--- title: "China Builds World’s Fastest Train, But No Tracks for It to Travel on" description: "China has built a maglev bullet train that reach a blistering 373 miles per hour, the world's fastest train in the world." date: "2021-07-21" modified: "2021-07-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-fastest-train-no-tracks" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "china" - "high speed train" - "maglev train" - "the digest" --- # China Builds World’s Fastest Train, But No Tracks for It to Travel on ![China has built a maglev bullet train that reach a blistering 373 miles per hour, the world's fastest train in the world.]() *\Image: Courtesy of Railway Rolling Stock Corporation\* ## Lack of Tracks China has built a maglev bullet train that it says can reach a blistering 373 miles per hour — making it the [world's fastest train](). Unfortunately, it doesn't have any place to go right now, because the inventors behind it haven't yet built any tracks for it to travel on. Eventually, though, they say there will be an entire network of maglev tracks to supercharge the country's transportation infrastructure. Despite the lack of tracks, the train is an absolute beast and an engineering marvel. Thanks to the fact that it glides on top of a cushion of strong electromagnetic forces, it emits only low levels of noise and requires far less maintenance than other high-speed trains, [according to *CNN*](). It also greatly increases passenger capacity, according to [Chinese state-owned news agency *Global Times*](). If the tracks work out, it could be an amazing coup for advanced transportation. ## Maglev Network China is hoping to establish "three hour transportation circles" between major cities in the country, greatly reducing travel times without relying on air travel. In fact, the new maglev train travels about 120 mph slower than a commercial airliner. And without the need of navigating sprawling airports and waiting on the runway, travel times between Beijing and Shanghai might end up being shorter than taking a plane, according to the *Global Times*. That journey currently takes about two hours by air, while the same trip would take just 2.5 hours on the high speed maglev train. Just standing in line for security at an airport would easily take up the extra half hour. If China can build out the infrastructure, the advantages over air travel could be immense. **READ MORE:** [China debuts world's fastest train]() \[*CNN*\] **More on high-speed rail:** *[Virgin Hyperloop Wonders: What Does 600 MPH Travel Do to the Brain?]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()