Top 10 fastest high-speed trains globally; Asia leads with five spots

The evolution of high-speed rail has transformed global transportation by offering an alternative to aviation, promoting economic growth, reducing travel times, and offering a sustainable option.

Combining innovation, speed, and efficiency, these high-speed railways have emerged as the foundation of urban mobility.

India does not currently operate any high-speed trains that exceed 200 km/h (125 mph). However, the country is making significant progress in developing high-speed rail infrastructure, which will enhance connectivity and reduce travel times across major urban centres.

The Vande Bharat Express, also referred to as Train 18, is recognised as the fastest train in India as of 2024. It is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 180 km/h; however, for safety and operational considerations, it typically operates at a reduced speed of 160 km/h.

Vande Bharat—India’s semi-high-speed train. (file)

Globally, countries like Germany, Italy, France, Spain, China, and Japan boast extensive high-speed rail networks, with trains that can reach speeds of over 300 km/h.

The top 10 fastest high-speed trains in the world:

Given the significant strides and development over the previous decade, Railway Network released an index of the ten fastest high-speed trains presently in service all over the world, ranked by operating speed.

Notably, Asian countries like China and Japan are investing heavily in high-speed rail infrastructure, with China home to three of the world’s fastest trains: the Shanghai Maglev, the China Railway Harmony (CRH380A), and the China Railway Fuxing.

Rank	Name of the train	Country	Top operational speed (kmph)	Speed record (kmph)
1	Shanghai Maglev	China	460	501
2	CR Harmony	China	350	486
3	CR Fuxing	China	350	420
4	DB Intercity-Express 3	Germany	350	368
5	SNCF TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse)	France	320	575
6	JR Shinkansen	Japan	320	443
7	ONCF Al Boraq	Morocco	320	357
8	Renfe AVE 103	Spain	310	404
9	Korail KTX-Sancheon	South Korea	305	421
10	Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000	Italy	300	389

Source: Railway Technology

Know more about Shanghai Maglev—the fastest high-speed train:

China’s Shanghai Maglev (source: Wikipedia Commons)

China’s Shanghai Maglev, also known as Shanghai Transrapid, is the world’s fastest operational train and the first commercial maglev train. It employs electromagnets to hover above the tracks, eliminating resistance, lowering maintenance costs, and allowing for faster peak speeds.

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Presently, China’s state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) is building the T-Flight, a groundbreaking maglev hyperloop train.

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The train, which moves via low-vacuum tubes, smashed the global speed record in a test run, achieving 623 km/h (387 mph). CASIC wants trains to exceed 1,000 km/h (621 mph), with the route projected to be operational by 2035.

Know more about Tōkaidō Shinkansen—the first and oldest high-speed train:

Japan’s Tokaido Shinkansen (credit: Wikipedia Commons)

Japan Rail’s Tōkaidō Shinkansen is originally the world’s first high-speed rail system and the oldest among the top ten trains. Inaugurated for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, connecting Tokyo and Osaka at 210 km/h, the Shinkansen currently travels at 320 km/h and transports over a million people daily.

Japan is building the L0 Series Maglev, which can travel 286 km between Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes, quicker than flying. The previous record speed of 375 mph (603 km/h) was surpassed by China’s new maglev hyperloop train, which is currently in development. The new Japanese maglev train is expected to be operating by 2027.