Beijing – As America continues to grapple with basic intercity rail connectivity, China is sprinting ahead with the development of a cutting-edge levitating train — one that could, theoretically, take you from New York to Chicago in just two hours.
The system is known as maglev, short for magnetic levitation, in which powerful magnetic forces lift the train off its track to eliminate friction. This allows for significantly higher speeds than traditional wheeled rail, though the infrastructure demands are immense.
Chinese engineers have been refining a high-speed maglev that has now achieved test speeds of 650 kmph (around 400 mph), fast enough to connect New York and Los Angeles in under seven hours — provided the track could be built. More ambitiously, developers claim the train’s optimal cruising speed could reach 800 kmph, or nearly 500 mph.
The prototype was first revealed in 2019, when state media announced a dedicated research and production facility in Qingdao. That work culminated in a recent showcase at the 12th World Congress on High Speed Rail in Beijing, where the train drew attention for both its performance and design.
In a demonstration, the train begins on rubber tires until reaching the 100–200 kmph range, after which the tires retract and the train levitates — floating just under half an inch above the track. From there, it accelerates rapidly. According to Li Weichao, director of the testing lab, the train can reach 650 kmph within just 1,000 meters of track. “Its typical operating speed is 800 kmph,” he told CGTV. “This is the fastest speed in the world.”
Despite the promising tests, real-world implementation faces significant hurdles. Japan’s maglev project, originally slated to cost $64 billion, has been delayed nearly a decade due to a tunnel dispute in the Japanese Alps. In the U.S., a maglev line connecting Washington, DC to Baltimore in just 15 minutes has stalled amid environmental review processes and jurisdictional disagreements.
Even so, China remains the current global leader in operational maglev technology. Its Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev is already the fastest commercial train on the planet, clocking in at a max operating speed of 431 kmph (about 267 mph).
If any country can turn the dream of 800 kmph rail into a reality, many observers believe it’s China — and it may just redefine the future of global high-speed travel.
