Surveying the World's Fastest Trains, and a Possible New Entry to the List

The Telegraph compiles a list of the fastest train trips in the world, from the 90 minute journey from Brussels to Paris at 186 miles per hour to Shanghai's 268 mile per hour maglev train. A new service is poised to join them.

1 minute read

June 16, 2013, 1:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Shanghai Maglev

Lars Plougmann / flickr

If you're looking for the fastest train ride in the world, just book at trip from Shanghai's airport to the city's metro system. Aboard the world's first commercially used maglev (magnetic levitation) train you can reach top speeds of 269 miles per hour during the 20-mile trip. The fastest high-speed rail ride appears to be on China's CRH3C trains, which run from Beijing to Tianjin at a top speed of 205 miles per hour.

Poised to join them is Japan's "super-fast" maglev train that will travel at more than 300 miles per hour. "The public got a glimpse of the new L0 series magnetic levitation train, called 'Linear motor car' in Japan, on June 3 when JR Tokai displayed for the first time a linked-up prototype of five cars," reports Yu Okuma. "Passengers can expect to readily take a train like the one displayed at the test center in 2027, allowing them to travel between Tokyo and Nagoya in about 40 minutes instead of the current 100 minutes."

  

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 in The Telegraph

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation