Numbered D460,the train designed to run at a speed of 200 km per hour left east China's Shanghai for Suzhou at 5:38 a.m., ushering in a high-speed era for the world's fastest growing economy. (Xinhua Photo/Chen Fei)

A train designed to run at a speed of 200 km per hour left east China's Shanghai for Suzhou early Wednesday morning, ushering in a high-speed era for the world's fastest growing economy.

Nationwide, 140 pairs of high-speed trains with a speed of 200 km per hour or a faster speed will begin to hit the railways on Wednesday. The number will increase to 257 by the end of this year.

Numbered D460, the train left Shanghai at 5:38 a.m. and is expected to arrive in Suzhou 39 minutes later.

Wednesday marks the the beginning of the sixth "speed boost" of Chinese railways, which has been hard-pressed to cope with the country's hunger for bigger transport capacity.

Chinese railway officials said last year, China fulfilled a quarter of the world's total railway transport volume on railways accounting for only 6 percent of the world's total length.

"The sixth speed lift will boost passenger capacity and cargo capacity by over 18 percent and over 12 percent respectively," said Hu Yadong, vice-minister of railways.

Related: National railway speed to rise, triggers changes

Tickets of CRH Train to Shenzhen are available at the Guangzhou East Station

The new Trains Commutation Timetable will be used while Guangzhou-Sanya (in Hainan province) and Guangzhou-Baotou (in Inner Mongolia) trains will be launched later, according to Guangzhou Railway Bureau.

Moreover, "China Railway Hi-speed" (CRH) trains will be put into operation for the traffic between Guangzhou and Shenzhen tomorrow (Apr. 18).

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Editor: Yan