The world record for a conventional wheeled passenger train is held by a modified French TGV high-speed (with standard equipment) code named V150, set in 2007 when it reached 574.8 km/h on a 140 km section of track. Japan's experimental maglev train L0 Series achieved 603 km/h on a 42.8 km magnetic levitation track in 2015. Under commercial traffic and practical conditions where trains carry passengers across from one station to another, the world records for top operating speeds of maglev and single-phase trains are held respectively by China's Shanghai Maglev Train with a top speed of 431 km/h and CR400 Fuxing Hao at 350 km/h. They are followed by France's TGV Duplex and Japan's E5 Series Shinkansen which both have maximum operating speeds of 320 km/h for commercial services.

World speed records

Legend:

All passenger trains

The following is a partial list of absolute world speed records for all trains designed to carry passengers, regardless of gauge, propulsion or type of rail.

Conventional wheeled

The following is a list of verified absolute world speed records for conventional wheeled rail vehicles.

Electric

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles with electric traction motors and powered by electricity transferred to the train.

Fuel-electric

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles with on-board fuel to generate electricity for traction motors such as diesel-electric locomotive, diesel electric multiple unit and gas turbine-electric locomotive trains.

Fuel-mechanic

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles with on-board fuel to mechanical energy to drive vehicle's wheels such as diesel-hydraulic trains and gas turbine locomotive trains that use mechanical transmission to power the drive wheels.

Steam

The following is a list of speed records for steam locomotives. Note: All records with a faster speed than 202.6 km/h (the record set by Mallard) are claimed and have not been officially verified (compare rival claims section). Note:

Air propulsion

The following is a list of speed records for rail vehicles that use air propulsion to move rail vehicles while the wheels are rolling along the track. Using an air cushion and a monorail, the Aérotrain set on 5 March 1974 a mean speed of 417.6 km/h and a peak speed of 430.4 km/h.

Conventional wheeled – Narrow gauge

Maglev trains

World fastest point-to-point average speeds in commercial operations

The following are the lists of world record average operating speeds between two stations. The average speeds are measured by the total time and the distance between the two stations.

All commercially operated trains