China is Developing a Levitating Train That Could Travel From New York to Chicago in Just Two Hours

Imagine boarding a train in New York just after breakfast and stepping onto the streets of downtown Chicago before your coffee has cooled. No airport security lines, no flight delays, no turbulence just a silent, levitating glide at nearly 500 miles per hour.

This isn’t the plot of a sci-fi thriller or a futuristic thought experiment. It’s a real possibility just not in the country you’re probably picturing.

While America wrestles with aging railroads and stalled infrastructure dreams, China is already testing a levitating train so fast it could rival commercial jetliners. Powered by magnetic levitation maglev technology, this next-generation marvel has clocked test speeds up to 620 mph, quietly rewriting what land travel can be.

But behind the jaw-dropping numbers lies a deeper story: one of innovation, political will, and global competition. As China builds the future at full throttle, others including the United States are left watching from the station platform.

So what exactly makes this train so revolutionary? And why might a route from New York to Chicago in just two hours still feel out of reach?

The Technology Behind the Train

The principle is elegantly simple but technologically complex. Two sets of magnets are used: one to lift the train off the guideway and another to propel it forward. Once the train accelerates to around 100–200 km/h (62–124 mph), the traditional rubber wheels retract, and the train begins to levitate just millimeters above the track. From there, it’s all smooth sailing or rather, floating thanks to the near-elimination of mechanical resistance.

The newest prototype, developed by China’s CRRC Corporation, uses high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. Unlike earlier systems that required constant power to maintain levitation, HTS systems are more stable and energy-efficient, operating at cryogenic temperatures to create powerful, consistent magnetic fields. In test runs, this design has achieved speeds of 650 km/h (404 mph) with engineers stating that the typical operating speed could reach up to 800 km/h (497 mph). That would make it the fastest land-based transportation system on Earth.

While the idea of maglev isn’t new versions exist in Japan and South Korea China is pushing it to unprecedented speeds. The current world record for operational maglev speed belongs to the Shanghai-Hangzhou line, clocking in at 431 km/h (267 mph). But with the CRRC’s newer models, the country is entering uncharted territory: the realm of near-aviation-speed ground transit.

The design of the train also addresses noise, wear-and-tear, and emissions. With no physical contact with the track, there’s minimal vibration, which means quieter, smoother rides and lower maintenance costs. The absence of diesel engines or fossil fuel combustion aligns the system with global climate goals making it a high-speed solution that doesn’t trade convenience for sustainability.

As Professor Johannes Kluehspies, president of the International Maglev Board, put it: “Maglev is the future. If the Chinese or Japanese succeed and start operations which I’m confident they will it will be the end of high-speed rail everywhere in the world.”

China’s Race to the Front of High-Speed Innovation

The current push toward ultra-high-speed maglev trains began in earnest in 2019, when Chinese state media announced the development of a new prototype capable of reaching 600 km/h (373 mph). That announcement coincided with the construction of a dedicated research and development lab and trial production center in Qingdao, a coastal city long associated with China’s heavy manufacturing might.

Just two years later, in June 2021, China unveiled a full-sized maglev train capable of 650 km/h (404 mph) and with typical operations expected to reach 800 km/h (497 mph), the train quickly became the world’s fastest rail prototype. These milestones weren’t just achieved in labs behind closed doors. At the 12th World Congress on High Speed Rail in Beijing, the maglev was publicly showcased, allowing engineers, journalists, and policymakers to witness the technology firsthand.

What makes China’s momentum so striking is how quickly it has moved from theory to practice. The country already operates the Shanghai Maglev, which has been shuttling passengers between the city and its Pudong airport at 431 km/h (267 mph) since 2004. While other nations pilot modest airport connectors, China is already planning long-range commercial maglev lines to bridge massive intercity distances such as Beijing to Shanghai, a corridor of more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles).

The success of these projects is underpinned by political will and top-down coordination. Unlike the piecemeal approach seen in countries like the United States where rail initiatives often collapse under environmental reviews, funding gaps, or local opposition China’s centralized governance allows for swift planning, land acquisition, and infrastructure rollout. That doesn’t mean the path is frictionless, but it does mean it’s decisive and focused.

And China’s goals extend far beyond domestic convenience. By showcasing its maglev technology, the country is also positioning itself as a global exporter of advanced rail systems, competing directly with Japan and Germany. “We’ve got national governments that are willing to invest very significant amounts,” said Jeremy Acklam, a transport expert from the Institution of Engineering and Technology. “With Japan and China clearly intent on becoming the world’s exporters of this technology, the race is very much on.”

