Some of the World's Fastest Trains

 Some of the World's Fastest Trains

Currently, trains have become one of the favorite modes of transportation used by the global community. Traveling by train allows you to take in the scenery around you while traveling at high speed. Several countries in the world also have super trains with speeds of 290 kph (180 mph) or more.

Since the 1980s, hundreds of billions of dollars have been invested in building new high-speed and high-capacity rail systems throughout Europe and Asia, pioneered by the Japanese Shinkansen and Train a Grand Vitesse (TGV) in France.

In the last decade, China has even built a new 38,000 kilometer railway network that reaches almost every corner of the Bamboo Curtain country.

But do you know which nation has the fastest train in the world?

According to CNN Travel, the following are some of the fastest trains in the world as of 2022:

1. The 460 kph/286 mph Shanghai Maglev (China)

With a top speed of 267.8 mph, the Shanghai Maglev is the world's fastest public train. This train travels the approximately 30-kilometer distance between Shanghai's Longyang Metro Station and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. And it only takes this train seven minutes to travel that distance.

Maglev trains run on elevated tracks using German technology. The use of powerful magnetic technology makes the train ride incredibly friction-free and smooth.

A line between Shanghai and Hangzhou is one of China's ambitious plans for the Maglev network, which also includes the development of its own 600 kph (373 mph) Maglev trains.

2. The 350 kph/217 mph CR400 "Fuxing" (China)

During testing, the CR400 Fuxing train was able to reach a speed of 420 kph (260 mph), which is faster than its top commercial speed of 350 kph (217 mph). The Fuxing train was created from the earlier generation of trains, which incorporated European and Japanese technological advancements.

These ultra-fast trains come in a variety of fascinating configurations, including "smart cabs," in-seat entertainment, smart glass screens, wireless device charging, up to 16 carriages, and models with a maximum seating capacity of 1,200 passengers. Additionally, this train can be run automatically.

On the primary Beijing-Shanghai-Hong Kong and Beijing-Harbin routes, the CR400 version is now in operation.

3. ICE3—205 mph/330 kph (Germany)

This train runs the 180-kilometer distance between Cologne and Frankfurt. Since 2002, the ICE3 train has decreased the distance between the two cities' travel times from 2 hours 30 minutes to just 62 minutes.

The ICE3 is permitted to travel up to 330 kph when late, although its regular operational speed is 300 kph (186 mph). In tests, a top speed of 368 kph (229 mph) was attained.

The 16 electric motors placed throughout the carriage, which collectively produce a whopping 11,000 horsepower, are the secret to the ICE3's speed.