The State Council ordered high-speed railways to run at slower speeds on Wednesday. The decision was made at an executive meeting of the State Council, which was presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.
Rail services with a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour would be cut to 300 kph while those with a top speed of 250 kph would be limited to 200 kph, said by Sheng Guangzu, the Minister of Railway . ‘Rail ticket prices will also be lowered with the trains slowed down,’ Sheng said.
Speeds on the Shanghai-Beijing line, which opened at the end of June, have already been limited to 300kph and 250kph.
The statement also ordered safety checks cover high-speed railways. The safety checks cover high-speed railways that are both in operation and under construction, said a statement released after the meeting.