China has achieved a new feat in train transportation. The country has developed the world’s fastest maglev bullet train that is touted to reach a top speed of 373 mph (600 kmph). Unfortunately, the train has no tracks to run on right now.
That’s because the inventors behind the bullet train haven’t built any tracks for it to travel on. Eventually, though, they say there will be a whole network of maglev tracks to supercharge China’s transportation infrastructure.
No tracks to run these trains
Despite the lack of tracks, the train is a testament to great engineering. Thanks to the fact that it glides on top of a strong electromagnetic force cushion, it doesn’t make a lot of noise and needs far less maintenance than other high-speed trains, reports CNN.
It is also capable of carrying more passengers, as per the Chinese state-owned news agency Global Times. If the tracks are ready, it could be a great coup for advanced travel. China aims to establish “three hour transportation circles” between its major cities. It will reduce travel time by a huge margin and lower reliance on air travel as well. The new maglev train is around 120 mph slower than a commercial airliner.
But if we consider the time consumed to navigate through crowded airports and wait time on runways, travel time between Beijing and Shanghai might be lesser than taking a plane, according to Global Times.
Similar travel time as flights?
Usually, that journey takes around 2 hours on a plane, while the same trip would take just 2.5 hours on the maglev train. The extra half hour would compensate for the time taken in the security check line at the airport. If China manages to establish the infrastructure, the advantages over air travel could be immense.
Japan also has a network of superfast bullet trains that take very little time between major cities. If China manages to pull off a similar network, we might see a new era of train travel that could take on the aviation industry in both aspects — time-saving and cost-cutting.
