01?高鐵規(guī)模｜勢不可當(dāng)

This high speed trains are arriving?in Nanjing,?after its?190mph journey across China.

畫面中的這列高速動車即將抵達(dá)南京，在以每小時190英里（約305公里）的速度跨越中國飛馳之后。

On board of people going to work?or seeing friends in the city.

它搭載的乘客中有去工作的，也有到另一座城市看望朋友的。

Their passengers making use of?what's now the biggest high speed rail network?anywhere in the world.

這列車的乘客正在使用目前世界上最大的高速鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)。

But that statement?doesn't really come to anywhere near close to explaining?what this actually is.

但“世界最大”這個說法并沒有真正解釋出這到底意味著什么。

Two thirds of the world's?entire high speed rail network is now in China.

全世界三分之二的高速鐵路路網(wǎng)現(xiàn)在位于中國。

In the 12 years since its first line opened, the country has dramatically outbuilt?every other nation, and?now plans to double the size of its high speed network?in just the next 15 years.

僅僅在第一條高速鐵路開通的12年之后中國就已經(jīng)奇跡般地超越了其他所有國家，并且中國現(xiàn)在計劃將其高速鐵路規(guī)模翻倍，在未來僅僅15年中。

Travel times have fallen, the country's economy has boomed.

出行的時間已經(jīng)大幅縮短，而這個國家的經(jīng)濟(jì)迎來暴增。

Cities have exploded, and the rest of the world's been left?wondering how they'll ever come close?to building at such an insatiable pace.

各城市迅速地擴(kuò)大，而世界上其他的國家都被拋在后面；其他國家想知道：它們?nèi)绾谓咏@種無止境的建設(shè)速度。

This is the unstoppable?high speed growth of China's high speed rail network?explained.

這就是勢不可當(dāng)?shù)闹袊咚勹F路網(wǎng)的高速擴(kuò)張所揭示的。

There are high speed rail networks around the world, but then there's the network in China. It's an insanely large web of track?that's helped to ignite an economic powerhouse.

世界各地都有高速鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)，但中國的高速鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)是一個大得狂暴的軌道網(wǎng)絡(luò)，它幫助點(diǎn)燃了一個經(jīng)濟(jì)強(qiáng)國。

In little over a decade, the country's built?enough high speed lines to almost circle the globe.

在短短的十年多點(diǎn)的時間里，這個國家建造了足夠繞地球（應(yīng)該是赤道）一圈的高速鐵路線。

And the system welcomed 1.7 billion passengers?in 2019 alone.

僅在（疫情前的）2019年，這一高鐵系統(tǒng)就迎來了17億人次乘客，這是2019單獨(dú)一年的數(shù)據(jù)哦。

To put that into context, the UK built a high speed rail line?between London and the Channel Tunnel in the 2000s.

來看一下同行的襯托，帶英在2000年代建造了一條高速鐵路連接倫敦和英法海底隧道。

That's equivalent to 0.2?percent of China's current network.

這相當(dāng)于中國現(xiàn)在高鐵里程的0.2%。

譯者注

此處說的是2007年正式通車的“Euro Star”（“歐洲之星”）英國段，這是帶英目前在運(yùn)行的全部高鐵。

The new HS2 line was first proposed in 2009, and Phase 1 of it is due to complete in 2033.

新的HS2線路最早于2009年提出，第一階段計劃于2033年完成。

The U.S. has one high speed line in the northeast, but it's arguably not actually high speed. And California's new line won't open before 2029.

阿美利卡在東北部有一條“高速鐵路”，但嚴(yán)格來說它并不是一條真正的高速鐵路。而加州那條新線在2029年之前是不可能開通了。

Of course, the approach to high speed rail in these countries?is very different, and we'll come back to that a little later on.

當(dāng)然，這些國家對待高速鐵路的方式是非常不同的，稍后我們會回到（國家對高鐵的看法）這個問題上。

To properly?understand how this jawdropping network came to be?and where it's headed, you need to look at the story of modern China.

要想恰當(dāng)?shù)乩斫膺@個令人瞠目的高鐵網(wǎng)是如何達(dá)到如今的規(guī)模的，以及它會朝什么方向發(fā)展，您需要看看現(xiàn)代中國的故事。

Since the 1980s,?the country has roughly doubled its GDP?every 8 years.?More than?800 million people have been lifted out of poverty.

