Shanghai Maglev Train, China

Photos & story by: Debbie Stock

Billed as the fastest commercial electric train in the world at a travel speed of up to 268 mph, the Maglev train has only just begun to test the waters of what can be done since its opening in the early 2000s. In 2021 China revealed a high-speed Maglev train capable of reaching speeds of 385 miles per hour.

When I rode the Shanghai Maglev train between the city and airport there was no operator in the computer room commandeering this fast traveling train that actually levitates above its track (guideway) through use of science and in simple terms, magnetics. According to Djoomart Otorbaev, professor at Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University, China does not stop in its quest to create a network of modern railways unparalleled in the world.

• China has the most extensive high-speed rail network globally, covering around 95% of cities with more than a million inhabitants.
• By 2035, construction of 124,000 miles of railways;  286,000  miles of roads; and 15,500 miles of sea routes will be constructed. In addition, 27 major coastal ports and 36 inland ports, about 400 civil airports, and about 80 express postal hubs will be built.
• The network aims to achieve a maximum of one hour ride within a city for any given destination, a two-hour ride between urban clusters, and a three-hour ride to major cities with Maglev system an essential component of this network. (China ranks first in terms of the number of newest patents related to Maglev technology.)

Combining Maglev technology with a vacuum tube further increases the train's speed. If it becomes a reality, it will revolutionize overland travel, making it possible to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco in an incredible 35 minutes!

But dreams still go further. Passengers will be sitting in capsules the size of a car, and unique gateways at stations will allow the movement of people and goods without air entering the system. The developers call it "space travel on Earth." It means China is getting closer to bringing more air travelers down to earth.

Next photo: Suzhou Canals & Gondolas