Because of the way maglev (in various ways) repels the train above its track, derailments are unlikely: the further the vehicle gets from its track, the stronger the magnetic force pushing it back.

While it is theoretically possible for any high-speed vehicle to experience a mechanical failure, Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) trains are designed to be virtually impossible to derail under normal operating conditions. Unlike traditional trains that sit on top of rails, Maglev trains "wrap around" the guideway. In the German Transrapid system, the train's undercarriage wraps around the track, meaning the vehicle would have to physically break through solid steel structures to jump the rails. In the Japanese SCMaglev system, the train runs inside a U-shaped concrete channel; if power fails, the train simply settles onto its landing wheels and slides to a stop. Because there is no physical contact between the train and the track during high-speed travel, there is no friction to cause the typical wheel-climb or rail-spread derailing seen in conventional trains. The biggest risks to Maglev are external factors like massive structural earthquakes or debris on the guideway, but the inherent "locking" geometry makes traditional derailment a non-factor.