10 fastest trains in the world

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The modern world demands to do everything as quickly as possible. You hesitate a little with breakfast – and now you are late for work, and the evil boss is making not very positive plans for your bonus. Delay getting married – and now you are over thirty, and you have to pretend that everything suits you anyway. Do not have time to conclude a profitable contract – and kilograms of money go to competitors.

Therefore, modern transport must also be fast. So that you don't have to spend several days traveling from one city to another. Engineers are constantly coming up with more and more new ways to travel that allow you to cross the continent in a few hours. Supercars and super-high-speed highways, supersonic airplanes, trains capable of accelerating up to 300-400 kilometers per hour … All this is created to make travel simple and fast.

And in this article, we have compiled a rating of the 10 fastest trains in the world. They do travel at impressive speeds, allowing them to cross the entire country in a matter of hours. The way it should be in the modern world.

The maximum speed achieved is indicated, not the standard mode, since even the fastest trains carry passengers at 250-300 km / h.

The fastest trains in the world

Nomination	a place	Name of product	Maximum speed
The fastest trains in the world	10	AVE Talgo-350 , Spain	330 KM / H
	9	'Sapsan', Russia	350 KM / H
	8	KTX2 , South Korea	352 KM / H
	7	THSR 700T , Taiwan	355 KM / H
	6	Shinkansen Alfa-X , Japan	360 KM / H
	5	CRH380A , China	380 KM / H
	4	Shanghai Maglev Train ('Shanghai Maglev'), China	431 KM / H
	3	TR09 , Germany	450 KM / H
	2	TGV POS , France	574.9 KM / H
	1	Maglev L0, Japan	603 KM / H

10th place: AVE Talgo-350, Spain, 330 km / h

Rating: 4.1

Spain became the first European country to launch a whole network of high-speed highways – that is, not a separate route, but several at once, with hubs in Barcelona and Madrid. And the fastest train that runs on these railway lines is the AVE Talgo-350, capable of accelerating to 330 km / h.

The AVE Talgo-350 was launched in 2007 and took 13 years to develop and build. The route is known primarily for its strange design. The locomotive is called a 'duck' because of its elongated nose and unexpectedly straight windshield. However, this design affects the aerodynamic characteristics only positively.

AVE Talgo-350 runs between Madrid and Barcelona. If he travels non-stop, then the distance of 621 km from one city to another he overcomes in just 2.5 hours. The locomotive is equipped with eight megawatt engines, which provides a fairly high energy efficiency combined with a low cost of transportation.

9th place: 'Sapsan', Russia, 350 km / h

Rating: 4.2

Although the Russian Sapsans can reach 350 km / h without any problems, their standard speed is 250 km / h. This is due to the peculiarity of the laid route. Sapsans run between Moscow and St. Petersburg through densely populated areas, and when accelerating above 300 km / h, a vortex effect is created behind the locomotive. The currents of air cut by the train can be capable of knocking an adult off his feet, even if he is standing 5 meters from the railway tracks.

In addition, for such a high speed, Sapsan will need new railway tracks. Now the track on which he drives has a width of 152 cm. For additional acceleration, it is required to reduce it to the standard European values ​​of 143.5 cm. So the Sapsan has to drive at 250 km / h.

The Sapsan locomotive itself is built on a platform designed by Siemens, but it is made specifically for Russian conditions. Not only the track width is taken into account, but also the climate. The train travels on ordinary railway lines, that is, a separate high-speed line was not built for it.

8th place: KTX2, South Korea, 352 km / h

Rating: 4.3

The KTX2 (KTX-Sancheon) was the second high-speed train launched in South Korea. Its standard travel speed is 305 km / h, but in tests it was possible to accelerate to 352 km / h. The company Hyundai Rotem took part in the development of the locomotive and passenger cars, and the route itself was launched in 2010.

To lighten the train and make it faster, the car body was made of a special aluminum alloy. At the same time, the thickness of walls and windows is relatively high – up to 38 mm. This is done to provide sound insulation and sealing so that passengers feel comfortable.

Thanks to its powerful propellers, the train is able to reach cruising speed in just 316 seconds. It operates on almost all high-speed South Korean highways. For example, it runs between Seoul and Busan, covering a distance of 417.5 km in just under two hours, with a stop in Daegu city.

7th place: THSR 700T, Taiwan, 355 km / h

Rating: 4.4

Taiwan's THSR 700T is one of the largest high-speed trains in the world. Its maximum capacity is 989 passengers! At the same time, 66 of them can go in business class – with wide seats and a comfortable arrangement.

The Japanese group of companies Shinkansen, known for their 'bullet trains', took part in the development of the vehicle. However, the device had to be adapted for use in Taiwan. The high-speed line, on which these cars travel, was launched in 2007. The standard speed is 300 kilometers per hour, however, during the tests, it was possible to accelerate to 355 km / h.

The train operates on the only high-speed line in Taiwan, which connects the Nangang districts in Taipei and the Zuoing districts in Kaohsiung. The distance between them is almost 360 km. The THSR 700T passes it in just over an hour. At the same time, the railway route runs along the coast, so that passengers also have beautiful views from the windows.

6th place: Shinkansen Alfa-X, Japan, 360 km / h

Rating: 4.5

The Shinkansen trains have long been the fastest growing in the world. And to this day, locomotives are called “bullet trains” – both due to the fact that they are able to accelerate above 300 kilometers per hour, and because of the streamlined aerodynamic design.

