Abstract: Based on field measurements, the noise characteristics in the tourist cabin of a high-speed train are analyzed at a high running speed between 300 to 400 km/h. So far, there is still no a unified criterion in the world to evaluate the noise level in the carriage of high-speed train reasonably, while A-weighted sound level has a shortcoming in the noise evaluation. In order to further clear the shortcoming, A-weighted sound level is discussed through the detailed contrast to white noise combined with increasing sound level in different frequency bands. An aircraft noise evaluation index is used to evaluate the interior noise of the high-speed train. The obtained results indicate that: the noise in the tourist cabin of the high-speed train is dominated by the components of low and middle frequencies. Such a noise would be underestimated when A-weighted sound level is used. There is high similarity of frequency characteristics between interior noise of high-speed train and it of aircraft. The aircraft noise evaluation index is more suitable for the characteristic evaluation of interior noise of high-speed train. This paper could provide evidence for framing new proper noise evaluation criterion for high-speed train.

Key words: Aircraft noise, A-weighted sound level, Evaluation index, High-speed train, Interior noise, Tourist cabin