List of speed records in rail transport
This article provides an overview of speed records in rail transport. It is divided into absolute records for rail vehicles and fastest connections in the timetable.
Current speed records
The world record for a conventional wheeled passenger train is held by a modified French TGV high-speed code named V150, set in 2007 when it reached on a section of LGV Est line, part of the Trans-European high-speed rail network. Japan's experimental maglev train L0 Series achieved on a magnetic levitation track in 2015.Under commercial traffic and practical conditions where trains carry passengers across from one station to another, the world records for top operating speeds of maglev and single-phase trains are held respectively by China's Shanghai Maglev Train with a top speed of and CR400 Fuxing Hao at. They are followed by France's TGV Duplex, Japan's E5 Series Shinkansen and the German ICE 3 which all have maximum operating speeds of for commercial services.
Past world speed records
Legend:; Arr : Disposition and number of elements forming the train.
; Power: DC, DC 3rd rail, AC, Single phase, Triphase, Diesel-elec., Gas, Steam, Diesel-hydraulic, Propeller, Rocket, Jet
; State
All passenger trains
The following is a partial list of absolute world speed records for all trains designed to carry passengers, regardless of gauge, propulsion or type of rail.| Speed | Date | Line | Country | Train | Arr | Power | State | Comments |
| 2015-04-21 | Yamanashi Test Track | Japan | L0 Series | Multi | AC | Proto. | Seven-car train set, manned | |
| 2015-04-16 | Yamanashi Test Track | Japan | L0 Series | Multi | AC | Proto. | Seven-car train set, manned | |
| 2003-12-02 | Yamanashi Test Track | Japan | MLX01 | Multi | AC | Proto. | Three-car train set. Guinness Book of Records authenticated. | |
| 2007-04-03 | LGV Est | France | SNCF TGV POS Set No. 4402 | Multi | AC | Tuned | Extensive modifications. Set formed of 5 cars. Current world record on steel rails. | |
| 2007-04-01 | LGV Est | France | SNCF TGV POS Set No. 4402 | Multi | AC | Tuned | Set formed of 5 cars. | |
| 1990-05-09 | LGV Atlantique | France | SNCF TGV Atlantique Set No. 325 | Multi | AC | Tuned | Extensive modifications. | |
| 2003-11-12 | Shanghai Maglev Train | China | Transrapid SMT | Multi | AC | Unmod. | Recorded in 2003 at a test run before the commercial operation in 2004 | |
| 2011-01-10 | Beijing–Shanghai HSR | China | CRH380BL | Multi | Single phase | Tuned | 12-car trainset | |
| 2010-12-03 | Beijing–Shanghai HSR | China | CRH380AL | Multi | Single phase | Tuned | 16-car trainset, near Sùzhōu | |
| 1990-12-05 | LGV Atlantique | France | SNCF TGV Atlantique Set No. 325 | Multi | AC | Tuned | Extensive modifications. | |
| 2023-06-28 | Fuzhou-Xiamen HSR | China | CR400AF-J-0002 | Multi | AC | Proto | 8-car train with parts for CR450 | |
| 2013-03-28 | Gyeongbu high-speed railway | South Korea | Hyundai Rotem HEMU-430X | Multi | AC | Proto | six-car train set, maximum speed test | |
| 1974-08-14 | High Speed Ground Test Center | United States | LIMRV | Loc | Gas turbine | Proto | ||
| 1988 | LGV Sud-Est | France | SNCF TGV Sud-Est Set No. 88 | Multi | AC | |||
| 1988-05-01 | Hanover–Würzburg high-speed railway | Germany | Intercity Experimental | Multi | AC | Proto | The first time that a railway vehicle broke the 400 km/h mark. The official world record was beaten just one year later by the French TGV. | |
| 2007-04-03 | LGV Est | France | SNCF TGV POS Set No. 4404 | Multi | AC | unmod | Set formed of 10 cars -The 4404 train opens the way at 380 km/h for record breaker Tgv 4402 V150 train. | |
| 2009-02-04 | Monte Bibele tunnel | Italy | ETR 500-Y | Multi | AC | Tuned | World record in tunnel. | |
| 2003-07-30 | High Speed 1 | United Kingdom | Alstom Eurostar Tgv 3313/4, British Rail Class 373 | Multi | AC | Unmod | The speed of 334.7 km/h was recorded at Nashenden Valley, just outside Rochester. | |
| 1955-03-29 | "Les Landes", between Bordeaux and Dax | France | Jeumont-Schneider SNCF BB 9003-9004 | Loc | DC | Tuned | Pulling 3 cars. Train was specially modified for the test. The track was badly damaged by the test. | |
| 1974-12-08 | "Les Landes", between Bordeaux and Dax | France | TGV001 | Multi | AC | proto | TGV first prototype | |
| 2007-09-14 | Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway between Ankara and Eskişehir. | Turkey | ETR 500 Y2 | Multi | AC | Unmod. | Turkish railway speed record. Record set during testing of the high-speed railway, 18 months before revenue service began. | |
| 1954-02-21 | France | SNCF CC 7107 | Loc | DC | unmod | |||
