Recent footage has shown a Chinese maglev train breaking the world record for acceleration, after it went from rest to 497.1 miles per hour in just 5.3 seconds. The train is operating on a one-kilometer test track at Donghu Laboratory in Hubei Province. Maglev trains rely on magnetic levitation to lift the train slightly above the tracks, eliminating the usual friction in rail vehicles. A magnetic wave generated by coils around the track propels it forward. After reaching its top speed, the train stops within just 200 meters, demonstrating the effectiveness of its brakes, according to supercar blondie.

3 Records in 6 Months

What’s more, this is the third record China has broken in six months with its maglev tests. China started testing these trains in June 2025 when it reached a speed of 650 km/h (about 403 miles per hour) in seven seconds, setting a new world record. In subsequent tests, the train broke its own record by reaching 434 miles per hour and then surpassing that with a speed of 495 miles per hour.

Challenges facing high-speed trains

Maglev trains are already in use in China and Japan, with the Foxing train being the fastest of them all. It can reach speeds of up to 220 miles per hour. However, these trains face challenges related to infrastructure costs and passenger safety when implementing networks at such high speeds. The record for conventional trains is currently held by the modified SNCF TGV V150 in France, which reached a top speed of 357.2 miles per hour in 2007.

Major milestones in the race for speed

• 1830: George Stephenson's "Rocket" engine reached 30 miles per hour, recording the first notable speed record in the early days of mass transportation.

• 1893: The Empire State Express train claimed to be the first man-made machine to reach 100 miles per hour.

• 1903: A Siemens electric railway car reached 130 miles per hour on a test track in Germany.

• 1934: The British "Flying Scotsman" steam train became the first officially documented steam train to reach 100 miles per hour.

• 1938: The A4 "Mallard" steam locomotive recorded a speed of 126 miles per hour on the Stock Bank gradient, setting a world record that still stands today.

• 1955: French electric trains CC 7107 and BB 9004 reached 206 miles per hour during high-speed test runs.

• 1964: Japan launched the commercial Shinkansen 0 train service at a speed of 130 miles per hour.

• 2007: The French TGV V150 train recorded a speed of 357 miles per hour, the highest speed for a train on traditional steel rails.

• 2015: A Japanese maglev vehicle from the L0 series reached 375 miles per hour, the fastest speed ever recorded for any rail system.