Maglev vs. Conventional High-Speed Rail and Air Travel

When compared to traditional rail and even modern high-speed trains, maglev technology is nothing short of a paradigm shift. Conventional high-speed trains like France’s TGV or Japan’s Shinkansen rely on steel wheels and rails, which means they are ultimately limited by friction, mechanical wear, and noise. Most of these trains operate at speeds around 300–350 km/h (186–217 mph), with the fastest commercial services rarely exceeding 400 km/h (248 mph). By contrast, China’s latest maglev prototype has achieved 650 km/h (404 mph) in tests, with ambitions to reach 800 km/h (497 mph).

This is not just a leap in velocity; it redefines travel efficiency. A maglev could cover the 1,150-kilometer (715-mile) journey between New York and Chicago in roughly two hours a trip that takes nearly 20 hours by car, or about 2.5 hours by plane when factoring in airport security, boarding, and delays.

The Environmental and Operational Advantage

Maglev systems are also greener. With no direct contact between train and track, there’s less energy wasted due to friction, leading to lower operational energy costs over time. This translates into a reduction in carbon emissions, especially when powered by renewable energy sources. Additionally, the absence of rolling wheels drastically reduces noise pollution a stark contrast to the roar of conventional trains or jet engines.

Maintenance is another win. Traditional high-speed rail systems face constant wear and tear from track and wheel friction, resulting in costly repairs and downtime. Maglev’s frictionless motion minimizes such maintenance needs, promising a longer lifespan for both trains and infrastructure.

Competing with Air Travel

Perhaps the most striking comparison is with air travel. Commercial aircraft typically cruise at speeds of 885–925 km/h (550–575 mph), but maglev technology can already match or, in some experimental cases, surpass these speeds. A journey like Beijing to Shanghai (1,050 km or 652 miles), which currently takes 5.5 hours on a standard high-speed train, could be reduced to just 2.5 hours on the CRRC 600 maglev. For passengers, this means skipping the long queues, security screenings, and turbulence associated with flying.

According to transport experts like Prof. Johannes Kluehspies, maglev offers a new travel niche between the fastest trains and short-haul flights, particularly for distances up to 1,300 miles (2,090 km). “Maglev is the future,” he says. “If the Chinese or Japanese succeed and start operations, it will be the end of high-speed rail everywhere in the world.”

The Remaining Challenge

The trade-off? Infrastructure. Maglev trains require dedicated guideways that are incompatible with existing rail tracks. This means building an entirely new network a significant investment compared to upgrading conventional high-speed lines. Still, proponents argue that the benefits in speed, safety, and sustainability justify the cost, especially as technology matures and construction costs fall.

The Global Landscape Why the U.S. and Others Are Lagging

In the U.S., the disparity is stark. Major cities remain connected by aging Amtrak lines, plagued by delays and capped at speeds most European trains surpassed decades ago. Efforts to build a high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco initially envisioned to run at 220 mph have been beset by budget overruns, political infighting, and legal obstacles. As of 2025, the cost has ballooned to $128 billion, with no completion date in sight.

A proposed maglev route between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, which would cut the journey to just 15 minutes, has similarly stalled due to environmental impact studies and local opposition. Despite years of feasibility studies, public comment periods, and planning commissions, actual construction remains elusive.

This pattern is not unique to the United States. Japan, once considered the global leader in high-speed rail, has also faced setbacks in its maglev ambitions. The country’s Chūō Shinkansen, designed to connect Tokyo and Osaka at 500 km/h (310 mph) using superconducting maglev technology, has seen its timeline pushed back by at least five years due to environmental concerns, particularly over tunneling through the Japanese Alps and potential disruption to local water tables.

Even Germany, home to the pioneering Transrapid system, walked away from its maglev ambitions after a tragic test track accident in 2006 killed 23 people. That event, coupled with rising costs and public skepticism, led to the cancellation of several planned routes. The technology was later absorbed and adapted by China, leading to accusations that Chinese engineers had “absorbed” Transrapid’s innovations allegations that have remained diplomatically sensitive.

So why the lag?

The answer lies in a combination of political hesitation, fragmented governance, and infrastructure complexity. In countries with federal systems or democratic checks and balances, large-scale infrastructure often becomes bogged down by competing interests local governments, environmental agencies, private landowners, and funding disputes. The sheer effort required to build new, specialized guideways for maglev—unlike conventional high-speed rail, which can often run on upgraded existing tracks adds further layers of complexity.

Cost is another factor, though not always in the way it’s perceived. While maglev systems have higher upfront construction costs, experts like Prof. Kluehspies note that their elevated track design often using concrete piers can make them cheaper in hilly or uneven terrain, since fewer tunnels and embankments are needed. Ironically, the UK’s HS2 rail project, which involves 65 miles of tunnels and dozens of viaducts, may end up costing more per mile than a comparable maglev line.

