It is one of the preferred transport options for connecting major cities in record time. Combining comfort and speed, the high-speed train serves as a reliable alternative to the plane in certain destinations and very often represents a vector for tourism development. While Japan and France pioneered this form of transportation, other countries in turn equipped trains that can travel at speeds of more than 250 km/h.
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All over the world, high-speed network expansions and projects are multiplying, each time with new speed records and new technological improvements, such as autonomous train control. Although it had only one line in 2008, China has developed its high-speed network to become the most efficient country in this field, with 36,000 km of lines. In 2018, Morocco opened the first line in Africa, connecting Tangier with Casablanca at 2h10. Here is a ranking of the fastest trains in the world according to their speed record.
SC Maglev (Japan)
- Speed record: 603 km/h (2015)
- Commercial speed: 505 km/h
You will have to wait until 2027 to board this magnetic levitation train, which will connect Tokyo to Nagoya (286 km) in just 40 minutes. The SCMaglev operated by JR Central will travel up to 505 km/h in commercial service on the new Shinkansen Chuo line. The Osaka extension is planned until 2045. The Shinkansen, the world’s oldest high-speed train, which opened in 1964, is enough to give you a boost.
TGV (France)
- Speed record: 574 km/h (2007)
- Commercial speed: 320 km/h
The TGV, opened in 1981 between Paris and Lyon, holds the world record for rail speed. In 2007, the converted train in the new LGV Est Européenne exceeded the speed of 574.8 km/h. SNCF, Eurostar and Thalys trains travel between 300 and 320 km/h depending on the section. With 2,800 km of tracks, France has the fourth largest high-speed network after China, Spain and Japan.
Shanghai Transrapid (China)
- Speed record: 501 km/h (2003)
- Commercial speed: 431 km/h
To get to the city center from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, you can choose taxi, bus, subway… and Transrapid. Seven minutes. that’s how long it takes this magnetic levitation train to reach Longyang Road subway station, 30 km east of China’s economic capital. Opened in 2004, Transrapid was designed by several German companies, including Siemens.
CRH380B (China)
- Speed record: 487.3 km/h (2011)
- Commercial speed: 350 km/h
While China opened its first high-speed line in 2008, it now has the largest network in the world, with 36,000 km of tracks designed for speeds between 200 and 350 km/h. The Beijing-Shanghai route is the busiest in the country, with 215 million passengers in 2019. The two metropolises, at a distance of 1318 km from each other, connect in 4 hours and 28 minutes, compared to the previous 10 hours.
Ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, China opened its first fully automated line in January 2020 between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, one of three venues that will host the Olympics from February 4 to 20, 2022. The two cities are 175 km apart. , connected in 47 minutes compared to the previous three hours.
KTX (South Korea)
- Speed record: 421.4 km/h (2013)
- Commercial speed: 305 km/h
When the South Korean high-speed network opened in 2004, the KTX (Korea Train Express) trains were derivatives of the French TGV Réseau, designed by Alstom. Since 2010, second-generation trains, KTX-Sancheon (or KTX-II), of South Korean design, have been operating on 900 km high-speed lines. Departing from Seoul, the KTX serves Busan, Daegu and Daejeon in particular.
AVE S-103 / Siemens Velaro (Spain)
- Speed record: 403.7 km/h (2006)
- Commercial speed: 300 km/h
The Velaro model, derived from the German ICE 3, developed by Siemens, is also sold in Russia and Turkey. It notably complements the Eurostar fleet (e320) and therefore circulates between France, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands. In Spain it has been deployed by Renfe, particularly on the Barcelona-Madrid line since 2008.
Frecciarossa 1000 (Italy)
- Speed record: 393.8 km/h (2016)
- Commercial speed: 360 km/h
Frecciarossa (literally “red arrow”) is the fastest train in Italy. It follows a 1,000 km axis connecting Turin to Salerno via Milan, Bologna, Rome and Naples. The ETR 1000 model operated by the national company Trenitalia since 2015 is designed to reach a speed of 400 km/h, even if the Italian network “only” allows it to operate at a speed of up to 360 km/h. It is also suitable for working on all high-speed networks in Europe. It now circulates in France between Paris and Lyon.
IN THE VIDEO – Deutsche Bahn presents the ICE 3Neo, its new high-speed train
Published in April 2021, this article is being updated
Source: Le Figaro
