Since the dawn of time, the romance of railways has seduced poets, spellbound novelists, and dealt directors the perfect hand for capturing fleeting friendships, illicit affairs, and all manner of crimes and capers. A ticket is not just a permit to ride, it’s permission to trespass on the intimacies of other people’s lives. Trains bring us up close and personal—both inside and outside the carriage. On board, passengers chat politics in Finnish dining cars, clamber into couchettes above strangers on the Trans-Siberian, and share samosas on India’s many raucous mail trains. Outside, the world flashes by, a slideshow of rivers growing into oceans, deserts rising into mountains and cities sprawling then receding into darkness as the train thunders on through the night.
The Fastest Commercial Train in the World Runs at 267.8 Mph and You Can Take It Every 15 Minutes
25.09.2024 - 14:46 / matadornetwork.com
There are two types of train trip: The long, slow, and often luxurious train journey that takes you through beautiful scenery that you book specifically to spend time on the rails; and the speedy, no-nonsense, cheap train ride you take to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In the first category, you’ll find grand trips like Australia’s The Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train, and Britain’s Caledonian Sleeper. In the second, there are trips from London to Brussels in just two hours, from Rome to Venice in four hours, and from Miami to Orlando in three hours. And if you’re a train traveler who belongs to the second category and likes getting places fast without flying, there are plenty of trains in this world that do just that at speeds previously unimaginable on land, including the fastest train in the world and its closest competitors.
The fastest commercial train in the world is the Shanghai Transrapid Maglev Train in China. It can reach a top speed of 267.8 mph (431 km/h).
The fastest non-commercial train in the world is the Yamanashi Maglev Line in Japan. It is currently being tested and improved upon and does not carry passengers on a regular schedule. The Yamanashi Maglev Line can reach a top speed of 374.68 mph (603 km/h).
Currently, the fastest train in the US is Amtrak’s Acela which operates at a maximum speed of of 150 mph (241 km/h). Acela trains are high-speed trains that run on the East Coast between Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC, stopping at train stations in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland along the way. Acela trains complete the journey between the two cities several times daily in seven hours.
Amtrak has announced a new Acela fleet for late 2023 with trains running at the top speed of 160 mph.
Acela trains are not the only high-speed trains in the US, however. Brightline operates high-speed trains that can reach 130 mph on Florida’s west coast.
Photo: travelview/Shutterstock
The fastest commercial train in Europe is Germany’s ICE 3, specifically, the 403 and 406 series, running at the maximum speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). It is closely followed by France’s TGV running at 198.8 mph (320 km/h). The Eurostar and Italy’s Frecciarossa can reach a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).
In Japan, the Shinkansen, AKA the bullet train, can reach the top speed of 198.8 mph (320 km/h). But Japanese trains can go much faster — Japan holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest Maglev train in the world since April 2015. The magnetically levitated train, named the Yamanashi Maglev Line, is only a test train, but it can reach a top speed of 374.68 mph (603 km/h). See what it’s like to ride in this incredibly fast train in the video
I toured first-class cars on the Rocky Mountaineer train, where tickets cost $2,269 and come with a luxe bar that's off-limits to other passengers
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You Can Stay at This Luxurious Cabin Hotel in the Catskills for Just $24
The Catskills does Autumn very well. A getaway in the fall provides a consolation for the end of summer. It feels like a homely embrace, offering comfort, warmth, and a sweep of color that will bring cheer to even the most die-hard warm-season devotees. As fall begins to drape across New York State, it’s the perfect time to book a getaway — after all, we deserve to celebrate this time of year in a place where the season is in its brightest incarnation. The Catskills’ Hamptonsification, however, means that a weekend in the mountains can quickly get expensive. There are some ways to do a getaway on the dime. One is to set a reminder for October 3, noon ET. On a first-served basis, Urban Cowboy Lodge, arguably the best cabin hotel in the area, is offering a stay on the Big Indian Wilderness for $24 per night.
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I'm American and traveled to Europe for a month. I love how I can take my kids out for dinner late and no one bats an eye.
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