TGV world speed record
The TGV, France’s high‑speed train, has set a series of land speed records to push rail technology, while keeping safety and comfort in mind.
Key milestones:
- 1972: The first TGV prototype, TGV 001, reaches 318 km/h (198 mph).
- 1981: TGV Sud-Est hits 380 km/h (236 mph), setting a new world speed record for a commercial train.
- 1989–1990: Trainset 325 breaks the 500 km/h barrier. It first reaches 482.4 km/h (299.8 mph) on 5 December 1989, then climbs to 515.3 km/h (320.3 mph) on 18 May 1990, the official world record.
- 2007: On the LGV Est, the V150 test train reaches 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) on 3 April 2007, becoming the fastest conventional train on steel wheels. Earlier in 2007 there were unofficial runs above 500 km/h, including 554.3 km/h in February and 542.9 km/h in April.
These tests involved specialized train configurations, aerodynamic refinements, stronger power systems, and carefully prepared track and overhead lines to study how the train behaves at extreme speeds. The higher speeds helped improve the technology and safety of today’s high‑speed rail network. The current official record for a commercial train on steel wheels stands at 574.8 km/h.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:06 (CET).