自20世紀(jì)80年代以來，中國的GDP大概每8年翻一番。超過8億人口脫離了貧困。

And between the year 2000 and 2018, over 47 percent of the population has?risen to middle class status.

在2010年至2018年之間，中國超過47%的人口已經(jīng)進(jìn)入了中間階層。

譯者注

“中產(chǎn)”并無公認(rèn)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，僅是“擁有穩(wěn)定收入”的模糊表述。

世界銀行最新標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，中國家庭年收入10萬～96萬屬于中產(chǎn)階級。

《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》雜志定義為“收入有三分之一及以上用于基本食宿之外”。

Cities few had heard of 20 years ago?are now vast Metropolis across the country.

20年前很少有人聽說過的城市現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)成為全國性的大都市。

Skyscrapers soar above your head. Factories team with activity,?and trade booms.

摩天大樓拔地而起，仰之彌高。工廠充滿活力，貿(mào)易迅速繁榮。

This isn't all down to high speed rail. The fast lines have played?a huge role in accelerating the country's growth since 2008.

但上述成就并不全是高鐵的功勞。高速鐵路發(fā)揮加速國家發(fā)展的巨大作用，僅僅是2008年之后的事。

But before that train systems were under pressure. Faced with buckling infrastructure, state planning for high speed rail began in 1990, and the first line between Beijing and Tianjin?opened in 2008?cutting travel between the two cities from 70 minutes to 30.

但在此之前，火車系統(tǒng)面臨著基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施崩潰的壓力。因此，國家的高鐵計劃于1990年啟動，（中國內(nèi)地的）首條高速鐵路——京津城際于2008年開通，將京津兩城間的通行時間從70分鐘壓縮到30分鐘。

譯者注

秦沈客專于2003年開通，但受限于路基沉降等因素只能以200km/h左右的速度運(yùn)行，遺憾告別“首條高鐵”殊榮。

Other lines were quickly introduced, linking the cities of Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and more.

其他線路也很快上馬，連接上海、武漢、成都以及更多的城市。

Initial trains were imported or built?under technology transfer?agreements with foreign train makers, but since then, Chinese engineers have become leaders in the field.

早期的動車組是通過與外國列車制造商簽訂技術(shù)轉(zhuǎn)讓協(xié)議而進(jìn)口或制造的，但此后中國工程師已成為這一領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。

The country now has?the world's longest high speed rail line?between Beijing and Guangzhou, the world's fastest high speed line?between Beijing and Shanghai, and the world's first commercial maglev line?reaching a top speed of 267 miles an hour.

中國現(xiàn)在擁有世界最長的高鐵線路——京廣高鐵，世界上最快的高速鐵路——京滬高鐵，以及世界上第一條商業(yè)運(yùn)營的磁懸浮鐵路——它能達(dá)到每小時267英里（約430公里）。

譯者注

京滬高鐵“世界最快”指的是建設(shè)時允許、實(shí)驗(yàn)驗(yàn)證的最高速。目前運(yùn)行中僅達(dá)到350km/h。

“世界第一條商業(yè)運(yùn)營的磁懸浮“指的是中國與德國合作的上海浦東機(jī)場磁懸浮。2006年開通運(yùn)營。原計劃連接浦東與虹橋機(jī)場，后由于非技術(shù)原因未能完成建設(shè)，止步于龍陽路。

As of 2021, China's high speed round network stretches for?37900 km, while its entire rail track length runs for over?141,000 km.

截止到2021年，中國的高速鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)總長度達(dá)到了37,900 km，而全國鐵路所有長度超過了141000 km。

譯者注

譯者注：此處的“全國所有鐵路”包含客運(yùn)和貨運(yùn)專線、客貨共用線，不包含城市軌道交通。

By 2035, the high speed network will have grown to 70 000 km, and a total rail length will extend over 200 000 km.?China's case for high speed rail?continues to strengthen.

到2035年，高速鐵路里程將增長至70000km，總鐵路長度將超過200000km。中國高速鐵路的優(yōu)勢在逐漸增強(qiáng)。

02?社會影響｜綜合效益

The lines its built?have drastically shortened journey times?improved safety, reduced carbon emissions, and allowed many Chinese people?from rural or less developed areas to access the country's?massive cities.

