Since its inception, high-speed rail has advanced with the Shinkansen and TGV among others. What is the fastest train, though?
The 10 Fastest High-Speed Trains in the World
High-speed trains combine efficiency and speed. The history of high-speed trains spans several decades, beginning with the French TGV and continuing with Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train.
High-speed rail’s development has changed the face of transportation by providing a more environmentally friendly choice, fostering economic growth, cutting travel times, and replacing airplanes.
With low-cost high-speed rail options starting to materialize in Europe, it is now even starting to compete in terms of price. With trains that can go over 300 km/h, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, China, and Japan are among the countries with the largest high-speed rail networks.
High-speed rail will keep getting better and expanding. Despite obstacles, a number of well-known projects appear inevitable. These include the infamously delayed HS2 project in the UK, the convoluted history of high-speed rail in Australia, and the high-speed rail project in California.
However, half of the 10 most costly rail projects to begin construction last year were high-speed rail projects, despite several projects experiencing difficulties. Asia is home to all five of them and is a hotspot for high-speed rail, in large part because of China’s quickly growing network.
See Also:
Furthermore, new technology developments like magnetic levitation (Maglev) trains offer even speedier travel times and more comfortable journeys. The continued development of high-speed train infrastructure and technology points to a bright future in which travel will become increasingly more practical, sustainable, and networked.
Here is an updated list of the top ten fastest high-speed trains in operation worldwide as of right now, ranked by operational speed, taking into account the tremendous growth over the past ten years.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Get access to the most thorough company profiles available thanks to GlobalData. Avoid spending hours researching. Obtain a competitive advantage.
10. Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000: 300km/h (Italy)
The Frecciarossa, or ETR1000, was created as a joint venture between Alstom and Hitachi Rail Italy for the Italian state railway operator Trenitalia.
Spain is another country where the Frecciarossa, or red arrow, is in operation. The ETR1000 is the basis for 20 S 109 trainsets operated by private high-speed rail operator Iryo.
The ETR1000 trainsets, which have an engineered maximum speed of 400 km/h, are said to have been built in response to Italo, a private high-speed rail operator in Italy. The trains are eight-car non-articulated 200-meter trains that can accommodate 457 passengers.
The trains reach 300 km/h when in service, although one of the ETR1000 sets surpassed 389 km/h in testing in 2015. Out of the 50 trainsets constructed, one is presently not in service due to the Livraga derailment.
On February 6, 2020, in Livraga, on the Milan-Bologna high-speed line, an ETR1000 operating the first service of the day was engaged in a high-speed derailment. Thirty-one persons were injured and two train drivers died as a result of the tragedy. Thus yet, there has been just one train mishap on Italy’s high-speed rail system.
9. Korail KTX-Sancheon: 305km/h (Korea)
High-speed rail in South Korea is operated by Korail, the nation’s railway operator. In 2004, Korea Train Express, also referred to as KTX, commenced its operations.
Initially, the network operated rolling stock based on Alstom’s TGV Réseau, which was partially constructed in Korea. Since then, the line’s rolling stock has switched to entirely locally made trains, with the Hyundai Rotem-built KTX-Sancheon now in use.
The native fish known as cherry salmon is called in Korean, hence the name of the KTX-Sancheon. It is the first high-speed train conceived and developed in South Korea, with a top operating speed of 305 km/h.
On South Korea’s high-speed rail network, 71 trainsets that can accelerate from 0 to 300 km/h in 316 seconds may accommodate up to 363 passengers apiece.
In 2013, the KTX-Sancheon HSR-350x train set a prior Korean rail speed record of 352.4 km/h, which was surpassed by the new generation HEMU-430X prototype, which achieved 421.4 km/h.
This indicates that, together with France, Japan, and China, South Korea is one of just four nations in the world to have developed a train that can travel at a speed of over 420 km/h.
The newest commercial electrical multiple-unit model of the HEMU-430X, the EMU-320, is presently being produced by Hyundai Rotem in 16 sets, with an expected delivery date of the end of this year. The EMU-320 can accelerate from 0 to 300 km/h in 230 seconds, compared to 316 seconds for the KTX-Sancheon. Its projected operating speed is 320 km/h.
8. Renfe AVE 103: 310km/h (Spain)
The Spanish state-run operator Renfe operates the Class 103 high-speed train for its AVE high-speed service. Siemens is the manufacturer of the trains, which are referred to as Series 103 or S103 and are a member of the Velaro series.
