D-series trains (; literally "EMU trains") are a category of passenger train service operated by China Railway. They are identified by train numbers beginning with the letter "D" and form part of the railway's electric multiple unit (EMU) service family, alongside G-series and C-series services. China Railway's 12306 ticketing service describes seat selection as available for C-, D-, and G-prefixed EMU trains.
In passenger usage, D-series services are generally the ordinary or lower-speed EMU category, with maximum operating speeds commonly described as , while G-series services are normally high-speed EMU services at about . D-series trains may operate on high-speed railways as well as conventional or upgraded lines. The category includes daytime seated EMU trains, overnight sleeper EMU trains in the D9xx number range, and lower-speed services using CR200J trainsets on conventional lines.
Service category, rolling stock, and fares The D prefix is a service category rather than a guarantee of a particular trainset model. China Railway's ticketing interface displays fares and seat classes by individual train, and notes that the displayed price is the actual discounted ticket price for reference while the current train model may change for dispatching or capacity reasons. Railway fare policy also distinguishes between published fares and actual executed fares for high-speed EMU services, which must be announced through online and station channels.
This separation between service prefix and trainset can result in D-series services being operated with equipment more commonly associated with G-series services. In February 2018, Shanghai Railway Group expanded its Fuxing services and listed Wuhu-Nanjing South D5644 among the newly added trains; the same report described Fuxing stock as China Standard EMUs developed for operation. A local report on the same service stated that the second-class fare for D5644 was unchanged and matched the fare of other D-prefixed CRH EMU services on the route. The service prefix and fare class therefore do not necessarily reveal the technical speed rating of the assigned trainset.
The reverse distinction also applies: a G-series train number does not imply that every section of a route is operated at the maximum speed associated with G services. Cross-boundary services to Hong Kong West Kowloon provide a visible example. The MTR describes the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link as operating at , with trains reaching up to after entering the mainland section. MTR's short-haul timetable lists the cross-boundary high-speed services by train number, including G-prefixed services.
Rolling stock
D-series trains use EMUs from both the Hexie (CRH) and Fuxing (CR) families. Earlier 200-250 km/h EMUs included the CRH1, CRH2, and CRH5 types, while 300-350 km/h types included the CRH2-300, CRH3, and CRH380 series. The Fuxing family later expanded across , , and speed classes: Xinhua reported in 2020 that the CR300 entered use as a 250 km/h Fuxing type and that Fuxing EMUs from 160 to 350 km/h had all entered service. The CR400AF and CR400BF families are Fuxing models whose speed code indicates a test speed of at least and continuous operation at .
Common or historically important trainsets include: CRH1 CRH2 CRH3A CRH5 CR300 - a Fuxing EMU, divided into CR300AF and CR300BF variants. CR200J - a power-concentrated Fuxing EMU used on conventional and upgraded lines. CR400 - a Fuxing EMU normally associated with G-series services, but sometimes allocated to D-series services according to timetable and operational needs.
Passenger guides often describe D-series services as generally offering first- and second-class seating, while G-series services more often include business or premium-class options. Seat classes are nevertheless train-specific: 12306 lists multiple seat categories in its ticketing interface, and operators display the available inventory by train.
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