In 1993, commercial train service in China averaged only and was steadily losing market share to airline and highway travel on the country's expanding network of expressways.By the mid-1990s, average train speed in China was about . (Chinese) "China plans five-year leap forward of railway development " Accessed 2006-09-30 The MOR focused modernization efforts on increasing the service speed and capacity on existing lines through double-tracking, electrification, improving grade (through tunnels and bridges), reducing turn curvature and installing continuous welded rail. Through five rounds of "Speed-Up" campaigns in April 1997, October 1998, October 2000, November 2001, and April 2004, passenger service on of existing tracks was upgraded to reach sub-high speeds of .
