What is the world record for the fastest Maglev train?

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.



As of March 2, 2026, the world record for the fastest maglev (magnetic levitation) train is held by a Chinese experimental prototype, which achieved a staggering 1,000 km/h (621 mph) in a low-pressure vacuum tube. This record, set in early 2026 by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), utilizes "Hyperloop-style" technology to eliminate air resistance, allowing the train to travel at speeds comparable to a commercial jetliner. For traditional "open-air" maglev systems, the record is still held by the Japanese L0 Series SCMaglev, which reached 603 km/h (375 mph) on the Yamanashi test track. In 2026, Japan is nearing completion of the Chuo Shinkansen line, which will use this technology to carry passengers between Tokyo and Nagoya at operational speeds of 505 km/h. While the 1,000 km/h Chinese record is currently limited to a specialized test track, it represents the "cutting edge" of ground transportation, proving that the combination of magnetic levitation and vacuum tubes can realistically challenge the aviation industry for mid-range transcontinental travel.

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As for the fastest speeds ever reached by a train, the honour of fastest train in the world goes to the L0 Series SCMaglev in Japan. On its test track this Japanese maglev train reached a top speed of 603 km/h or 375 mph. That incredible achievement means it can travel at almost double regular shinkansen speeds.

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Ranking of the five fastest commercial trains in the world in 2023
  • Shanghai Transrapid Maglev Train, China: 267.8 mph (431 km/h) ...
  • CR400 Fuxing train, China: 217.4 mph (350 km/h) ...
  • ICE 3, Germany: 205 mph (330 km/h) ...
  • TGV, France: 198.8 mph (320 km/h) ...
  • Shinkansen, Japan: 198.8 mph (320 km/h)


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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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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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Background on Maglev Train, Vactrain, Hyperloop They are even faster than regular maglev trains, but are even more expensive to build. Hyperloops are a proposed type of transportation that would use a low-pressure tube to send people or cargo through a tube at high speeds.

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As noted above the Maglev trains are capable of traveling at speeds nearly twice as fast as the bullet trains. However, the use of such extreme speeds in commercial travel seems unlikely. Whereas Maglev trains travel at speeds of up to 400 or 600kph, bullet trains travel at a modest 320kph.

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Maglevs eliminate a key source of friction—that of train wheels on the rails—although they must still overcome air resistance. This lack of friction means that they can reach higher speeds than conventional trains.

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During his race with Shockwave for the title of the fastest man alive, the announcer states that A-Train can reach speeds in excess of 1,000 miles per hour (1,609.34 kilometers per hour/Mach 1.3).

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Chinese researchers have unveiled a new prototype maglev train that they say can reach speeds of nearly 400 miles per hour.

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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.

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Modern trains can travel seamlessly from conventional track to high-speed track. They simply travel slower while on conventional track. Passenger service on the conventional freight lines that criss-cross the United States today is limited to 90 mph at best.

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Faster inter-city trains: 1920–1941 Rail transportation was not high-speed by modern standards but inter-city travel often averaged speeds between 40 and 65 miles per hour (64 and 105 km/h).

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But it was not uncommon for the Zephyr or other trains to hit speeds of more than 100 mph in the 1930s.

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c. 1594 – The first overground railway line in England may have been a wooden-railed, horse-drawn tramroad which was built at Prescot, near Liverpool, around 1600 and possibly as early as 1594. Owned by Philip Layton, the line carried coal from a pit near Prescot Hall to a terminus about half a mile away.

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Using strong electromagnets, Transrapid's maglev technology allowed the train to levitate above the tracks, reducing friction and enabling the train to travel at very high speeds—eventually reaching speeds in excess of 300 mph (500 kph) in some cases.

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A magnet or properly assembled array of magnets can be stably levitated against gravity when gyroscopically stabilized by spinning it in a toroidal field created by a base ring of magnet(s).

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