1992 saw the opening of the first high-speed rail line in Spain, linking the cities of Madrid, Córdoba, and Seville. Since then, the network has grown to include connections to other countries as well as the main cities in the nation. Additionally, it is now accessible to open-access operators, resulting in a fiercely competitive market for high-speed rail.
On the 621-kilometer high-speed train route between Barcelona and Madrid, 26 trainsets can carry up to 404 passengers at a maximum speed of 310 km/h. A Spanish record-setting top speed of 403.7 km/h was attained by an S103 in 2006.
It’s interesting to note that Renfe really runs two half-trains of four coaches each, totaling eight cars. Aside from the active pantograph and a high-voltage line that runs the length of the train, each section has its own power system.
The passenger seats and the driver’s cab are divided by glass screens in the end coaches. The driver can choose to make these views opaque, however this gives passengers the same perspectives as the driver.
7. ONCF Al Boraq: 320km/h (Morocco)
Seventh on our list are the trains that travel on Al Boraq, Morocco’s first high-speed railway.
Between Casablanca and Tangier, the line is run by the Moroccan national operator Office National des Chemins de Fer du Maroc (ONCF). Al Boraq is divided into two sections: an upgraded stretch from Kenitra to Casablanca and a newly constructed dedicated high-speed route from Tangier to Kenitra.
Twelve Alstom Avelia Euroduplex trainsets, also called TGV 2n2f trainsets, operate on a 323-kilometer high-speed track at up to 320 km/h. With a capacity of 533 passengers, Euroduplex trains on the Al Boraq line are notable for being bi-level (double-decker) high-speed models. Eight passenger cars and two power vehicles make up each trainset.
The $2 billion project reduced the approximate five-hour travel time between Casablanca and Rabat to just over two hours. Trains on the Al Boraq line reached a high speed of 357 m/h during pre-service testing, which is more than twice as fast as the next fastest trains in operation in Africa.
6. JR Shinkansen: 320km/h (Japan)
The Shinkansen, also referred to as the bullet train, is a Japanese icon that is well-known worldwide. Surprisingly, though, the first high-speed train falls outside of the top five.
Japan was the pioneer nation to establish a high-speed rail network, which was first constructed to link remote Japanese areas with Tokyo, the nation’s capital. The network, which began as the 515 km Tokyo–Nagoya–Osaka Tokaido Shinkansen line in 1964, now covers about 3,000 kilometers of track.
The 0 series Shinkansen trains, which were the first to operate in 1964, could travel at a maximum speed of 220 km/h. The modern Hitachi Rail and Kawasaki Heavy Industries-built E5 and H5 Series reached a maximum operational speed of 320 km/h
The H5, an E5 series cold-weather derivative, operates on the same lines as the E5 series on Tohoku Shinkansen and Hokkaido Shinkansen services. A stronger snowplough, more resilient rubber insulation on the connections between the cars, and an underframe made of stainless steel that shields the electronics from the weather are just a few of the cold-season characteristics included in H5 models.
The highest speed a Shinkansen has ever achieved outside of regular operation was 443 km/h, achieved in tests in 1996 by the experimental Class 955 “300X” Tōkaidō Shinkansen.
5. SCNCF TGV: 320km/h (France)
An iconic vehicle is the Train à Grande Vitesse, or TGV. The forerunner of high-speed rail in Europe, which began service on the continent’s first high-speed railway in France, has continuously shattered records for highest speeds.
A record-breaking 380 km/h was set in 1981 by TGV Sud-Est trainset number 16. A modified TGV Atlantique 325 train set a new record in 1990, just under ten years later, with a speed of 515.3 km/h. The current world record of 574.8 km/h was achieved in 2007 by a Modified TGV POS equipped with two powered bogies, akin to the AGV prototype, shattering this record.
The TGV Duplex, Réseau, POS, and Euroduplex types, which are mostly owned and operated by SNCF, France, are manufactured by Alstom and operate at a maximum track speed of
Outside of France, the SNCF TGV Network connects directly to Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, and Spain. TGV trainsets are also used by open-access operators to connect France with other nations. Thalys/Eurostar travels to the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, while TGV Lyria travels to Switzerland. TGV trainsets are also in use in China, South Korea, Spain, Italy, Morocco, and the United States.
