The Top Ten Fastest Trains and Mass-Transit Systems in the World

Travelling by train/rail has significantly decreased in the UK mainly because people have started relying on planes or cars to reach their destinations. But this is not the case in the entire world and still people in most countries of the world use trains as their main medium of travelling especially if the intention is to reach a destination in another city. Well, America’s fastest train is Amtrak’s Acela Express but it is not the fastest train in the world

Aerotrain Train (267.30 miles)

10 – Aerotrain Train (267.30 miles)

Aerotrain is the name of another extraordinary high-speed train produced by France. The organizer of Bertin Company, France, known as Jean Bertin, started working on fulfilling his dream to make the fastest train in the world. It was the first project of a high-speed train in the world which was to run and test using air technology. Aerotrain runs with a massive jet engine that works exceptionally well to provide much-needed air to lift it with a maximum of 267.30 miles per hour speed.

MLU002N Train (267.80 miles)

9 – MLU002N Train (267.80 miles)

Japan is the only country in the world that owns faster trains in its fleet than any other country in the world. MLU002 is the ninth fastest train which is just ahead of Aerotrain in terms of its speed. It is also a maglev train which is also known as the only single-car train in the country. The maximum speed of MLU002N was 431 kilometres per hour (267.80 miles per hour) in its test run in 1994. This test was held on a 26.6 miles track.

Shinkansen Train (275 miles)

8 – Shinkansen Train (275 miles)

Shinkansen is another faster train which is part of the high-speed train fleet of Japan. It is also recognized by the term “Bullet Train”. This high-speed train carries passengers from one to another city and is a prominent part of the rail network in Japan between the major cities. Shinkansen is actually a conventional train that doesn’t travel on maglev tracks. The test run of the Shinkansen set a record of 275 miles per hour speed in 1996. Shinkansen is the eighth fastest train.

Transrapid TR-09 Train (279 miles)

7 – Transrapid TR-09 Train (279 miles)

Transrapid TR-09 is the second fastest train in the European country Germany. This train is not a conventional train because it used maglev tracks to run on the ground. This technology is being used in Germany as a monorail technology. Transrapid TR-09 has successfully achieved 279 miles per hour maximum speed. It is a passenger train that is being used in Germany between major cities.

Transrapid 07 (279.60 miles)

6 – Transrapid 07 (279.60 miles)

Transrapid 07 is the sixth fastest train at the moment which broke the speed record in 1988 and became a successful high-speed train in the world. This train debuted to the German public in 1988 when Transrapid 06 and ICE V were among the fastest trains. It debuted being an experimental train only which was run in Hamburg, Germany where people saw its public demonstration, successful demonstration rather. It ran at a maximum speed of 279.60 miles per hour.

Transrapid 08 Shanghai (311.30 miles)

5 – Transrapid 08 Shanghai (311.30 miles)

How can you think that the Chinese would be far behind other developed countries on this list? They also have a faster train in their squad and own 5th fastest train in the world at the moment. Transrapid 08 – Shanghai Maglev Train has generally recognized as the most successful fastest-speed train across the globe. It runs on a maglev track that has been placed between Shanghai’s city centre and Pudong International Airport, with a maximum speed of 311.30 miles per hour.

CRH380A Train (350 miles)

4 – CRH380A Train (350 miles)

CRH380A, the fifth successful fastest passenger train in the world, is the part of electric high-speed train network in China. This fastest train can run at per hour speed which was developed by China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. It increased the top speed achieved by CRH2-350. It was originally an 8-car train and set a world record of 416.6 kilometres per hour record during its trial run.

ML-500R Train (321.40 miles)

3 – ML-500R Train (321.40 miles)

ML-500R is the third fastest train at the moment. This train was the very first train created/designed and tested by Japanese engineers as part of their maglev train technology project. ML-500R is generally recognized as a prototype vehicle that successfully achieved a cruising speed of around 517 kilometres (321.40 miles per hour) during its earliest experimental test in 1979 on the 4.3-mile track.

TGV Est V150 Train (357.20 miles)

2 – TGV Est V150 Train (357.20 miles)

French technicians also proved their abilities to compete with Japanese technicians for making the fastest train in the world and they started working on making such a train in 2007. Their main intention was to prove that the fastest speed could be achieved even without maglev technology. The main feature of the TGV Est V150 (an Alstom-designed project) is the engine which is at the end of each double-decker car. The train consists of three such cars. It can achieve a maximum of 574.80 kilometres per hour (357.20 miles per hour) speed but it has not been tested yet.

MLX01 Train (310.70 miles)

1 – MLX01 Train (310.70 miles)

MLX01 is the fastest train at the moment that exists in any part of the world. This train actually works with maglev technology to reach its maximum speed. This train is seen running in Japan which is the part of Chuo Shinkansen Line project of the country. This project was started to test the safe operation of the maglev train after achieving the target of the fastest speed. MLX01 has the ability to run with a maximum speed of 310.70 miles per hour (i.e. around 500 kilometres per hour). Wow!

Author: Gus Barge

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