Flow characteristics of coal-water slurries were measured by means of a flow test equipment which was specially arranged for the transportation of highly loaded coal-water slurries. It was confirmed that, as a rheological model, Bingham model was most appropriate to represent the flow characteristics of coal-water slurries. The effects of solid concentration, slurry temperature and additive concentration on the rheological parameters were experimentally determined. The way for the improvement of the slurry preparation method was discussed combining with the experimental results.