The concept plan of the experimental ultrahigh-speed maglev train Photo: Courtesy of the World Artery

The world's first experimental ultra-high-speed maglev train with a maximum speed of over 1,000 kilometers per hour (km/h) will be built in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, along with associated facilities.

Beijing-based transport technology company World Artery, one of the firms behind the project, said in a statement it sent to the Global Times on Wednesday that the experimental project will be used to boost local tourism.
 
A partial-vacuum transportation tube, the major part of the program, can help the train to accelerate to more than 1,000 km/h at a relatively low cost and high-level safety.

Zheng Bin, president of World Artery, said the construction of the trial route will be a breakthrough in the field, which is also a great leap in technology in translating the concept into reality.

China's current technology level can accelerate maglev trains to ultra-high speeds, which has been tested through multiple experiments, according to Sun Zhang, a railway expert from Shanghai Tongji University.

However, Sun said that commercial operation of maglev trains with speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h faces challenges, including ensuring the safety of both the train and the passengers when running at extreme speed in a partial vacuum. 

"On one hand, the partial vacuum condition of the tube must be maintained during operation. On the other hand, some passengers may not be able to tolerate the high speed and strong acceleration," he said.

The transportation tube and relevant manufacturing plants will be jointly built by World Artery and the Harbin Industrial Investment Group Co, according to a cooperation contract signed by the two companies on Monday.
 
The Harbin company will assist the construction registration of the program and provide services including attracting investment and conducting policy consultancy. World Artery will provide construction technology, related patents and other inputs.

Global Times