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, AC railway electrification|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	British Rail [Class 43 \|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 Milwaukee County, Wisconsin\|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 4468 Mallard\|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.

Electric

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles with electric traction motors and powered by electricity transferred to the train.

Speed	Date	Line	Country	Train	Arr.	Power	State	Comments
	2007-04-03	LGV Est	France	SNCF TGV POS Set No. 4402	Multi	Single phase	Tuned	Set formed of 2 power cars + 3 trailers. Current world record.
	2010-12-03	Beijing–Shanghai HSR	China	CRH380BL	Multi	Single phase	Unmod.	16-car trainset Current record for the top speed of an unmodified production vehicle.
	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	Single phase	Proto	six-car train set. maximum speed test.
	2010-09-28	Shanghai–Hangzhou HSR	China	CRH380A	Multi	Single phase	Unmod.
	2006-07-15	Madrid–Barcelona HSR between Guadalajara and Calatayud	Spain	Siemens Velaro E	Multi	Single phase	Unmod.	15–16 July Record for the top speed of an unmodified production vehicle until 2010.
	2001-09-03	Hannover–Berlin between Oebisfelde and Rathenow	Germany	ICE 3	Multi	Single phase	Unmod.	The journey was carried out as a regular approval journey, whereby according to German regulations a speed of at least 10% higher to the approval speed must be reached during the approval process. Since the train was regularly approved for 330 km/h, at least 363 km/h had to be reached during the test run. Record for the top speed of an unmodified production vehicle until 2006.
	2009-02-03	Bologna–Florence high-speed railway	Italy	ETR 500 Y1	Multi	Single phase	Tuned	Indoor Italian speed record, in the Monte Bibele tunnel on the high speed line between Florence and Bologna.
	2006-09-02	Nuremberg–Ingolstadt high-speed railway	Germany	Siemens EuroSprinter ES64U4 No. 1216 050-5	Loc	AC	Unmod.	On Nuremberg–Ingolstadt high-speed railway, locomotive owned by ÖBB, pulling one car. Record for the maximum speed of an electric locomotive.
	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.
	1979-12-07	Oyama test track	Japan	Class 961 Shinkansen	Multi	Single phase	Proto.	test track, now part of Tōhoku Shinkansen
	1972-02-24	Sanyō Shinkansen	Japan	Class 951 Shinkansen	Multi	Single phase	Proto.
	1963-03-30	Odawara test track	Japan	Class 1000 Shinkansen	Multi	Single phase	Proto.	Test track now part of Tōkaidō Shinkansen
	1903-10-28	Royal Prussian Military Railway between Marienfelde and Zossen	Germany	AEG Experimental three-phase railcar	Multi	Triphase	Proto.	Overall speed record. Many sources say 27 October.
	1939-20-07	Florence–Bologna "direttissima" and Bologna-Milan lines	Italy	ETR 200	Multi	DC	Unmod.	Record average speed between Bologna and Milan
	1903-10-06	Royal Prussian Military Railway between Marienfelde and Zossen	Germany	Siemens & Halske Experimental three-phase railcar	Multi	Triphase	Proto.	After railbed was improved. Some sources say 7 October, others say or an improbable.
	1941	Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad	United States	Electroliner	Multi	DC. It used its OHEL system, not its 3rd rail system for the record run.	Unmod.	When the sets were received in 1941, during one test run the traction motors were allowed full field shunt to determine absolute maximum speed. It reached just over 110 mph, but at that speed the train reached highway crossings before the crossing gates fully closed, a dangerous situation. Thereafter, the sets were limited to 90 mph.
or	1988-04-11	on the Waterloo to Weymouth route	United Kingdom	British Rail Class 442	N/A	DC third rail	Unmod.	World speed record for a 750 DC third rail train.
	1901	Royal Prussian Military Railway between Marienfelde and Zossen	Germany	Siemens & Halske Experimental three-phase railcar	Multi	Triphase	Proto.	Early tests of AC power. Some sources say or.
	1930	Cincinnati and Lake Erie Railroad	United States	Red Devil	Single	DC	Unmod.	Defeated a plane in a race for publicity.
	1972-01-31	LIRR Main Line between Woodside and Jamaica	United States	R44	Multi	DC	Unmod.	World speed record for a subway train. When half the motors were disabled to simulate the weight of a rush-hour crowd, it still reached. The cars were capable of even higher speeds, as the consist was still accelerating as it approached the end of the designated test track.

