China has unveiled the world’s fastest maglev train which can reach speeds of 600km/h in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
The new high-speed maglev train uses electromagnetic force to remove friction with the track. The only resistance comes from the air, thereby enabling the train to achieve a higher speed. State news agency Xinhua has praised the model for being safe, reliable, quiet, easy to maintain, and having a large passenger capacity.
State media has heralded the new maglev as a:
“Cutting-edge scientific and technological achievement in the global development of rail transportation.”
China is home to a high-speed rail network of 36,000 km of track that connects 32 out of 34 provinces. The country has extensive plans to become further connected and develop high-speed technology. Currently, China’s high-speed rail services operate at 350 km/h: the maglev will sit between this and aeroplanes’ cruising speed of 800-900 km/h.
The model took five years to develop. The project began in October 2016 and a test prototype was first developed in 2019. The country plans to form a complete set of high-speed maglev trains which will go into service in five to ten years.
Online users expressed pride in China’s achievements with the hashtag “#600km/h high-speed maglev officially debuts” (#时速600公里的高速磁浮正式下线) racking up over 43 million views on Weibo.
“Great news for those who have a phobia of flying!”
Comments from Weibo users
“Wow! This is flying on the ground.”
“Proud of China’s speed!”
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