The Chinese are celebrating the biggest festival, the Spring Festival, the New Year. Like the Nepalese during Dasain, the Chinese return home from work or study at this time and reunite with their families. The spring break period and the winter break fall at the same time. So millions of university students have returned home.

Currently, railways are the 'lifeline' for the Chinese. Railroads have provided opportunities for family reunions. 

According to 'Global Times', more than 51 crore people travel only by rail during this festival. This number is 5.5 percent higher than the previous year. With nearly 150,000 kilometers of railways, China has the world's largest high-speed rail network. China's political leadership, which is making a new record in the development of the 'bullet train', has said - 'The faster the speed of the train, the stronger the country.' In China, railways are considered not only transportation, but also the country's "bloodline". The mainstay of modern infrastructure here is the railway. The railroad is considered a symbol of China's rise and modernization. The Chinese say - "Railway not only connects the two geographies of China, but also connects the Chinese history of the past and present." Even if you study only the development of the railroad, you can understand the rise and modernization of China. 

The first railway in Britain was built in 1825 to facilitate transport during the Industrial Revolution. Then other western countries like USA, France, Canada, Germany and Italy also followed suit. Shortly thereafter, in order to expand their trade, the British built the 12 km Wusung Railway near Shanghai in 1876. At that time bullock carts and horses were the main means of transportation. The Chinese feared that the railroad would disrupt military security, destroy arable land, and affect traditional beliefs. So the Wusung-Shanghai railroad was removed. This railway is considered to be the first chapter of Chinese railway history. In 1881 a railway was built at Thangshan to transport coal, and by 1888 it was extended to Tianjin. In 1896 France, Germany and Britain were given the right to build railways but they did not complete it. Later, the Chinese took back their rights by doing the railway rights protection movement. In 1909, the Beijing-Changchiakhou railway was built with China's indigenous engineering capabilities. They created history by building railways without foreign help. Chang Tianyo, who leads it, is called the "Father of China's Railways". 

By 1911, nearly 10,000 kilometers of railways had been built in China. Later, railroad construction slowed down. Due to the lack of investment and the war, the railways could not be developed. Before 1949, out of 23,500 kilometers of railways, only 11,000 kilometers were in operation and almost half of them were damaged due to the war. 

In 1949, the railways were formally owned by the government and the Ministry of Railways was established. The railways that were damaged due to the war were brought back into operation. After the founding of New China, by the end of the first five-year plan (1953), 6,000 kilometers of new railways had been built. In the beginning the management was also not agile. Important railroads were also blocked during the Cultural Revolution. After 1961, electric railways started in China. After that, huge investments were made to modernize the rail network. By the year 2000, the railway network spread throughout the country, and the management also started to become more agile. From 2000 to 2004, 16,000 kilometers of railways were built. The average speed of trains in 1997 was 65 km/h. After 2000 it was increased to 160 km/h. In 2007, construction of intercity high-speed trains began, with a speed of 250 km/h. 

After 2008, China's railway system entered the high-speed era. On August 1, 2008, the Beijing-Tianjin bullet train was inaugurated. Now bullet train has connected almost all major cities and tourist places. About two-thirds of the world's bullet railways are in China. 486 km/hr trains are in operation while 605 km/hr trains have been tested. Currently, they are under construction for trains with a speed of 600 km/hr for domestic and international railways to be compatible with different gauges, voltages and signaling systems of different countries. China is recognized as the country with the world's leading high-speed railway system due to its vast railway network and global influence. 

China aims to build 200,000 kilometers of railways by 2035. China's railway system has also set new records with its rapid industrialization and infrastructure development. Beijing-Quanzhou is the world's longest high-speed railway, while Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest railway in the world at 5,072 meters above sea level. The Chengdu-Kunming Railway in southwest China is also considered a great engineering success because it was built in a difficult geographical area. China is self-sufficient in railway construction. It has developed indigenous HSR technology, which has promoted domestic innovation. AI is used for potential maintenance and monitoring. High-speed freight trains are being developed to meet e-commerce demand. Due to government subsidies in the railway system, ticket rates have been maintained that are accessible to all. China's railways are designed to withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. There is also a separate railway university for specialization in railway engineering and management. 

In China's urban areas, systems such as metros and subways have aided rapid urbanization and economic development. The metro system has proved to be a lifeline for the city. Construction of the Beijing subway system began in 1965 and was put into operation in 1969. Metro projects began in the late 1980s in cities such as Shanghai and Quanzhou. The metro systems of Beijing and Shanghai are now among the largest metro/subway networks in the world. Without the metro system, cities like Beijing and Shanghai would have suffered severe traffic jams. Now every new city here has started operating metro system. Chongqing's Hongyanchun Station, which opened in 2022, is 116 meters below the surface, which is equivalent to a height of 40 stories. The metro system makes even a big city feel small and connected. A city with a metro system also indicates that it is modern and developed. 

The metro and rail system has made daily life here very easy. Railways are not only a means of transportation, but also a symbol of national pride and economic progress. Bringing railroads to remote areas lifted people from poverty to a brighter future. Railways continue their services even in case of natural calamities and emergencies. Railways connect people from every corner of the country. Time saved. People have full faith in trains and metros as they always run on time. As there will be a well-organized system, there will be no accidents except for exceptions. 

Railroads have contributed to economic prosperity by connecting remote villages with cities. Farmers can sell produce in the city. Where the train reaches, there is development. It is said, 'A new railway station can turn a village into a new city.' High-speed rail accelerates trade. Goods reach the market on time. It has given traders easy access for domestic and international trade. Tourists reach rural areas as travel by railway is cheap and convenient. This has a direct impact on the income and living standards of the local community. By connecting underdeveloped areas with major cities, railroads gave everyone access to big cities. Reducing the distance between rural and urban areas has reduced economic inequality. The low cost of train tickets has made it possible for rural and low-income groups to travel to cities. Now more than 75 percent of the area in China has been connected with railways.