Asian Games-themed Fuxing bullet train starts operating

Train G9313 departed on Sept 16 from Hangzhoudong Railway Station – located in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province – heading towards Jinhua and Quzhou cities in the province and other destinations.

It marked the official start of ticket sales and the passenger service for the Asian Games-themed Fuxing bullet train.

Plans are for the Asian Games train to operate continuously on its initial route for three days and subsequent routes will be adjusted based on the requirements of the Asian Games Organizing Committee and the actual operations on the ground.

The train will serve as a means of transportation for athletes, officials and spectators, providing sufficient capacity for travel between Asian Games-venue cities and commuter services during the giant tournament.

It will also cater to the needs of residents in northern, central, southwestern and southeastern coastal areas of Zhejiang province.

The train features an exterior design using the dominant color of the Hangzhou Asian Games - rainbow purple. The train includes a designated accessible carriage – carriage No 4 – with spacious aisles, accessible toilets, wheelchair storage areas and Braille signage.

This will aim to facilitate barrier-free travel for passengers with disabilities.

With a maximum operating speed of 350 kilometers per hour and a seating capacity of 578, the train boasts being customized, eco-friendly intelligent and offering passenger comfort.

Yin Zhenkun, a technical manager of the Asian Games train at manufacturer CRRC Corporation, said the train had automatic pressure and temperature adjustments to alleviate discomfort – such as ear pressure changes, when passing through tunnels.

Additionally, the train comes equipped with an onboard safety monitoring system, fault predictions and health management systems – creating an integrated big data analysis platform for real-time health monitoring of the train.