Superconducting Maglev Train Hits 700 km/h in Two Seconds, Sets Global Record in China

China Sets World Record as Superconducting Maglev Train Hits 700 km/h in Two Seconds.

China has set a new global benchmark in high-speed rail technology after successfully testing a superconducting maglev train that accelerated to 700 km/h in just two seconds.

The breakthrough was achieved by researchers at the National University of Defence Technology on a 400-metre-long maglev test track. During the trial, a vehicle weighing around one tonne was rapidly accelerated to the record speed and safely brought to a halt, making it the fastest superconducting maglev train ever tested.

Footage of the experiment shows the train streaking past like a flash of silver, leaving a faint mist in its wake—an almost science-fiction-like spectacle.

How the Technology Works

The train levitates above the track using powerful superconducting magnets, eliminating physical contact and enabling frictionless movement. The electromagnetic acceleration system is so strong that researchers claim it could theoretically be adapted to launch rockets.

At these velocities, the technology could dramatically reduce travel times between distant cities, potentially cutting journeys to just minutes. It also offers insights into future transport concepts such as hyperloop systems, where vehicles travel through low-pressure or vacuum-sealed tubes at extreme speeds.

According to the South China Morning Post, the system overcomes several major technical challenges, including ultra-high-speed electromagnetic propulsion, precision suspension and guidance, high-power energy storage, and high-field superconducting magnets.

Professor Li Jie of the National University of Defence Technology said the successful test would significantly accelerate China’s research and development of ultra-high-speed maglev transport systems.

The research team has been working on the project for over a decade. Earlier this year, in January, the same track was used to achieve a top speed of 648 km/h. Nearly 30 years ago, the university also developed China’s first manned single-bogie maglev train, making the country the third in the world to master maglev technology.

This milestone underscores China’s growing dominance in ultra-high-speed rail research and points to a future where intercity travel could occur at unprecedented speeds.