From Jules Verne to Sapsan: the history of high-speed trains in the Hall of Inventions

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High-speed trains no longer surprise anyone today, but guests of the National Centre RUSSIA can take a fresh look at this familiar mode of transport by tracing its history during a tour of the Hall of Inventions.

It turns out that a hundred years before the first high-speed railway was built, this technology was predicted by one of the pioneers of the science fiction genre, the French writer Jules Verne. Evidence of this can be found in the lines from his novel "Paris in the 20th Century": "Between the wheels of the lead car <...> magnets were installed. <...> The magnets attracted a steel disk, and it, driven by compressed air, pulled the entire train behind it."

The world's first high-speed railway line was opened in 1964 between Osaka and Tokyo. The event was timed to coincide with the Summer Olympics. The trains reached speeds of 210-220 kilometers per hour. Fifteen years later, the technology reached Russia: an experimental section for testing magnetic suspension cars was built in Ramenskoye near Moscow.

In 2008, 20 high-speed electric Sapsan trains were delivered under the order of JSC Russian Railways. These trains can reach speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. And just this year, the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology of the Roscosmos State Corporation is completing the construction of a domestic maglev — a train on a magnetic cushion, whose speed is comparable to that of an airplane. 

The first high-speed electric trains for Russian Railways will be manufactured by the Ural Locomotives plant in 2027. Moreover, within the next decade, the country will see its first high-speed railway line Moscow—Saint Petersburg, stretching 679 kilometers. This will nearly halve travel time between the two capitals — from 4 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes. The project is part of Russia's national development goals through 2036. Plans also include establishing high-speed connections along the Moscow—Sochi (Adler) route. 

Visitors to the Hall of Inventions at the National Centre RUSSIA can not only learn interesting facts about railway transport but also see a model of a high-speed electric train from the Engineering Centre for Railway Transport. This unique item is provided by STM Trading House.

Free guided tours of the National Centre RUSSIA, led by professional guides, start every 15 minutes from the main information desk. We welcome visitors daily, except Mondays, from 10:00 to 20:00.