China builds world’s fastest train, capable of 600 km / h

Using electromagnetic force, the maglev train “levitates” above the track with no contact between the body and the rail.

China has been using the technology for almost two decades on a very limited scale. Shanghai has a short maglev line connecting one of its airports to the city.

While there are not yet any intercity or interprovincial maglev lines in China that could make good use of the higher speeds, some cities like Shanghai and Chengdu have started to conduct research.

With the ability to reach 600 km / h at the speed reached, it is estimated that it would take just 2.5 hours to travel from Beijing to Shanghai by train, a journey of over 1,200 kilometers.

The journey takes a comparable time by plane and 5.5 hours by high-speed train.

Launched in October 2016, the high-speed maglev train project saw the development of a prototype magnetic levitation train with a designed maximum speed of 600 km / h 2019 and completed a successful test in June 2020.

Engineers completed the integration of the maglev transport system, and a train with five cars performed well on a test line within the factory, the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) said.

The train can travel with two to 10 cars, each containing more than 100 passengers, according to Ding Sansan, the project’s chief engineer. The train offers the best solution for journeys within a radius of 1,500 km, Ding said, adding that it bridges the speed gap between aviation and high-speed trains.

Countries from Japan to Germany are also looking to build maglev networks, although high costs and incompatibility with current track infrastructure remain obstacles to rapid development.