Find out how fast the world’s fastest trains travel and in which countries they operate. We present to you the 10 fastest trains in the world.
We have already talked about the fastest train in the world, which the Chinese are currently proud of. However, a permanent connection using this train has not yet been established. The list of the 10 fastest trains in the world, prepared by Ben Jones for CNN, included trains from other countries in Asia, Europe and even Africa.
The fastest trains in the world:
1: Maglev, Shanghai (China): speed 460 km/h
This train connects Shanghai Pudong Airport to Longyang Road Station in the city center. Thanks to its maximum commercial speed of 460 km/h, the train covers a 30 km journey in just… 7.5 minutes. The vehicle uses German maglev technology, that is to say magnetic levitation, to move: it does not move on traditional rails, but floats above a single rail thanks to electromagnets. This technology reduces rolling resistance and makes it easier to reach higher speeds.
2: CR400 “Fuxing” (China): 350 km/h
The CR400 “Fuxing” trains, although capable of reaching a maximum speed of 420 km/h, operate daily at a maximum commercial speed of 350 km/h. These trains include up to 16 cars, accommodating up to 1,200 passengers in total, who can charge their devices with wireless chargers and use entertainment systems. The fastest trains in this system are currently deployed on the Beijing-Shanghai-Hong Kong and Beijing-Harbin lines.
3: ICE3 (Germany): 330 km/h
The famous InterCity Express (ICE) was originally designed for a fast Cologne-Frankfurt connection, which shortened the journey on this 180 km stretch from 2.5 hours to just 62 minutes in 2002. Although these trains run Typically operating at a commercial speed of 300 km/h, ICE3 family trains are permitted to reach speeds of up to 330 km/h if there is a need to catch up. During testing, the maximum speed reached was 368 km/h. The 8-car train has a total of 16 electric motors that generate a total of 11,000 horsepower. ICE3 travels throughout the country and also provides international routes, connecting major German cities with Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels.
4: TGV (France): 320 km/h
It was the French high-speed trains (Train à Grande Vitesse – TGV) that launched the era of ultra-fast railways. To this day, TGVs hold the speed record for conventional trains: an impressive speed of 574.8 km/h reached on April 3, 2007. Commercial speeds are almost half of these. These trains connect the largest French cities and provide connections to other European capitals.
5: JR East E5 (Japan): 320 km/h
If we look for the biggest rivals of the French in the fight for the supremacy of conventional trains, it is undoubtedly the Japanese. It is in the Land of the Rising Sun that the famous Shinkansen trains run. Although most of them operate at a maximum speed of 300 km/h, the E5 bullet train of Japan Railways East (JR East) runs at a speed of 320 km/h on the route between Tokyo and Shin- Aomori. Each of these trains has 32 electric induction motors generating 12,900 horsepower. It also has active suspension that lets you take corners faster. Their “trademark”, extremely long nose, was designed to reduce the loud noise that might occur when entering a tunnel at high speed. E5 trains also connect the main Japanese island of Honshu to the island of Hokkaido via a 54-kilometer underwater tunnel passing under the Tsugaru Strait.
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6: “Al Boraq” (Morocco): 320 km/h
In 2018, Africa’s first and so far only high-speed line was inaugurated on this continent. It connects Tangier to Casablanca. The train carrying this route was called “Al-Boraq”, named after the mythical creature on which the Islamic prophets traveled. The line was built by French engineers and is the first of the planned connection system, which will extend for a total of 1,500 km. Trains based on TGV technology reach 320 km/h. Before the train went into service, the test reached a speed of 357 km/h, making it the fastest train in Africa.
7: AVE S-103 (Spain): 310 km/h
Spain joined the high-speed train club in 1992, using French technology. But since then, it has developed its own high-speed train line and created the most extensive network of connections of this type in Europe. AVE trains (from the abbreviation: Alta Velocidad Espana – Spanish High Speed) connect the largest cities in the country: Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Valencia and Barcelona. The S-102 Talgo and S-103 Velaro trains are capable of reaching speeds of up to 350 km/h. In June 2006, the S-103 was traveling at a speed of 404 km/h, which was then a record for an unmodified vehicle. commercial passenger train.
8: KTX (South Korea): 305 km/h
Due to the mountainous nature of the country, it was difficult to establish a high-speed line in South Korea. However, after years of effort, the Seoul-Busan line was opened, on which KTX trains operate at speeds of up to 330 km/h, although the speed limit is generally limited to 305 km/h . The first trains of this type were based on TGV technology, but the Koreans are intensively developing their solutions, such as airtight cabins and triple glazing to reduce noise. In addition to Seoul-Busan, KTX also serves the Seoul-Gwangju and Mokpo-Yeosu lines.
9: Trenitalia ETR1000 (Italy): 300 km/h
Frecciarossa (Red Arrow) trains have been carrying passengers since 2017. Designed to travel at a maximum speed of 400 km/h (in 2016, during tests, one of the trains reached 394 km/h), they do not exceed the 300 km/h daily. The 200 m long trains can accommodate 457 passengers divided into four classes and connect northern Italy (Turin, Milan and Venice) to the south (Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples).
10: Haramain High Speed Railway (Saudi Arabia): 300 km/h
Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High Speed Railway (HHR) connects the Islamic cities of Mecca and Medina. The trains running there reach speeds of up to 300 km/h. The trains were based on the Spanish Talgo and were specially modified to withstand harsh desert conditions. Each train has 13 cars that can accommodate a total of 417 passengers. Since its inception, the HHR has been a good alternative for travelers who can cover the 450 km journey in up to 10 hours, while this train only takes around two hours.
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