As Indian Railways aim for 250 kmph: A look at the world's fastest trains

The Railways Ministry has asked the manufacturers to deliver two trains capable of reaching 250 kmph. Here's a list of the fastest trains around the world

In an ambitious move to modernise and speed up India’s rail network, the Ministry of Railways has directed the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai to manufacture two cutting-edge trains capable of reaching speeds of 250 km per hour. This directive, outlined in a Railway Board letter dated June 4, is part of the production program for the fiscal year 2024-25.

The upcoming high-speed trains will be constructed with robust steel bodies and designed for a maximum speed of 250 kmph, with an operational speed of 220 kmph. Notably, these trains will be built on the standard gauge, the globally accepted track gauge, aligning India’s rail infrastructure with international standards.

Over the past year, Indian Railways has been preparing a test track for standard gauge trains in Rajasthan. This track is a critical part of the railways’ efforts to develop high-speed trains domestically and to facilitate the export of Vande Bharat trains, which require conversion from the broad gauge used in India to the more universally adopted standard gauge.

But with the ambition of trains going at over 200 kmph, the Railway Ministry has its task cut out.

Let’s look at some of the other high-speed trains around the world.

Shanghai Maglev, China (inaugurated in 2004)

Shanghai, China is home to the world’s first commercial high-speed ‘maglev train’, the Shanghai Maglev (SMT) or Shanghai Transrapid. This magnetic levitation train line, which uses German Transrapid technology, connects Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road station in the Pudong district.

The 30 km (18.6 mile) journey takes just 8 minutes and 10 seconds, with the train reaching a maximum cruising speed of 300 kmph (186 mph). Prior to May 2021, the SMT could reach an even faster top speed of 431 kmph (268 mph), making it the fastest commercial train service at the time.

CR Harmony & CR Fuxing, China (inaugurated in 2017)

The CR Harmony and CR Fuxing are both high-speed trains developed and operated by China Railway Corporation (CR). Harmony operates at a top speed of 350 kmph and has achieved higher record speeds in testing, such as 486.1 kmph. Meanwhile, Fuxing operates at a top speed of 350 kmph (217 mph), but has been tested at speeds up to 420 kmph.  

Siemens Velaro E/AVs 103, Spain (inaugurated in 2012)

The train set a new world speed record of 403.7 kmph (250.8 mph) during its test run on the Madrid-Barcelona line in 2006. It has a normal operating speed of 350 kmph (217 mph) and is fully operable in snow and ice. However, it is required to slow down to around 160 kmph (100 mph) in snowy conditions.

TGV POS, France (inaugurated in 2007)

The TGV POS (Paris-Ostfrankreich-Süddeutschland) is a high-speed train built by Alstom and operated by the French national rail company, SNCF. It was designed to operate on France’s high-speed rail lines, particularly the LGV Est, which connects Paris to the German border. The TGV POS has a top speed of 320 kmph and can accelerate from 0 to 320 kmph within 5 minutes and 20 seconds.

CRH380A Hexie, China (inaugurated in 2011)

The CRH380A Hexie is a Chinese electric high-speed train developed by CSR Corporation Limited (now CRRC) that is designed to operate at a cruise speed of 350 kmph (217 mph) and a maximum speed of 380 kmph (236 mph) in commercial service. During testing, the original eight-car train-set reached a top speed of 416.6 kmph (258.9 mph), while the longer 16-car CRH380AL version reached 486.1 kmph.

Hemu-430X, South Korea (inaugurated in 2021)

The HEMU-430X is a South Korean high-speed train capable of reaching speeds up to 430 kmph (267 mph). It is the world’s fourth high-speed train to achieve speeds above 420 kmph, after France, Japan and China.

Frecciarossa, Italy (inaugurated in 2008)

Frecciarossa is a high-speed train service operated by Trenitalia in Italy. It is a member of the Le Frecce train category. It operates at a maximum speed of 300 kmph. Frecciarossa trains cover a wide range of routes across Italy, including major cities such as Turin, Milan, Rome, Naples, and Venice.

Shinkansen H5 & E5, Japan (inaugurated in 2011)

The Shinkansen H5 and E5 series are high-speed train types built by Hitachi Rail and Kawasaki Heavy Industries for use on the Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen lines in Japan. The E5 series features an electric active suspension system and can reach a maximum speed of 320 kmph. The H5 series also features an electric active suspension system and can reach a maximum speed of 320 kmph.

Deutsche Bahn ICE, Germany (inaugurated in 1991)

Deutsche Bahn’s InterCity Express (ICE) is a high-speed rail service that connects major cities across Germany and parts of Central and Western Europe. ICE trains travel at speeds of over 300 kmph on high-speed lines and up to 230 kmph on upgraded conventional lines.