How Fast Does a Train Travel?
Train speed ranges from 20 km/h on a city tram to over 600 km/h on a test maglev. Here is a complete breakdown of typical speeds by train type — plus a tool to measure yours right now.
Typical local train
Typical intercity
High-speed rail
Maglev (commercial)
Why Train Speed Varies So Much
Track geometry is the single biggest factor. Straight, gently-curved dedicated track allows 300+ km/h; shared urban track with tight curves and frequent junctions caps speed at a fraction of that, regardless of how fast the train itself is capable of going. Signalling systems, station spacing, and safety regulations all layer on top of the raw track limit.
Train Speed by Category
Local Metro & Trams
London Underground, Paris Métro, NYC Subway, city trams
20–80
km/h
12–50
mph
Urban networks prioritise capacity and frequent stops over speed. Average journey speed is often 25–40 km/h once dwell time and acceleration are factored in.
Commuter / Suburban Rail
Southern Railway (UK), RER (Paris), NJ Transit (USA)
60–130
km/h
37–81
mph
Commuter services run on conventional tracks with line speeds of 100–130 km/h. Maximum speed is limited by station spacing, signalling, and shared track.
Regional Express
DB RegionalExpress (Germany), ScotRail inter-city, Amfleet (USA)
120–200
km/h
75–124
mph
Regional services operate on upgraded conventional track and connect cities with fewer intermediate stops. They reach 160–200 km/h on open sections.
Intercity / Long-Distance
Intercity 125 (UK), Amtrak Acela (USA), Indian Rajdhani Express
160–250
km/h
99–155
mph
Designed for long-distance journeys with limited stops, these trains use tilting technology or upgraded infrastructure to sustain higher speeds on conventional routes.
High-Speed Rail (HSR)
TGV (France), ICE (Germany), Shinkansen (Japan), AVE (Spain), CRHR (China)
250–350
km/h
155–217
mph
True HSR operates on purpose-built lines with gentle curves, no level crossings, and advanced signalling. Cruising at 280–350 km/h, these trains dramatically cut long-distance journey times.
Maglev
Shanghai Transrapid, Japanese SCMaglev, Korean Rotem
350–603
km/h
217–374
mph
Magnetic levitation trains have no wheel-rail contact, eliminating friction as the main speed limiter. The Shanghai Maglev operates at 431 km/h commercially; Japan's test track has reached 603 km/h.
Average Speed vs Maximum Speed
There is an important distinction between a train's maximum line speed and its average journey speed.
A train may reach 300 km/h on a straight section of high-speed track, but its average speed over an entire journey — including acceleration, deceleration, station stops, and slower sections — will be significantly lower. A Shinkansen train with a maximum speed of 320 km/h might average 240 km/h over a long-distance route.
When you use TrainSpeedTest.net, we show you both your current speed and your trip average speed — so you can see exactly how both values compare throughout your journey.
How Do You Find Out Your Train's Actual Speed?
These category ranges are useful reference points, but the only way to know exactly how fast your train is going right now is to measure it directly. TrainSpeedTest.net uses your phone's GPS to give you a live reading — see our full measurement guide for how this works.
Common Questions
How fast does a normal passenger train travel?
How fast can a bullet train travel?
What is the fastest passenger train in the world?
How fast is 300 km/h in mph?
How does train speed compare to a car?
Measure Your Train Speed Right Now
See exactly which category your train falls into — open the GPS speed test on your phone.