New rail system enables speeds of 550 km/h

The MagRail system from the Polish company Nevomo could soon enable train travel at a speed of 550 km/h. A trip from Berlin to Warsaw would then be possible in around an hour.

The mobility transition continues to progress. But switching from planes to rail is unattractive for many people. After all, trains usually take significantly longer than a plane. At the same time, prices in Germany are usually higher and punctuality rates are poor.

MagRail transport could be an alternative. The Polish company Nevomo is currently developing this and promises rail travel at up to 550 kilometers per hour. The relatively inexpensive retrofitting of existing railway lines is the special feature of MagRail. According to the company, (almost) every existing route could support MagRail.

MagRail is based on magnetic levitation technology

The system works as follows: The existing rails are upgraded with magnets. The train uses magnetic levitation technology and accelerates to cruising speed at record speed. A trip from Warsaw to Berlin would be possible within an hour. Trains currently running take around five hours.

If the technology reminds you of the Hyperloop, you’re not that far off the mark. Because according to Nevomo, MagRail should only represent an intermediate step. In the long term, the trains could also operate in hyperloop tubes. As a reminder: Trains in the Hyperloop reach a top speed of up to 1,200 kilometers per hour. The journey from Munich to Berlin would only take half an hour.

The actual need determines the timetable

Back to Nevomo’s plans: the company intends to offer the service without a fixed schedule in the near future. The occupancy of the train stations then determines the pace. In addition, train sets can easily be supplemented with additional wagons in order to effectively handle peak loads.

Nevomo has already completed its first test drive on a test track. The system reached 135 kilometers per hour on the 700-meter-long route and generated hardly any friction between the train and the rails. Nevertheless, the company will first have to demonstrate in the future whether MagRail can actually keep all the promises that Nevomo has already announced.

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