Harmony CRH 380A, with maximum operational speed of 380kmph, is currently the second fastest operating train in the world.
The electric multiple unit (EMU) set a record by speeding at 486.1kmph during its trial operation on the Shanghai-Hangzhou intercity high-speed railway in December 2010.
The CRH 380A was put into operation in October 2010. It operates from Beijing to Shanghai and provides daily service along Wuhan to Guangzhou route.
The vibration free train was constructed by CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock. Its high design speed is a result of research carried out at various Chinese universities.
The proposal to design a high speed train set started in early 2001. In February 2008 the Chinese Ministry of Science and Ministry of Railway signed an agreement on development of innovative high speed trains.
It was planned that a new generation high speed train would be developed which could continuously operate at a speed of 350kmph. The project was included in the 11th Five Year Plan. The train sets were built and put into tests by early 2010.