Beijing, Aug 21 (IANS): China will launch the world's fastest train in September which will shorten the travel time between Beijing and Shanghai by more than an hour, authorities said on Monday.

According to the China Railway Corporation, after several successful test runs, the train, called "Fuxing" (rejuvenation) will operate regularly from September 21 with an average speed of 350 kph and a maximum speed of 400 kph, reports Efe news.

A total of seven pairs of trains will be launched that will make 14 return trips a day over a distance of 1,318 km separating the two cities.

The train will run about 50 kph faster than the previous versions that ran at about 300 kph.

This new, homegrown bullet train model, also includes a sophisticated monitoring system that can automatically slow down the train in case of emergencies or unusual conditions.

China has the longest railway network in the world, accounting for around 60 per cent of the global total.