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World’s Top 10 Countries With Fastest Trains
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World’s Top 10 Countries With Fastest Trains

Posted: 22 Jul 2011 07:24 AM PDT

10. Russia

Train: Siemens Velaro RUS
Top Speed: 175 mph
Capacity: 600 passengers

Russia's fastest high-speed train runs on the Moscow-St. Petersburg line, and made its debut in December 2009. The German-built Velaro RUS trains, also known as the Sapsan, have cut the travel time for the 401-mile route from eight hours to three hours and 45 minutes. The 10-car passenger trains operate at a maximum speed of 155 mph, but hit a speed record of 175 mph during trials in 2009. The eight high-speed trains are worth nearly $1 billion. Russia is eager to expand its high-speed rail network ahead of hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The country has invited foreign investors to bid on development contracts for new lines that will link its cities.

Here we compiled a list of the countries with world's fastest trains based on the maximum speed measured in miles per hour (mph). We've included record speeds hit during trial runs on electric and magnetic levitation (Maglev) trains, as well as those of experimental models. The numbers are based on a series of publicly available reports, as well as information from organizations such as the Railway Gazette International and the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation. More after the break...