Shanghai Maglev Train

The Shanghai Maglev Train or Shanghai Transrapid () is a magnetic levitation train, or maglev line that operates in Shanghai, China. It is notable for being the first commercial high-speed magnetic levitation line in the world. During a non-commercial test run on 12 November 2003, a maglev train achieved a Chinese record speed of . The train line was designed to connect Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the outskirts of central Pudong where passengers could interchange to the Shanghai Metro to continue their trip to the city center. Construction of the line began in 1 March 2001 and public commercial service commenced on 1 January 2004. The top operational commercial speed of this train is , making it the world's fastest train in regular commercial services since its opening in 2004, faster than previous record holder at with TGV in France and also faster than the latest CRH conventional wheel train in China at . The top speed of is also faster than the top speed of any production automobile (except for the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which has roughly the same top speed), Formula One car, or MotoGP super bikes.

The train set and tracks were built by Siemens. Two commercial maglev systems had predated the Shanghai system—the Birmingham Maglev in the United Kingdom and the Berlin M-Bahn—both were low-speed operations and had closed before the opening of the Shanghai...
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