中國所建造的高速鐵路已經(jīng)讓出行時間極大縮短提升了出行的安全性，減少了碳排放，并使得許多中國人能夠從農(nóng)村和欠發(fā)達(dá)地區(qū)到達(dá)這個國家的大型城市。

譯者注

中國的全部高鐵動車組（和諧號、復(fù)興號）

以及絕大部分動車組（除和諧長城號內(nèi)燃動車組和西藏使用的內(nèi)燃-電力雙源動力集中式動車組）均使用電力驅(qū)動。

而鐵路電力驅(qū)動并不是用電池，而是使用電網(wǎng)供電。這種情況下，即便使用火力發(fā)電，大規(guī)?；痣姀S在燃燒效率、廢棄物處理等方面都遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)優(yōu)于車載小型內(nèi)燃機(jī)。

Studies have also found?that tourism increases by around 20?percent in provinces connected to the high speed network.

有研究還發(fā)現(xiàn)，接入高鐵的省份，旅游業(yè)增長了約20%。

The plans for?expansion are intended to build on this success, but also to address the country's wealth discrepancy problem.

高鐵建設(shè)規(guī)劃的目的不僅在于達(dá)到上述規(guī)模上的成就，同時也旨在解決國家的貧富差距問題。

The rich?coastal region cities of Beijing and Shanghai?have a far higher nominal per capita income?sometimes more than double or quadruple?that?of those living in land.

富裕的、沿海地區(qū)的城市，如北京和上海，人均名義收入比（其他地區(qū)）要高得多，有時是內(nèi)陸地區(qū)居民的兩倍到四倍。

Beijing hopes new lines will grow more regional hubs. By 2035 all cities with a population of more than 200,000?will be connected by rail, and those with more than half a million people?will have access to high speed rail.

北京方面希望通過新高鐵線路，造就更多的區(qū)域中心城市。到2035年，所有人口超過20萬的城鎮(zhèn)都將有鐵路連接，而所有超過50萬人的城鎮(zhèn)將會通上高速鐵路。

The strategy also helps?Beijing with its desire to unify the country.?

這一戰(zhàn)略還有助于北京方面維持國家統(tǒng)一的需求。

A?standard rail line was built from Beijing to Tibet?despite its small population, while a high speed line links the capital?directly with Hong Kong, a special administrative region.

從北京到西藏已經(jīng)有了一條標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的（普速）鐵路，盡管西藏的人很少；而一條高速線路將首都與香港特別行政區(qū)直接連接。

In the central government's own words, the high speed line to the Northwestern?Xinjiang province, native home to the Uyghurs, was partly built to promote what it calls ethnic unity.

根據(jù)中央政府的說法，連接國家西北部新疆?。ㄗg者注：原文如此）的高速鐵路（新疆是維吾爾族人民的家鄉(xiāng)）被建造的原因部分是要增強(qiáng)它們所說的“民族團(tuán)結(jié)”。

譯者疊甲

此處譯者為使讀者了解原作態(tài)度及海外輿論場情況，選擇忠實(shí)于原文翻譯，不代表譯者立場，請仔細(xì)甄別。

So how has China built such a massive?high speed real network?while other countries have been left standing？

所以為什么，中國能夠建造這樣一個超大的鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)，而其他國家的建設(shè)就踟躕不前呢？

The first reason is demand.?The U.S. has eight cities with more than 5 million people.?India has 7, Japan has 3, the UK just 1, and China has 14.

首要的原因在于需求。美國有8個超500萬人口的大城市。印度有7個，日本有3個，帶英只有1個；而中國，有14個。

the Shanghai Beijing line alone serves more than 300 million?people.

僅京滬線就服務(wù)于接近3億人口。

This unprecedented rate of urbanization, combined with rising household incomes, creates a need for the fast delivery of people?and goods across the country.

這種前無古人的城市化水平，加上日益增長的家庭收入，創(chuàng)造了在全國范圍內(nèi)快速運(yùn)輸人員和貨物的需求。

At the same time, China's heavily congested airspace?often causes flight delays, and high speed rail is not only cheaper?but also hugely more reliable.

與此同時，中國擠得要命的（民航）空域經(jīng)常導(dǎo)致航班晚點(diǎn)；而高速鐵路不僅僅是比飛機(jī)更便宜，而且（在時間上）可靠得多。

The high?levels of demand allow the Chinese government to make?massive investments in high speed technology?and infrastructure.

龐大的需求使得中國政府能夠向高鐵技術(shù)及基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施進(jìn)行巨額投資。

the sheer scale of the country's ambition, combined with a credible plan?to build such a big network, and the fact that nearly all of China's rail is?controlled by the state-owned China Railway Corporation, means that high volumes of materials can be ordered?and produced at once.