Yet what separates China from its peers isn’t merely funding or technology it’s strategic intent. In China, rail development is treated as a national priority, integrated into broader goals of economic growth, regional integration, and technological leadership. Where other nations see logistical hurdles, China sees geopolitical opportunity.

Imagining the Impact If Maglev Came to America

The U.S. is a country built around cars and planes. But a truly high-speed, coast-to-coast rail network could redefine how Americans live, work, and connect. Commutes that once took hours could be slashed to minutes. Weekend trips between major cities Los Angeles to San Francisco, Boston to D.C., Dallas to Houston would become as casual as a subway ride. Entire regions could evolve into high-speed corridors, fostering economic activity far beyond the urban cores.

For businesses, the implications are equally profound. Same-day travel between cities would become not only possible, but routine facilitating faster deal-making, more accessible job markets, and regional interdependence. A freelancer in Philadelphia could attend a morning meeting in New York, work from a café in D.C. by the afternoon, and be home for dinner.

Then there’s the potential for urban decentralization. As maglev collapses geographic distances, smaller cities and towns located along the new corridors could become viable hubs for housing, commerce, and innovation easing pressure on overcrowded metro areas like New York or Los Angeles. Housing affordability, long a crisis in major U.S. cities, could benefit from this redistribution of accessibility.

Tourism would be another big winner. Imagine traveling from Seattle to San Francisco in just over two hours by train no rental cars, no airport lines. Iconic destinations could be linked by seamless, high-speed journeys, turning regional getaways into national experiences.

However, the road or rather, the guideway to this vision is complicated. Unlike conventional high-speed trains, maglev cannot operate on existing rail infrastructure. It requires entirely new lines, carefully planned routes, and significant public and political support. The investment would be massive. But so, too, would be the long-term returns.

Transport experts often note that demand must justify the cost. Unlike in countries with dense urban clusters, some American routes may struggle to meet the necessary ridership thresholds unless they’re designed to catalyze new development rather than simply serve existing demand. The U.S. would also need to navigate its famously intricate patchwork of land use regulations, environmental laws, and municipal jurisdictions, which routinely delay or derail large-scale infrastructure efforts.

The Future of Maglev Hype or Inevitable?

China’s current advances are impressive especially the prototype that hit 620 mph (998 km/h), outpacing even most commercial jets. And with projects like the CRRC 600 and plans to roll out maglev corridors between megacities, China is building more than just trains: it’s crafting a model for what 21st-century land transportation could look like.

But widespread adoption is not guaranteed. Several critical factors will determine whether maglev becomes a global norm or remains a flagship project in a handful of countries:

1. Cost vs. Value: While maglev infrastructure is more expensive up front, long-term maintenance and energy savings may offset these costs over time. Whether governments and investors are willing to accept that tradeoff will shape the technology’s trajectory.
2. Political Will: China’s centralized system allows it to greenlight and fast-track massive projects. In contrast, democracies often struggle to align local, state, and federal interests. Without clear leadership and public support, maglev projects elsewhere may never get off the ground.
3. Technology Standardization: Competing systems are still being tested electromagnetic suspension (EMS), used in China’s Shanghai line, vs. electrodynamic suspension (EDS), favored in Japan. Until a clear global standard emerges, interoperability challenges could stall international cooperation and exports.
4. Global Market Demand: Maglev is best suited for distances between 300 and 1,300 miles too short for most commercial flights, too long for conventional trains. This travel “sweet spot” exists in many parts of the world, from the U.S. East Coast to Europe’s dense urban belt. The question is whether these regions will seize the opportunity.

While Elon Musk’s Hyperloop concept once offered an even bolder alternative, its commercial potential has largely fizzled. Hyperloop One officially declared bankruptcy in late 2023, underlining just how hard it is to go from whiteboard to working track.

The Tracks Ahead

China’s levitating maglev train isn’t just an engineering marvel it’s a bold statement about what’s possible when ambition, investment, and technology align. At speeds reaching nearly 500 miles per hour, it challenges our assumptions about how fast, clean, and connected land transportation can be.

But it also casts a long shadow over countries still stuck in political gridlock, debating feasibility while the future glides by on magnetic tracks.

The maglev conversation isn’t only about trains. It’s about how we choose to move forward literally and figuratively. Will we continue patching over outdated systems? Or will we invest in infrastructure that doesn’t just move people, but reimagines the relationship between cities, economies, and climate goals?

The technology exists. The benefits are clear. What’s missing at least in much of the world is the collective will to prioritize the long term over the short term, the bold over the comfortable.

As China speeds ahead, the rest of the world faces a choice: to catch up, to collaborate, or to continue watching from the platform.

Because the train hasn’t just left the station.

It’s already halfway to the future.