| 1993-10-05 | Saint Petersburg — Moscow | Russia | TEP80 | Loc | Diesel-elec | Proto. | Claimed, but no verification from an independent witness | |
| 2002-06-12, 2002-07-10 | Madrid - Barcelona, Olmedo-Medina del Campo | Spain | Talgo XXI | Multi | Diesel-elec | Proto. | Claimed by the company for both dates. | |
| 1987-11-01 | East Coast Main Line | United Kingdom | Class 43 | Multi | Diesel-elec | Modified | Current official diesel speed record listed in 2006 Guinness Book of Records | |
| 1973-06-12 | East Coast Main Line | United Kingdom | HST prototype | Multi | Diesel-elec | Proto. | ||
| 1936-02-17 | Germany | DRG SVT 137 233-234 "Bauart Leipzig" | Multi | Diesel-elec | Unmod. | First diesel train faster than | ||
| 1938-03-07 | East Coast Main Line between Peterborough and Grantham | United Kingdom | LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard | Loc | Steam | Unmod. | Authenticated speed. World Steam Speed Record Holder to this day. Analysis of the original dynamometer rolls in 2018 however points to several issues with the original authentication and a sustained maximum speed of 199.36 km/h. | |
| 1934-07-20 | United States | Milwaukee Road class F6 #6402 | Loc | Steam | Unmod | A point between Oakwood, Illinois and Lake, Wisconsin. Also averaged on from Chicago, Illinois to Milwaukee, and for a stretch | ||
| 1934-11-30 | East Coast Main Line | United Kingdom | LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman | Loc | Steam | Unmod. | In 1934, Flying Scotsman achieved the first authenticated by a steam locomotive. | |
| 1829 | Rainhill Trials | United Kingdom | Stephenson's Rocket | Loc | Steam | Unmod. |
Conventional wheeled
The following is a list of verified absolute world speed records for conventional wheeled rail vehicles.| Speed | Date | Line | Country | Train | Arr. | Power | State | Comments |
| 2007-04-03 | LGV Est | France | SNCF TGV POS Set No. 4402 | Multi | AC | Tuned | Set formed of 2 power cars + 3 trailers. Current world record on steel rails. | |
| 2010-12-03 | Beijing–Shanghai HSR | China | CRH380BL | Multi | Single phase | Unmod. | 16-car trainset | |
| 2010-12-03 | Beijing–Shanghai HSR | China | CRH380AL | Multi | Single phase | Unmod. | 16-car trainset, near Sùzhōu | |
| 2013-03-28 | Gyeongbu high-speed railway | South Korea | Hyundai Rotem HEMU-430X | Multi | AC | Proto | ||
| 1988-05-01 | Hanover–Würzburg high-speed railway | Germany | Intercity Experimental | Multi | AC | Proto | The first time that a railway vehicle broke the 400 km/h mark. The record was beaten just one year later by the French TGV. | |
| 2003-07-30 | High Speed 1 | United Kingdom | Eurostar 3313/4, British Rail Class 373 | Multi | AC | Unmod | The speed of 334.7 km/h was recorded at Nashenden Valley, just outside Rochester. | |
| 1955-03-29 | "Les Landes", between Bordeaux and Dax | France | Jeumont-Schneider SNCF BB 9003-9004 | Loc | DC | Tuned | Pulling 3 cars. Train was specially modified for the test. The track was badly damaged by the test. | |
| 1993-10-05 | Saint Petersburg — Moscow | Russia | TEP80 | Loc | Diesel-elec | Proto. | Claimed, but no verification from an independent witness | |
| 1987-11-01 | East Coast Main Line | United Kingdom | Class 43 | Multi | Diesel-elec | Modified | Current official diesel speed record listed in 2006 Guinness Book of Records | |
| 1973-06-12 | East Coast Main Line | United Kingdom | HST prototype | Multi | Diesel-elec | Proto. | ||
| 1936-02-17 | Germany | DRG SVT 137 233-234 "Bauart Leipzig" | Multi | Diesel-elec | Unmod. | World speed record. First diesel train faster than | ||
| 1938-07-03 | United Kingdom | LNER Class A4 No. 4468 Mallard | Loc | Steam | unknown | Downhill grade. Data indicates peak speed, mean speed . Mallard suffered an overheated crankpin during the run, but was repaired and returned to traffic within 9 days. This is the standing record for a steam locomotive. Analysis of the original dynamometer rolls in 2018 however points to several issues with the original authentication and a sustained maximum speed of 199.36 km/h. | ||
| 1934-07-20 | United States | Milwaukee Road class F6 #6402 | Loc | Steam | Unmod | A point between Oakwood, Illinois and Lake, Wisconsin. Also averaged on from Chicago, Illinois to Milwaukee, and for a stretch | ||
| 1934-11-30 | East Coast Main Line | United Kingdom | LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman | Loc | Steam | Unmod. | In 1934, Flying Scotsman achieved the first authenticated by a steam locomotive. | |
| 1829 | Rainhill Trials | United Kingdom | Stephenson's Rocket | Loc | Steam | Unmod. |