High Speed Trains From Around The World

Updated: Saturday, July 27, 2013, 11:04 [IST]

Thursday's tragic high speed passenger rail accident in Spain which left more than 80 dead was an extremely unfortunate incident. The accident allegedly occurred because the the train took a bend faster than the safe speed limit. Having said that, train accidents are still not very common, especially among high speed trains.

After air travel trains are still considered to be next safest mode of travel over long distances. As we move into the future high speed trains are bound to replace conventional trains, even in India. This brings the question of which are some of the fastest trains on the planet. Find out the answer below.

ER200

From: Former Soviet Union
Top speed: 210 Km/hr

ER200

ER200 runs on DC current and uses resistance breaking. It was also the first electric multi unit train.

ETR 500

From: Italy
Top speed: 319 km/h

ETR 500 interior

ETR stands for Elettro Treno Rapido 500 and the first trains from this family became operational in 1993.

China Star/DJJ2

From: People's Republic of China
Top speed: 321 km/h

China Star/DJJ2 interior

This indigenously developed train was successfully tested by never put into service.

InterCityExperimental/ICE V

From: Germany
Top speed: 324 km/h

InterCityExperimental/ICE V interior

Another experimental train, this resulted in Germany's Intercity-Express or ICE, a high speed train system that runs between European countries.

THSR 700T

From: Taiwan
Top speed: 350 km/h

THSR 700T interior

It belongs to the Taiwan High Speed Rail system and has been derived from Japanese Shinkansen line of high speed trains.

AVE Class 103

From: Spain
Top speed: 404 km/h

AVE Class 103 interior

It belongs to the Siemens Velaro family of high speed trains, constructed by Siemens.

CRH3

From: China
Top speed: 487 km/h

CRH3 interior

CRH3 also belongs to the Siemens Velaro family of high-speed trains and is operated by the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Rail.

Transrapid

From: Germany
Top speed: 501 km/h

Transrapid interior

This is not a conventional train, but a Maglev (short for magnetic levitation). These trains do not have wheels, but instead use powerful electromagnets to propel them, literally on thin air.