China has rapidly become a world leader in high speed rail. Transportation times between many major Chinese cities have been cut: Journeys that took days now take hours. Here, we track the exciting technological developments in high speed rail and consider their cultural impact.

China Readers learn about China through its history, people, places, and culture. Supported by original material developed by People’s Education Press and National Geographic Learning, China Readers present non-fiction reading selections on a variety of fascinating topics.