The route stretches 2,298 kilometers (1,425 miles), and is billed as the longest HSR run in the world to date. A U.S. equivalent would be a rail route connecting New York with Key West, Fla. The route has 35 stops, with service to major cities Wuhan and Changsha included.
The Times report notes China's ambitious HSR construction remains controversial, generating $640 billion in debt.