Deutsche Bahn train hits 405 km/h on the Erfurt-Leipzig/Halle high-speed line

https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/30/deutsche_bahn_test/

by nimicdoareu

29 comments

  1. >While China, with a maglev train hitting 650 km/h in just seven seconds, might regard the achievement as cute, it is a milestone for Germany, where exceeding 300 km/h on the rail network is rare.

    >The UK had its own attempt at going beyond traditional rail in the 1960s and the early 1970s with the Hovertrain, but the project was cancelled in 1973.

    >France pushed a steel-wheeled TGV to a record 574.8 km/h in 2007, yet the German achievement will inject a dose of pride into the country’s beleaguered network, once an icon of efficiency.

    Meanwhile I’m crying in Romanian, where exceeding 100 km/h on the national rail network is almost unheard of.

  2. Even for a test run, 405km/h is a hell of a fast train

  3. 405 km/h for 5 minutes, after that 5 hours delay. DB.

  4. Counterintuitive information: European train makers/rail networks could definitely get trains going as fast as the Chinese ones but it’s not what they are after. Their goal is to have profitable high speed trains, as in a HS trains that are finding the sweet spots between speed, energy consumption and rail maintenance needs.

  11. Deutsche Bahn has a huge backlog of repairs and upgrades so it is nice to see positive news some times.

  13. Did everyone miss the point that they’re still using windows 3.1? 😩

  14. it’s amazing what running late does to your pressure of making up for lost time..

    I mean. for all school children we call it a normal part of procrastination. but i guess for DB this is a milestone..

  15. But then it started to rain, so the train was delayed for two hours. /s

  16. Of course quite impressive but I would rather have Deutsche Bahn focusing on making the daily travel experience less of a nightmare – delays, cancelled trains, cancelled seat reservations, no service on trains…

  17. Germany simply doesn’t need such a high speed system like China

    Germany is Alot smaller than China and the goal of our rail system is not to only connect Berlin, Hamburg and Munich but also smaller cities that don’t even get any recognition in China

    You can’t drive 600kmh when you need to stop 70km later again already

  18. German (and therefore European) competencies have not been lost, and they are among the leaders.
    Now that finance from the defense budget will be also to infrastructure, DB and other railways companies will be able to provide us with punctuality, service, and high-tech solutions 

  19. How did this occur? Did Meister Lokführer felt asleep with a brick on the pedal ?

  21. I want paris berlin in 6 hrs.
    Beijing – Shanghai. Which is approx the same distance is a 4:18 hrs train trip.
    I know both cities are 10 times bigger than the European capitals, butt still….

  22. Literally over 10x the average speed of a Bulgarian train (40km/h)…

  23. went with a 350 km/h maglev train. it really didn’t felt like 350 before i saw a plane that was looking like it’s standing in the air on a fixed position. of course, it was a mix of angles and speed, but cool nonetheless.

  24. yeah thats why i waited today 40 minutes for train at Munich HbF to the airport haha

  25. Is that the speed needed to make up for Deutsche Bahn trains always being delayed leaving?

  27. by car you currently need 1h 24 min from Halle main station to Erfurt main station (with 130 km/h cruising speed on the autobahn). a normal ICE trip takes like 30 minutes. I think the normal max speed is 300 km/h but are allowed to reach 320 or 330 km/h.

  28. I’d like it to hit 20 kmh regularly between Koeln and Bonn, please.

  29. The real headline was truncated.
    Real Headline: “Deutsche Bahn train hits 405 km/h and still manages to be late.”

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