Maglev

News, facts and background on the fastest trains on Earth, from the German Transrapid to Shanghai, Japan and beyond.

Know what's really going on.

NewAI-generated Oct 21, 2026 · General Welcome to maglevhub.com: Every Maglev in the World, in One Place New name, new focus: maglevhub.com now covers every maglev technology on the planet, from Shanghai and Japan to China's test tracks and the hyperloop, independent, ad-free and with sources.

Oct 20, 2026 · General500 km/h Transrapid Ready for Use Since 1991, but Ruined by Politics and Media Oct 20, 2026 · TransrapidTransrapid 06: Lathen Lets Technology History Rot and Ignores Offers of Help Oct 20, 2026 · HyperloopThe End of the Hyperloop Bubble: Almost a Billion Euros Wiped Out Oct 20, 2026 · Transport System BöglNuremberg Maglev Rejected!Oct 20, 2026 · GeneralMaglevs Uneconomical? The Absurd Myth of the “Critics”Oct 20, 2026 · GeneralNon-Profit Status Granted to New Transrapid Association

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Maglev worldwide

One technology. Many countries.

Maglev is no longer a German experiment. Trains levitate in commercial service in Asia, record runs happen in Japan, and new projects are debated from Europe to North America.

All technologies

Shanghai, ChinaThe Transrapid has been in commercial service between the airport and the city since 2004, the first high-speed maglev in the world. JapanThe SCMaglev holds the world speed record of 603 km/h. The Chuo Shinkansen between Tokyo and Nagoya is under construction. China's new generationCRRC is developing maglev trains for 600 km/h, while urban maglev lines already run in cities such as Changsha and Beijing. GermanyThe birthplace of the Transrapid and of the Transport System Bögl, which received Europe's first maglev operating licence in 2025. Urban maglevThe Transport System Bögl brings quiet, driverless maglev to cities and regions, with a test line in China. HyperloopWhy vacuum-tube concepts keep failing, and what proven maglev technology does differently.

Travel time calculator

How fast would you get there?

Pick a route anywhere in the world or enter your own distance. The calculation uses the real acceleration and braking values of the Transrapid.

0 km/h Accelerating

The display is modeled on the real speed display inside the Transrapid: on the left the travel time since departure, on the right the speed in real time.

Route

Top speed 300 km/h 400 km/h 500 km/h

Shanghai → Beijing – by Transrapid

See speed profile and calculation

Vision

Germany in two hours. Europe in an afternoon.

Less energy. Less wear.

All advantages

Energy

Transrapid

ICE 3

Per seat at 300 km/h, the Transrapid uses about a third less electricity than Germany's ICE 3 high-speed train.

Maintenance

Transrapid

ICE

Without wheels and rails, almost nothing wears out: about a third of the cost.

Accelerating to 300 km/h

Transrapid

ICE 3

The Transrapid is up to speed after a quarter of the distance.

Source: Schach, Jehle, Naumann: Transrapid und Rad-Schiene-Hochgeschwindigkeitsbahn (Transrapid and wheel-on-rail high-speed rail), Springer 2006, tables 5.14, 5.19, 5.40

Technologies Every maglev system in the world, compared. Explore technologies

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About maglevhub.com

Making facts accessible. Putting myths in context.

maglevhub.com was founded in 2026, derived from magnetbahn.de, the German maglev platform I have been running since 2020. It now develops independently, for readers around the world. And it is looking for a team: if you want to help, write to info@maglevhub.com.

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David Harder · Founder

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maglevhub.com started in 2026 as the international offshoot of magnetbahn.de and is now growing on its own. We are looking for writers, translators, researchers, video makers and developers from all over the world.

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