國家的勃勃雄心，與建立巨大高鐵網(wǎng)的可信計劃相結(jié)合,再加上幾乎所有中國鐵路都被國有的中國鐵路總公司所控制這一情況，這一切意味著，可以一次訂購以及生產(chǎn)巨量的物料。

The country's also?standardized nearly every aspect of construction. Embankments, track, viaducts, electrification?and communication systems are all the same, no matter where you are in the country.

中國還將建筑的幾乎所有方面都進(jìn)行了標(biāo)準(zhǔn)化。路堤、軌道、高架橋、鐵路電氣化，以及通信系統(tǒng)都是一樣的，無論你在這個國家的哪里都是如此。

This lower construction costs?enables offsite manufacturing?and cuts build times.

統(tǒng)一標(biāo)準(zhǔn)降低了建筑開支使得離場建造成為可能，并且減少了建筑用時。

In Europe,?high speed rail costs around 25 to 39?million US dollars per kilometer. While in the US,?it's around 56?million dollars per kilometer.

在歐洲，高速鐵路的建設(shè)成本約為每公里2500萬至3900萬美元；在美國，每公里造價則是大概5600萬美元。

In China,?it's down at 17 million dollars, up to two thirds lower than other countries.

在中國，建造成本下降到了每公里1700萬美元，比其他國家低了接近三分之二。

Of course there's a few things?that bring the cost of building down.

諸多因素一起導(dǎo)致了中國高鐵的低建造成本。

In 2021,?more than 40 percent of China's population, around 600 million people, still live on less than 5 dollars a day, and labor costs are low.

截至2021年，超過40%的中國人，大概有6億人，每日生活費(fèi)依舊低于5美元，勞工工資低廉。

Land acquisition is also easier than elsewhere, partly due to the country's geography?and political system.

（中國）征地也比其他國家容易，這部分由于中國的地理?xiàng)l件以及政治體制。

The process of moving?people out of the way of a new line, in the U.S. accounts for around 20 percent?of the project cost, in China that's less than 8 percent.

遷移建設(shè)用地上的人所需的費(fèi)用在美國占據(jù)了建設(shè)總成本的大約20%，在中國，征地成本只占建設(shè)總成本的8%。

The countries also kept high speed railfares low. For the average person, tickets are a quarter of the cost of other nations.

中國還讓高鐵票價保持低廉。平均到每名乘客，票價是其他國家的四分之一。

Interestingly, this often means?forgoing making any profit on the lines constructed.

有趣的是，低票價通常意味著建成的高鐵線路未來無法盈利。

Instead,?China sees the social?and wider economic impact of its high speed network?as more valuable.

然而，中國看到了社會價值，以及高鐵帶來的更廣泛的經(jīng)濟(jì)影響，中國認(rèn)為這些更有價值。

As he took office in February 2021, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg?said he'd like to see America?lead the world in high speed rail.

彼得·布蒂吉格于2021年2月就職美國交通部長時，他表示希望看到美國能在高鐵方面引領(lǐng)世界。

Well,?it may be possible?to set the country on a course towards that?during his term.

額，這倒也是有可能的他可以在他自己的任期內(nèi)把這個國家朝這個方向帶。

The chances of the US overtaking China by building?70 000 and 1 kilometers of track in the next two decades, feels remote.

但美國要想在未來20年之內(nèi)超過中國，得修建70001km鐵路，這看起來挺遙遠(yuǎn)的。

Though high speed rail may seem out of reach to many, the current economic crisis could be an opportunity.

盡管高鐵對（中國以外的）許多人來說，可能是遙不可及的，（美國和西方）目前的經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)可能是（建設(shè)高鐵的）一個機(jī)會。

in 2008, China responded to the global financial crisis?by investing heavily in high speed infrastructure, stimulating its economy and creating jobs.

在2008年，中國面對全球金融危機(jī)的方式是大力投資高鐵基建，此舉刺激了國內(nèi)經(jīng)濟(jì)并且創(chuàng)造了就業(yè)。

Today, that network is the lifeblood of this huge, ambitious,?beautiful,and complex country.

時至今日，高鐵網(wǎng)已經(jīng)成為了這個龐大、雄心勃勃、美麗且復(fù)雜的國家賴以生存的血管。