What Is the Fastest Train in the World? The Numbers Will Surprise You

The fastest train in the world hit 603 km/h (375 mph). That's faster than most propeller planes at cruise. Spoiler: Amtrak's Acela is not even close. Actually, the gap between a typical Amtrak run and Japan's record-holding maglev is more than 4x. We'll show you which train holds which record, why there are two different speed records (test track vs. real life), and which train you can actually ride today at the highest speed. Plus: why the fastest train is probably not the one you'd guess first.

How fast is the fastest train in the world?

The all-time record sits at 603 km/h (375 mph). It was set on April 21, 2015 by Japan's L0 Series maglev, run by Central Japan Railway. The train floated above the rails for 1.8 km on the Yamanashi test track, west of Tokyo. On board: 49 employees. The record only held for about 11 seconds, but that was enough. The previous record-holder was another Japanese maglev (the MLX01) at 581 km/h (361 mph). For context: 603 km/h is roughly the speed of a passenger jet at takeoff. Except the train never actually touched the ground.

Why are there two different speed records?

When it comes to trains, there are two separate worlds: the record on a closed test track, and the top speed in everyday service. On a test track, you push the train as far as it will go. In real service, it has to be safe, quiet, energy-efficient, and stop every few minutes. So the fastest commercial trains run far below the technical maximum.

There's also the split between steel-wheel trains and magnetic levitation (maglev). The maglev record is 603 km/h. The steel-wheel record has stood since April 3, 2007: a French TGV (Project V150) reached 574.8 km/h (357 mph) on the not-yet-opened LGV Est line between Paris and Strasbourg. To this day, that's the record for classic wheels on steel rails.

Which train is fastest in actual passenger service?

Here's where it gets interesting. For nearly two decades, the fastest train in regular passenger service was the Shanghai Maglev. Since 2004, it ran between Pudong Airport and downtown Shanghai at up to 431 km/h (268 mph). The trip covers 30 km in 7 minutes and 20 seconds. But: in 2021, the top speed was cut to 300 km/h (186 mph), mostly to save energy.

That handed the crown to China's regular high-speed rail. The Fuxing trains in the CR400 series run at 350 km/h (217 mph) on the Beijing to Shanghai line, every day. They are now the fastest steel-wheel trains you can actually buy a ticket for. Japan's Shinkansen tops out around 320 km/h (199 mph). France's TGV runs at 300 to 320 km/h in real life. And Amtrak's Acela in the Northeast Corridor? It briefly hits 240 km/h (150 mph) on a couple of sections, but averages much less.

How fast is Europe's ICE compared to all this?

Germany's ICE 3 is technically certified for 330 km/h (205 mph). In practice, it runs at 300 km/h on most German routes. On the Cologne to Frankfurt line, it briefly goes higher. On French TGV tracks, it's allowed 320 km/h. Sounds fast. But: the ICE sits almost 300 km/h below the maglev record. In testing, an ICE 3 once hit 368 km/h. In daily life, never.

The bottleneck is the track, not the train. Germany has very few dedicated high-speed lines. On most ICE routes, passenger trains share rails with freight, which caps the speed. China and France, on the other hand, have built thousands of kilometers of pure HSR tracks, designed only for speed.

When will a 500 km/h train carry actual passengers?

Japan is building the Chuo Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Nagoya right now. Regular cruise speed: 505 km/h (314 mph). Travel time: 40 minutes for 286 km (178 mi). Originally scheduled for 2027, the opening has been pushed back to 2034 at the earliest. The reason is a fight over a tunnel in Shizuoka Prefecture, where local residents worry it will lower the local water table. When this train finally runs, it will be the fastest scheduled passenger service in history. Until then, China's CR400 keeps the everyday-service crown at 350 km/h.

Want to test how good your number sense really is? Try our technology estimation questions. Free, runs in your browser, perfect for your next road trip.

If you like surprising tech facts, check out our piece on how old the internet really is. The answer is way older than most people guess.

Takeaway: trains are faster than you think, but usually not where you live. 603 km/h is technically possible, 350 km/h is commercially real, 300 km/h is what most ICE riders actually get. If you want more speed trivia: try our technology estimation questions or jump back to the homepage.