China inaugurated on Saturday a high-speed railway with the world's fastest train running at a speed of more than 380 kmh (236 mph), the Xinhua news agency said.
China first tested the record train on December 9 when it covered the distance of 1,067 km (663 miles) between the central city of Wuhan and Guangzhou City, a business hub at the south coast, in less than three hours, reaching a maximum speed of 394.2 kmh, Xinhua said.
The previous travel time between the two cities was 10 hours.
Experts expect the launch to spur up the competition between airlines and railways, with high-speed rail links being more convenient and safer. However, airlines can win more passengers with cheap offers, while a rapid train ticket costs up to 790 yuans ($120), according to Xinhua.
The country opened its first high-speed rail link between Beijing and Tianjin, east China last year.
Russia has recently adopted its fastest train, Sapsan, that is capable of traveling at a speed of 250 kmh (155 mph). It runs between the country's two largest cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg in more than three hours.
BEIJING, December 26 (RIA Novosti)
