The CRH1 is a high-speed EMU that was developed by a joint venture between Bombardier and CSR Sifang at a time when Chinese manufacturers also founded joint ventures with Kawasaki and Alstom to develop similar trains. It is based on the Bombardier Regina that is also being used by several Swedish operators. The CRH1A introduced first in 2007 is an eight-car train that is designed for 250 km/h, but limited in service at 220 km/h.

In 2009, the CRH1B was introduced as a sixteen-car variant that's otherwise identical to the CRH1A, but is approved to reach 250 km/h in service. In the same year, the CRH1E was introduced as a high-speed sleeper train that also consists of 16 cars. In 2012 and 2015, revised variants were introduced which feature a more streamlined nose similar to the CRH380D and an aluminium body instead of stainless steel. These are the CRH1A-A, that is now also approved for 250 km/h in service, and the CRH1E-NG.

Alstom was one of the foreign companies China cooperated with to develop high-speed trains. There, the ETR 600 from the Pendolino family was taken as the basis and the CRH5A without tilting technology was developed from it. The 60 trains initially ordered are being used on the 189 km route between Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan, which was electrified with the support of Alstom.

The first six trains were manufactured entirely in Italy and shipped. Six trainsets were shipped to China as assemblies and then finally assembled there. Only the next trains were then completely manufactured in Changchun thanks to technology transfer. In each eight-car train, five cars have traction motors on one axle of each bogie. With a top speed of 250 km/h or 155 mph, they are among the trains for shorter distances by Chinese standards.

The first repeat order for 30 sets came in 2009, the second for 20 followed in 2010 and 2011 another 30 sets were ordered. A special variant is the CRH5E, which consists only of sleeping cars and is designed for use in colder climates. The CRH5G and CRH5H variants consist of the usual coaches, but in addition to the adaptations for cold climates, they also have adaptations for use in sandstorms. The yellow and white painted CIT001 is a one-off that is used as a test train for the condition of the tracks, overhead lines, communication and signaling systems.

One part of the CRH range that was designed for regional intercity and commuter traffic is the CRH6. It was designed by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and built there and at two other CRRC factories. There are different variants which are designed for service speeds of 140 to 200 km/h and with a different interior design depending on the required capacity. By April 2023, 168 sets of all variants had been built.

The fastest variant is the CRH6A that was designed for 250 km/h and reaches 200 km/h in service. It consists of eight cars and has reversible seats. The CRH6A-A is a four-car variant of the CRH6A designed for areas with shorter distances between the stations that was optimized for faster acceleration and deceleration.

For commuter services, there are the eight-car CRH6F and the four-car CRH6F-A which reach 160 km/h in service. They don't have reversible seats and are optimized for a greater number of standing passengers. For suburban service, there are the Cinova 140 and Cinova 160 which have a different design, longitudinal seats and a higher number of doors.

To test high-speed traffic at speeds of up to 200 km/h on classic lines, China Railway leased a tilting X2000 from Adtranz in Germany in 1996 that was normally used by the Swedish SJ. Since these trials were successful, Zhouzhou Electric Locomotive Works and Changchung Passenger Car Works designed the DJJ1 on the basis of the X2000. In 2000 and 2001, a total of eight power cars and 48 passenger cars were built. Usually a set was composed of a power car, four or five trailers and a control car. Another possible configuration was two power cars and ten trailers, without any control cars. They were dubbed “Blue Arrow” by CR.

They also had three-phase motors, a tilting mechanism and the MITRAC control system developed by Adtranz. Top speed was still 210 km/h, but the output per power car had been increased from 4,000 to 4,800 kW. Test runs were initially conducted at 160 km/h, but soon the approved service speed was increased to 200 km/h. It took some time until all teething problems were solved and reliability had become high enough. After the semi-experimental service on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen line had been completed and more modern high speed trains had been introduced, they were sold to the Chengdu Railway in 2008 for regular service. When it became evident that the frames had worn out and were not safe anymore in 2012, they were retired.