What is the fastest gas train?

Production Train ? 170.8 MPH The more important record was set by an un-modified, production trainset on Penn Central's main-line between Trenton and New Brunswick, New Jersey on December 20, 1967. A TurboTrain reached 170.8 mph (274.9 km/h). This remains the world speed record for gas turbine-powered rail vehicles.



As of 2026, the title for the fastest conventional "wheel-on-rail" train is held by China's CR450, a next-generation Fuxing bullet train. During high-speed trial runs on the Meizhou Bay Cross-Sea Bridge, the CR450 reached a record-breaking test speed of 453 km/h (281 mph). While many high-speed trains are electric, the engineering behind the CR450 focuses on extreme aerodynamic efficiency, featuring a 15-meter elongated nose cone that reduces air resistance by 22%. It is designed to operate commercially at 400 km/h (248 mph) starting in late 2025 and 2026, significantly outpacing current global standards. Historically, the fastest gas-turbine (non-electric) train was the United Aircraft Corporation TurboTrain, which reached 275 km/h (170 mph) in 1967, but modern records are dominated by these advanced high-speed electric units that use the power grid for propulsion.

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Japan: L0 Series Maglev (374 mph) Although not yet in regular service, this Japanese train, which is currently being developed and tested by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), holds the land speed record for rail vehicles, clocking in at 374 mph.

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Mallard: The world's fastest steam locomotive | National Railway Museum.

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Read on for the fastest trains in the world.
  • CRH380A Hexie: 302 mph. ...
  • Shanghai Maglev: 267 mph. ...
  • Hemu -430 X: 262 mph. ...
  • Fuxing Hao CR400AF/BF: 249 mph. Image Source: ...
  • The Frecciarossa: 245 mph. Image Source: ...
  • Shinkansen H5 and E5: 224 mph. Image Source: ...
  • Deutsche Bahn ICE: 205 mph. Image Source: ...
  • Korail KTX: 205 mph. Image Source:


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Harmony CRH 380A. Harmony CRH 380A, with maximum operational speed of 380kmph, is currently the second fastest operating train in the world.

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The Glacier Express is the world's slowest train, taking more than eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18mph. Along the way, it passes over nearly 300 bridges, travels through 91 tunnels and takes in endless stunning Alpine views.

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In addition, the tracks, signals, rail cars and software made in the U.S. are costlier than imports, largely because the government has not funded rail the way European and Asian countries have, experts say.

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With high-speed rail, train travel is always faster than driving. In many cases, it's even faster than flying, once you factor in the whole air travel song-and-dance. And if you do need to catch a plane, trains make it easier to get to the airport.

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On 30 November 1934 his Flying Scotsman, an A1 Pacific, was the first steam locomotive to officially exceed 100mph in passenger service, a speed exceeded by the A4 Mallard on 3 July 1938 at 126mph, a record that still stands.

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In 1934, Scotsman was clocked at 100mph on a special test run—officially the first locomotive in the UK to reach that speed. The test run proved to the LNER's directors that steam power could provide high speeds, negating a plan for the company to use diesel power on its high-speed services.

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The Flying Scotsman went in service in 1923 and was given its famous name a year later. The train connected passengers from London to Edinburgh. It rose to global fame when it recorded 100 mph (160 kph) on a special test run in 1934, making it the first locomotive in the U.K. to reach that speed.

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As of August 2022, the fastest train on Earth, based on its record speed, is the Japanese L0 Series Maglev with a record speed of 603 kilometers per hour.

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Japan: L0 Series Maglev (374 mph) Although not yet in regular service, this Japanese train, which is currently being developed and tested by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), holds the land speed record for rail vehicles, clocking in at 374 mph.

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In 1934, Flying Scotsman achieved the first authenticated 100 mph (161 km/h) by a steam locomotive.

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China initially relied on high-speed technology imported from Europe and Japan to establish its network. Global rail engineering giants such as Bombardier, Alstom and Mitsubishi were understandably keen to co-operate, given the potential size of the new market and China's ambitious plans.

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High-speed rail is generally regarded as the pinnacle of attractive and green transportation. But all too often, it makes train travel more expensive and less flexible. In the end, costly high-speed lines may just push more people into cars.

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A foundation of Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity is that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum; this is the effective speed limit for the Universe!

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The Glacier Express is the world's slowest train, taking more than eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18mph. Along the way, it passes over nearly 300 bridges, travels through 91 tunnels and takes in endless stunning Alpine views.

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Without stoppage, a train travels at an average speed of 75 km/h and with stoppages it covers the same distance at an average speed of 60 km/h.

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Trenitalia's Paris to Milan route was first introduced in December 2021, serviced by Hitachi Rail's ETR1000. This super high speed train travels at 300km/h - with the ability to go400km/h if not limited by track regulations - making it the fastest train in Europe.

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Novocherkassk 4E5K for Russian Railways, 17,838 horsepower All hail Mother Russia: with 17,838 horsepower, the Novocherkassk 4E5K locomotive is the most powerful in the world. It seems like digital espionage isn't Russia's only path to power.

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The ALFA-X (which stands for Advanced Labs for Frontline Activity in rail eXperimentation) will become the world's fastest bullet train when it enters service in 2030. It's capable of hitting speeds of up to 400kph — 80kph more than the current generation of Shinkansen trains.

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