operate at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour as demand requires, with a target to achieve an additional freight volume of 220 million tons during the period.

In the highway sector, the NDRC plans to connect the national highway network. This includes accelerating the construction of expressways along rivers and urban circle loops. The capacity and intelligence of expressways such as the Lianhuo, Shenhai, and Jinggangmao will be promoted. Local expressway construction will be controlled according to local conditions, while the high-quality development of rural highways is to be promoted.

Water Transport and Civil Aviation

China's transport blueprint also includes significant developments in water and air travel. For water transport, the country intends to build approximately 2,500 kilometers of national high-level waterways. This includes more than 100 automated terminal berths with a capacity of 100,000 tons or more to build a modern water transport system.

In the field of civil aviation, China plans to build approximately 15 new civil transport airports. The NDRC stated that industry safety levels, service capabilities, and infrastructure will move toward international first-class standards. Specific airport projects include:

• New constructions: Hohhot, Xiamen, Dalian, Guangzhou, and Nantong.
• Preliminary work: Sanya and other cities.
• Other developments: A batch of hub airports will be expanded and renovated, and a batch of airports in border areas will be built.

Why it matters

The proposed infrastructure expansion is part of the NDRC's "Striving for the 15th Five-Year Plan" initiative, which aims to consolidate development support across various transportation modes, including railways, highways, water transport, and civil aviation.

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Sources

• chinanews.com.cn (in Chinese): China to build about 15,000 kilometers of railways during the 15th Five-Year Plan period - China News Service
• bastillepost.com: China targets 400km/h railways, world-class airports in transport blueprint under 15th Five-Year Plan

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.