What is the fastest UK train?

The maximum speed currently possible in the UK is 186mph, achieved by Eurostar trains on the HS1 line between London and the Channel Tunnel. The HS1 line is used by Eurostar services and Javelin commuter services from Kent, although the latter have a max speed of 140mph.



The fastest train currently operating in the UK is the Eurostar e320, which can reach a maximum speed of 200 mph (320 km/h) on the High Speed 1 line between London and the Channel Tunnel.

However, if we’re talking about trains operating on the UK’s domestic network, the title goes to:

Hitachi Class 800/801/802 “Azuma” and Class 395 “Javelin”

  • Maximum Speed: 140 mph (225 km/h).
  • Operated by: LNER, GWR, Hull Trains, TransPennine Express (Class 800 series), and Southeastern (Class 395).
  • Key Routes: London to Edinburgh, Leeds, Bristol, and South East England.

Important Context: Speed vs. Record Holders

  1. Operational vs. Record Speed: The speeds above are what trains achieve in daily service. The absolute speed record for a train in the UK is held by the Eurostar Class 373, which hit 208 mph (334.7 km/h) during a test run in 2003.

  2. Future Fastest: HS2 Trains: When the first phase of the new HS2 high-speed line opens (currently estimated between 2029-2033), the new trains will have an operational speed of 225 mph (360 km/h), making them by far the fastest in the UK.

  3. The “Fastest” Brand: LNER’s “Flying Scotsman”: While its train (Azuma) has a 140 mph top speed, LNER’s London to Edinburgh

People Also Ask

In fact, the only high speed network with a top speed similar to HS2's is in China, where trains can reach 350km per hour – still less than HS2's 360.

MORE DETAILS

Capable of speeds of up to 225mph (360km/h), the fully electric trains will also run on the existing network to places such as Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and the North West.

MORE DETAILS

The trains operate at a speed of up to 125mph but have the potential to run up to 140mph.

MORE DETAILS

A joint bid from Hitachi and Alstom has won the contract for a long-awaited, $2.6 billion order for the fleet of trains to operate on Britain's new HS2 high speed line. The 54 eight-car electric trainsets, designed to routinely operate at 225 mph, are being described as the “fastest trains in Europe.”

MORE DETAILS

London-Birmingham (phase 1): Down from one hour 21 minutes to 45 minutes – time saving of 36 minutes. London-Manchester: Down from two hours six minutes to one hour 41 minutes with completion of phase 1 – saving of 25 minutes.

MORE DETAILS

The number of trains running on HS2 will be almost halved and services will travel more slowly in a proposed shake-up of the £72bn line as ministers scramble to save money. Whitehall officials are considering reducing the number of trains from 18 to 10 an hour, insiders said.

MORE DETAILS

There are five lines in the UK which allow for high-speed rail travel. On four out of five lines, the maximum speed is 125mph, while the purpose-built HS1 line allows for speeds of 186mph.

MORE DETAILS

The average speed on the Underground is 20.5 mph (33.0 km/h). Outside the tunnels of central London, many lines' trains tend to travel at over 40 mph (64 km/h) in the suburban and countryside areas. The Metropolitan line can reach speeds of 62 mph (100 km/h).

MORE DETAILS

While most Shinkansen currently operate at a maximum of 300 kph (186 mph), the E5 “Bullet Trains” of Japan Railways East (JR East) run at up to 320 kph (200 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen, which runs north from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

High Speed 2 (HS2) is a planned high-speed railway line in England, the first phase of which is under construction in stages and due for completion between 2029 and 2033, depending on approval for later stages.

MORE DETAILS

The longest UK train journey is Aberdeen to Penzance. Covering 785 miles, this train journey takes about 13 hours and 20 minutes to complete (give or take a few minutes). It has 36 stops and spends about two hours in total waiting for passengers to embark and disembark at each railway station along the way.

MORE DETAILS

The train is operated by the French rail company SNCF for use on the LGV Est route, which runs between Paris, eastern France, and southern Germany. While in regular service, the train reaches a top speed of 200 mph.

MORE DETAILS

On average over 20 million journeys a month are being made on the Elizabeth line, making it the busiest railway in Great Britain according to the latest figures from the transport regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

MORE DETAILS

The HS2 is taking so long because of domestic political uncertainty, financial concerns and poor management. China railway building benefits from political will, lower land acquisition costs, a command economy and modular construction.

MORE DETAILS

And if you're wondering how fast does Eurostar go, it travels at a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph).

MORE DETAILS

It was hoped HS2 would cut journey times, create more space on the rail network and boost jobs outside London. But there had been concerns about the mounting costs of the infrastructure project, with the latest estimates for the project amounting to about £71bn.

MORE DETAILS