Latest news with #Maglev
The South African
7 days ago
- Business
- The South African
MAJOR steps taken towards South Africa's first bullet train
South Africa's first bullet train means you'll be able to travel a 500 km loop from Limpopo to Gauteng in the blink of an eye. Better still, major steps towards its highly anticipated 2030 completion are being made. The Limpopo-Gauteng Speed Train Project was first announced in 2023 and is now entering feasibility and environmental impact assessment. As such, these studies will determine whether the project is safe, environmentally sound and economically viable. The launch of South Africa's first bullet train is being led by both national and provincial government, along with a consortium of private and foreign investors. The Department of Transport says one key challenge it has identified is land acquisition along the planned 500 km route. Therefore, successful negotiations with communities and landowners in Limpopo and Gauteng must still take place before South Africa's first bullet train comes to life. However, if all goes to plan, construction is expected to begin next year, in late 2026, reports BusinessTech . Talk of High-Speed Rail was first raised in South Africa back in 2010. Will it finally come to fruition two decades' later? Image: File According to reports, South Africa's first bullet train will significantly reduce travel time along the route. Currently, a six-hour journey by car from Pretoria to Polokwane would take just 90 minutes on South Africa's first bullet train. And that will include multiple stops in the likes of, Hammanskraal, Bela-Bela, Mokopane, Louis Trichardt, and Musina. Using a phased approach, the train is expected to exceed 200 km/h on specific segments of the route. And then travel at a slower speed between frequent stops, attaining an average speed of approximately 175 km/h between Pretoria and Polokwane. While South Africa's first bullet train won't match the speeds of others globally, it still technically qualifies as one: TRAIN COUNTRY YEAR TOP SPEED Maglev China 2003 311 km/h CRH380A China 2010 302 km/h Transrapid Germany 2008 279 km/h Shinkansen Japan 1964 275 km/h TGV France 1992 236 km/h Japan's impressive Skinkansen, which has been in operation since 1964, is actually a fleet of high-speed trains. Image: File Furthermore, Gauteng government has already committed R120 billion towards expanding its rail network over the next five years. Not only does this include South Africa's first bullet train, but also six new areas in Gautrain's revived rail network. It also says it hopes to see PRASA's commuter network reach 600-million passenger journeys annually by 2030. However, cost estimates for South Africa's first bullet train are high. This single line alone is said to cost in the region of R530 billion. Quite rightly, this is raising serious questions about funding and long-term feasibility. It will also not be the only one on the African continent. Morocco received a high-speed TGV back in 2018. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
South China Morning Post
21-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China confirms exit ban on US exec; high-speed rail to get upgrade: SCMP daily highlights
Catch up on some of SCMP's biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing China has confirmed that it barred a senior Wells Fargo executive from leaving the country, saying it banned her exit because of a 'criminal case' investigation. The US-China Business Council president says even in a fraught trade environment, companies cannot ignore the value of the Chinese market. A volunteer holds leaflets as he stands near a 600km High Speed Maglev model showcasing at the National Railway Test Center during a tour by delegates to the World Congress on High-Speed Rail held in Beijing on July 9, 2025. Photo: AP After record levels of expansion over the past few years, China's high-speed rail network – already the world's largest – is set for further upgrades as Beijing pledges to improve services and lower logistics costs.
India.com
17-07-2025
- India.com
Delhi to Mumbai in just 2 hours: China builds superfast train which is twice as fast as bullet train, top speed to be..., name is...
Delhi to Mumbai in just 2 hours: China builds superfast train which is twice as fast as bullet train, top speed to be..., name is... India has been waiting a long time for its first bullet train. While many countries are working on high-speed rail projects, China has taken things even further. According to reports, China has built a train that is twice as fast as a regular bullet train. This new train is called the Maglev train, and it can reach a top speed of 600 kilometers per hour. The most interesting part about the Maglev train is that it will not run on tracks like normal trains. Instead, it will float in the air. This happens because of magnetic force, which lifts the train above the tracks and lets it glide forward with very little friction. This is why it can go much faster than bullet trains. The train was recently shown at the 17th Modern Railway Expo in Beijing, China. The train doesn't have wheels and moves using special magnets. This technology is called magnetic propulsion and helps the train beat even the speed of wind! To run this kind of train, China uses special vacuum tubes with magnets. These reduce contact between the train and the track, making the train appear as if it's floating in air. China has already completed the first stage of this project. The train has not started commercial service yet as the testing is still going on. Once ready, it will run between major cities, separate from the regular rail network. Designed to transform city-to-city travel This Maglev train is expected to cover the 1,200 km distance from Beijing to Shanghai in just two hours. Earlier it used to take 5.5 hours. To compare, if such a train were to run in India, it could travel from Delhi to Mumbai in only two hours. That would be a game-changer for transportation! Maglev Train: Clean, Quiet, and Smart The new maglev train is not only super fast it is also clean, quiet, and energy-saving. It runs using a special superconducting magnetic levitation technology which makes the train float above the track without touching it, so there's almost no friction. Because of this, the train makes very little noise, doesn't release harmful gases, and uses less energy than regular trains. When the train goes faster than 150 km/h, it lifts off the track and floats using magnetic power. But at slower speeds, it runs on rubber wheels until it's fast enough to levitate. Shao Nan, a top engineer from CRRC, shared more details. He said the train is fully automatic and it drives itself. It uses 5G signals, AI video analysis, sound sensors, and other smart systems to watch the tracks and surroundings. In China, the Shanghai Maglev is currently the fastest train in commercial operation, reaching 430 km per hour (267 mph) between Shanghai Pudong Airport and Longyang Road station.
