Will HS2 be the fastest train in Europe?

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.”



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Britain only has a small section connecting London with the rail tunnel to mainland Europe. In terms of speed, HS2's planned top speed of 225 miles per hour (mph) could make it Europe's fastest rail network. Over the years, successive governments have pitched HS2 as a way to reduce regional economic disparities.

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HS2 does not anticipate being the fastest network once it is up and running. Indeed, Japan has already test-run a new bullet train, powered by electrically charged magnets, which reached an incredible 603km per hour.

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CLIMATEWIRE | The first U.S.-made high-speed bullet trains will start running as early as 2024 between Boston, New York and Washington, with the promise of cutting transportation emissions by attracting new rail passengers who now drive or fly.

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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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The Acela is the Fastest Train in the USA The fastest train in North America is the Acela which hits 150 mph in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

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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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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CLIMATEWIRE | The first U.S.-made high-speed bullet trains will start running as early as 2024 between Boston, New York and Washington, with the promise of cutting transportation emissions by attracting new rail passengers who now drive or fly.

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See China's first high-speed overwater bullet train line The new line in China's Fujian province goes along the west side of the Taiwan Strait, with the trains running as fast as 217 miles per hour. Why is Saudi Arabia signing so many soccer players?

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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 Acela's speed is limited by traffic and infrastructure on the route's northern half. On the 231-mile (372 km) section from Boston's South Station to New York's Penn Station, the fastest scheduled time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h).

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The original goal of the Maglev project was to produce a train that could cover the route from Tokyo to Osaka in less than one hour. This will be achieved when the Maglev line is extended from Nagoya to Osaka, expected to be in operation by 2045.

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Japan plans to unveil the world's fastest bullet train in 2030. The $91 million Shinkansen Alfa-X test train is designed to go as fast as 400 kph or 249 mph. Japan plans to unveil the world's fastest bullet train in 2030. The $91 million Shinkansen Alfa-X test train is designed to go as fast as 400 kph or 249 mph.

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