How does that speed compare to real vehicles?
Everything humans have built to move fast, on one axis.
62% of Shinkansen
200 km/h is faster than 4 of the 11 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| city cyclist | 20.2 km/h | 9.92× | |
| city speed limit | 50 km/h | 4× | |
| Tour de France sprint | 72 km/h | 2.78× | |
| motorway traffic | 110 km/h | 1.82× | |
| Shinkansen | 320 km/h | 0.625× | |
| Formula 1 car | 371 km/h | 0.539× | |
| Bugatti Chiron | 500 km/h | 0.4× | 500 km/h test speed |
| maglev record | 610 km/h | 0.328× | 603 km/h, Japan, 2015 |
| airliner at cruise | 900 km/h | 0.222× | |
| ThrustSSC land record | 1,228 km/h | 0.163× | 1 228 km/h, 1997 |
| SR-71 Blackbird | 3,528 km/h | 1/17.6 |
Worth knowing
- ThrustSSC set the land speed record at 1 228 km/h in 1997, becoming the first car to break the sound barrier. The record still stands.
- The fastest production car and the fastest train are only about a factor of three apart; the fastest aircraft is another factor of three beyond both.
Frequently asked
What is the fastest train?
Japan’s L0 maglev holds the record at 603 km/h. In regular service, the Shanghai maglev runs at 431 km/h and the Shinkansen and TGV at around 320.
Why do speed records use two runs?
The official record is the average of two passes in opposite directions within an hour, which cancels out any help from wind or a downhill gradient.