Fuel-electric

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles with on-board fuel to generate electricity for traction motors such as diesel-electric locomotive, diesel electric multiple unit and gas turbine-electric locomotive trains.

Speed	Date	Line	Country	Train	Arr.	Power	State	Comments
	1993-10-05	Saint Petersburg — Moscow	Russia	TEP80	Loc	Diesel-elec	Proto.	Has documentation and record of the speed, 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.	World speed record. First diesel train faster than

Fuel-mechanic

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles with on-board fuel to mechanical energy to drive vehicle's wheels such as diesel-hydraulic trains and gas turbine locomotive trains that use mechanical transmission to power the drive wheels.

Speed	Date	Line	Country	Train	Arr.	Power	State	Comments
	1967-12-20	Northeast Corridor	United States	UAC TurboTrain	Multi	Gas	unknown

Steam

The following is a list of speed records for steam locomotives.
Note: All records with a faster speed than are claimed and have not been officially verified.

Speed	Date	Line	Country	Train	Arr.	Power	State	Comments
	1938-07-03	East Coast Main Line	United Kingdom	LNER Class A4 No. 4468 Mallard	Loc	Steam	Unmod.	Downhill grade. Data indicates peak speed, mean speed . Mallard suffered an overheated center big end bearing during the run, but was repaired and returned to traffic within 9 days. Mallards record is the standing world speed record for a steam locomotive.
	1936-05-11		Germany	Borsig DRG series 05 002	Loc	Steam	Unmod.	Level grade.
	1935-04-05		United States	Milwaukee Road class A #2	Loc	Steam	unknown	This was the first streamlined oil-fired steam train in history. Claimed to have sustained for. Average speed for between Milwaukee and New Lisbon, Wisconsin was.
	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. This trip was a test run for the feasibility of a new planned high speed passenger train service between Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul via Milwaukee, which came to fruition the next year as the Hiawatha.
	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.
	1904-05-4	Exeter to Bristol Line	United Kingdom	GWR 3700 Class 3440 City of Truro	Loc	Steam	Unmod.	This was the first independently measured and published by a steam locomotive.
	1895-10-24	Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway	United States	Brooks-built ten-wheeler and train	Loc	Steam	Unmod.	The engineer was presented with a memorial watch from the Webb C. Ball Company in a ceremony at the Brooks Locomotive Works offices on April 17, 1896.
	1895	London and North Western Railway	United Kingdom	LNWR Improved Precedent Class No. 790 Hardwicke	Loc	Steam	unmod.
	1893-05-10		United States	Empire State Express No. 999	Loc	Steam	Unmod.	claimed, which would make it the first wheeled vehicle to exceed. Unauthenticated and dubious.
	1840s	Great Western Main Line	United Kingdom	GWR Iron Duke class Iron Duke	Loc	Steam	unknown
	1830-09	Liverpool and Manchester Railway	United Kingdom	Northumbrian	Loc	Steam	unknown
	1829	Rainhill Trials	United Kingdom	Stephenson's Rocket	Loc	Steam	Unmod.
	1804-02-21	Merthyr Tramroad	United Kingdom	Richard Trevithick: World's first railway steam locomotive	Loc	Steam	Unmod.	On 21 February 1804 it successfully carried 11.24 tons of coal, five wagons and 70 men over the full distance, in 4 hours and 5 minutes, at an average speed of.

Note:

Air propulsion

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles that use air propulsion to move rail vehicles while the wheels are rolling along the track.

Speed	Date	Line	Country	Train	Arr.	Power	State	Comments
	1974-08-14	High Speed Ground Test Center	United States	LIMRV	Loc	Gas turbine	Proto
	1928-06-23		Germany	Opel RAK III	Loc	Rocket	Proto.	Unmanned. Some sources say or. See:

Using an air cushion and a monorail, the Aérotrain set on 5 March 1974 a mean speed of and a peak speed of.

Conventional wheeled – Narrow gauge

The European speed record on meter gauge was achieved in the night from 8th to 9th July 2022. A Rhaetian Railway class ABe 4/16 train made by Stadler Rail reached 163 kph during testing in the Vereina tunnel.

Maglev trains

World fastest point-to-point average speeds in commercial operations

The following are the lists of world record average operating speeds between two stations. The average speeds are measured by the total time and the distance between the two stations.