India.com
14-07-2025
- India.com
Delhi to Kolkata in less than 2.5 hours? This train can cover 1,200 km distance in just 150 minutes, top speed to be..., it is developed by...
Representational Image/ AI-generated. New Delhi: Move over, airplanes — Beijing has successfully tested magnetic levitation (Maglev) technology, with the potential to make trains even faster than jets. According to the reports, Maglev technology trains will be able to cover 1,200km distance in just 150 minutes. The South China Morning Post reported that the superfast Maglev, travelling the 1,200km distance between Beijing and Shanghai, could slash the present travel time of 5.5 hours by high-speed rail to as little as 2.5 magnetic levitation (Maglev) technology is introduced in India, the journey between Delhi and Kolkata could take less than 2.5 hours. It is important to note that the train was unveiled this week at the 17th Modern Railways exhibition. The supersonic train is capable of reaching speeds up to 600 km per hour in just 7 seconds. Faster than a plane: The Chinese have used opposing magnetic fields in Maglev technology to lift the train off its track. This process helped the train to reduce the friction and allows for smoother, quieter, and faster movement. In its latest trial at Donghu Laboratory in China's Hubei Province — conducted in June — 1.1-ton Maglev train accelerated to 404 mph in under 7 seconds across a 1,968-foot track. This breakthrough follows a 2023 test in which the same technology reached speeds over 620 mph — surpassing the typical cruising speed of passenger jets, which ranges between 547 and 575 mph, according to Newsweek. Here are some of the key details: Beijing has successfully tested magnetic levitation (Maglev) technology, potentially enabling trains to travel faster than aircraft. The Chinese have used opposing magnetic fields in Maglev technology to lift the train off its track. This process helped the train to reduce the friction and allows for smoother, quieter, and faster movement. The test was conducted inside a vacuum tube designed to simulate near-zero air resistance. This breakthrough uses high-temperature superconducting levitation, allowing frictionless, silent travel at record speeds. Engineers at Donghu Laboratory expect to complete the full construction of their high-speed track by the end of 2025, as per Newsweek. What does the Maglev train look like? The train is being developed by the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) The new high-speed maglev train boasts a sleek, aerodynamic design with a pointed nose to minimize air resistance. State broadcaster CCTV shared footage of the new train's futuristic interior The train features a spacious cabin and large digital screens. CRRC's new high-speed maglev train is one of several advanced transport projects under way in China.
Mint
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Faster than airplane: China's maglev train redefines rail travel, can cover 1,200 km distance in just 150 minutes
With a top speed of 600km per hour, China is all set to define railway travel where a 1,200km distance can be covered in just 150 minutes. Yes, you read it right. Beijing has successfully tested a magnetic levitation (Maglev) technology which could see trains travel faster than planes. The train — unveiled this week at the 17th Modern Railways exhibition — is capable of reaching speeds up to 600 km per hour in just 7 seconds. This effectively means that the superfast Maglev travelling the 1,200km distance between Beijing and Shanghai could slash the present travel time of 5.5 hours by high-speed rail to as little as 2.5 hours, which is 150 minutes, reported the South China Morning Post. Maglev technology uses opposing magnetic fields to lift the train off its track, which reduces friction and allows for smoother, quieter, and faster movement. In its latest trial at Donghu Laboratory in China's Hubei Province — conducted in June — 1.1-ton Maglev train accelerated to 404 mph in under 7 seconds across a 1,968-foot track. The latest development comes after a previous test in 2023, where the same technology clocked speeds exceeding 620 mph — faster than passenger jets in flight, which typically travel at around 547 to 575 mph, reported Newsweek. The test was conducted inside a vacuum tube designed to simulate near-zero air resistance. This breakthrough uses high-temperature superconducting levitation, allowing frictionless, silent travel at record speeds. Engineers at Donghu Laboratory expect to complete the full construction of their high-speed track by the end of 2025, as per Newsweek. Developed by the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), the new high-speed maglev train boasts a sleek, aerodynamic design with a pointed nose to minimize air resistance. According to the SCMP, State broadcaster CCTV shared footage of the new train's futuristic interior, featuring a spacious cabin and large digital screens. CRRC's new high-speed maglev train is one of several advanced transport projects under way in China.