The TGV-M, the newest model, made its debut in 2021. SNCF placed an order for 100 TGV-M trainsets, also known as the Avelia Horizon, in July 2018 for €2.7 billion. It is anticipated that the TGV-M, with a 350 km/h maximum capacity, will go into operation with SNCF in 2024.
4. DB ICE: 350km/h (Germany)
Siemens and Bombardier are the manufacturers of the ICE 3, or Intercity-Express 3, family of high-speed electric multiple-unit trains. The Dutch railroad operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) in addition to Deutsche Bahn (DB) is the primary operator of the ICE 3.
The class 403, 406, 407, and 408, often referred to as ICE 3, ICE 3M, New ICE 3, and ICE 3neo, are the flagship of high-speed rail in Germany.
In the Netherlands, there are three ICE International multisystem trains in operation. Moreover, ICE 3 trainsets travel over international borders to travel to Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
The class 403 is permitted to travel at speeds of 330 km/h on the high-speed line between Frankfurt and Cologne in order to compensate for delays, therefore although ICE 3 trains operate at the national maximum high-speed railways track speed of 320 km/h in Germany, they have surpassed their competitors in this ranking. During trial runs, the ICE 3 Classes 403 and 406 reached a maximum speed of 368 km/h.
Siemens’ Velaro trainsets, which are used in Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, China, Russia, and Turkey, were inspired by the ICE 3M/F. In addition, 41 eight-car ICE trainsets have been ordered by Egyptian National Railways.
3. CR Fuxing: 350km/h (China)
High-speed trains in the China Railway (CR) Fuxing series are also referred to as the CR series EMU. Fuxing trains were created by China Railway Corporation and can travel up to 350 km/h in testing.
The Fuxing models, which don’t use any licensed or proprietary technology from other rolling stock producers, are the first high-speed models made entirely in China.
A 209-meter-long, 3.36-meter-wide, and 4.06-meter-tall eight-car Fuxing set can accommodate more than 500 passengers. Fuxing sets are utilized on seven additional lines in China, but they are most famous for their employment on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway, which transports passengers between the two cities in less than five hours.
Actually, the upgraded Fuxing model used for the new high-speed link to Tibet is made to function at high elevations. Eleven trainsets of the Fuxing CR400AF have been ordered for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia, which is scheduled to open this year, making it the first model to operate overseas.
2. CR Harmony: 350km/h (China)
The CRH series of EMU high-speed trains are referred to as the China Railway (CR) Hexie, or Harmony. With a maximum operating speed of 350 km/h, they operate at the same pace as the Fuxing trains, but we have them in second position because of their faster testing record speeds.
CR first used pre-existing technology from international rolling stock manufacturers to construct the CR Harmony, with the goal of eventually acquiring its own understanding of the technology. With the domestic construction of the CR Fuxing trains, this aim was realized.
Since 2011, the CRH380B has been in use on the Shanghai–Hangzhou High-Speed Railway and the Shanghai–Nanjing High-Speed Railway. It is built on the Siemens Velaro series of high-speed trains.
The Harmony trains’ second-highest recorded speed, 486.1 km/h, was achieved by the CRH380A during a test run in 2010. Controversially, there are claims that the CRH380A is based on unlicensed Japanese Shinkansen technology, even though it was not made in accordance with a technology transfer agreement.
Derived from the Bombardier Zefiro 380, the CRH380D is another noteworthy Harmony type. Encompassing the fastest ever recorded speed of 483 km/h for a normal, unmodified high-speed train, 85 trainsets are presently in operation in China, distributed between the Shanghai Railway and Chengdu Railway.
1. Shanghai Maglev: 460km/h (China)
Top of the list with an average speed of 251 km/h and a maximum operating speed of 460 km/h is the Shanghai Maglev, also called the Shanghai Transrapid. With a record top speed of 501 km/h, it is quite amazing.
There is no traditional high-speed model like the maglev train. Instead, it levitates above the rail using electromagnetic force, which removes friction and makes for remarkably silent and smooth riding.
The Shanghai Maglev is owned and run by the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Company. The train was built in partnership by German multinational ThyssenKrupp and Siemens.
The service, which operates on the 30.5-kilometer Shanghai Maglev Line, began accepting customers in April 2004. Operating from Longyang Road Station in Shanghai, China to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, this is the first high-speed magnetic levitation line to be operated for commercial purposes.
Even while the maglev train doesn’t end in the city center, it can travel the roughly 19 miles in less than eight minutes, making it an extraordinarily efficient connection to the airport.