In addition, these routes were among the first high-speed routes. So, they were launched back in 1964. At the same time, they operate on the 'European' track with a width of 143.5 cm, which is slightly larger than that of standard Japanese rail routes. Therefore, only bullet trains run on the Shinkansen.

The fastest are locomotives of the 400 and 500 series. It is they who are now moving on the high-speed rail. Also in 2019, a completely new Alfa-X lineup was tested, which was able to accelerate to 360 kilometers per hour. The most interesting feature of this locomotive is the 22-meter nose, specially designed to improve aerodynamic performance. The fact is that there are tunnels on the track of the trains, and trains entering them experience very strong air resistance. A 22-meter streamlined nose will help keep it down, thus maintaining a robust design.

5th place: CRH380A, China, 380 km / h

Rating: 4.6

The Chinese train CRH380A carries passengers at a cruising speed of 380 km / h. Moreover, it can accelerate faster, but the exact redistribution is unknown. The train is used on all Chinese high-speed routes, but most often it can be found on the railway connecting the country's two largest cities – Beijing and Shanghai.

The locomotive was put into operation in 2010. Thanks to him, it was possible to reduce the travel time between different cities by an average of 40%.

The CRH380A required a tremendous amount of engineering innovation. According to the official list published by the manufacturer, the train received an updated design and geometry of the nose to reduce aerodynamic drag, an aluminum body to reduce weight, a sealed design, safe and high-strength bogies, a noise control and suppression system, special engines with a redesigned power scheme, dual pantographs active type and regenerative brakes.

4th place: Shanghai Maglev Train ('Shanghai Maglev'), China, 431 km / h

Rating: 4.7

The Shanghai maglev uses a startling, almost magical, magnetic levitation technology. This train has no wheels. Instead, it is equipped with powerful electromagnets, thanks to which it literally hovers over the railway.

And if there are no wheels, then there is no friction. Therefore, the train can accelerate to impressive performance. So, its standard speed (more precisely, the maximum speed reached on the way with regular operation) is 431 km / h. It can also move faster – only in everyday operation such acceleration is not used.

True, the very railway line along which this fast train travels (or, more precisely, flies) is rather short. Its length is 30 kilometers. The railway line connects Pudong International Airport with the Shanghai Metro, and the train travels this distance in 7.5 minutes. Initially, it was planned that it would stretch much further, up to Zhejiang province, but some economic crisis and the simultaneous launch of a high-speed railway line with bullet trains made further construction useless and meaningless.

3rd place: TR09, Germany, 450 km / h

Rating: 4.8

In Germany, a country that understood the importance of high speeds and invented autobahns, there is the Transrapid rail network. It was developed by Siemens and uses magnetic levitation technology. And it is updated regularly.

The last update, released in 2011, was codenamed TR09. This is the ninth iteration. And thanks to magnetic levitation technology, as well as many other innovations (including a redesigned streamlined body), the train is able to travel at a standard operating speed of 450 kilometers per hour.

TR09 supports a unique energy recovery technology through harmonic magnetic fields. For the 'overclocking' itself, they are considered 'junk', but they can support the power supply of the vehicle. As a result, the TR09 does not even need a contact rail – during the entire journey, regardless of speed, it completely hovers over the railroad.

In addition, TR09 is equipped with capacious built-in batteries, thanks to which it is able to levitate for a long time even in case of a power failure on the rails. This is very important for use in seismically hazardous areas. Therefore, Chinese and Taiwanese railway workers are already interested in the TR09 train.

2nd place: TGV POS, France, 574.9 km / h

Rating: 4.9

TGV POS is a train on the international rail network that connects France, Switzerland and Germany. In 2007, he was able to set a world record for the speed of such transport, accelerating to 574.9 kilometers per hour!

However, it is worth noting that the record-breaking train has been specially optimized to set a new 'benchmark'. He reduced the number of passenger cars in the train to 3 pieces (usually he travels with 10 units), and also closed the gaps between them. This made it possible to reduce air resistance. In addition, wheels of increased diameter were installed and the voltage in the contact network was raised.

However, even in operating mode, the TGV POS is a very fast train. It travels at a speed of 320 km / h, which is an impressive result for wheeled rail vehicles. From Paris to the Swiss Basel can be reached in 3.5 hours, and to Zurich – in 4.5 hours.

1st place: Maglev L0, Japan, 603 km / h

Rating: 5.0

In 2015, Japanese railroad workers set an absolute speed record for trains. They were able to accelerate the L0 locomotive to 603 kilometers per hour! The train uses magnetic levitation technology and also has a special streamlined aerodynamic body (which may seem funny due to the elongated curved 'nose').

It should be noted that it has not yet been put into operation. Trains using magnetic levitation technology need their own railway line, and they cannot 'fly' on a standard track. And she is under construction. It is planned to open a levitation line connecting Tokyo and Nagoya in the mid-2020s, and in the next two decades it will be completed to Osaka.

Maglev L0 will be one of the most technologically advanced trains. Like the German TR09, it will not need a contact supply rail – it will receive all the necessary electricity by induction from the railway tracks. It is also planned to abandon the traditional cockpit, most of the train systems will be automatically controlled, and the driver will be present in it 'just in case'. He, too, will not be able to admire the world around him due to the lack of a windshield – it would have simply cracked from an air strike.

Overall, the L0 maglev is the fastest train in the world. Even if it has not yet been launched, it still holds the record for the speed of ground passenger transport.

---

Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.