INTERNATIONAL: China is busy developing what will be the world’s fastest train. The prototype, capable of hitting speeds of 620 km/h has been unveiled in Chengdu. It’s hoped it’ll be on the tracks for next year’s 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.



The train runs on “High-Temperature Superconducting Power”, that makes it look as if it’s floating along the magnetized tracks. The sleek 21-metre prototype should be in mass circulation in China over the next five years, but developers are wanting it in service initially for the Winter Olympics.

China is already home to the world's fastest commercial train, the Shanghai Maglev. That has a top speed of 431 km/h. This time last year, China unveiled a new 174-kilometer high-speed railway line connecting Beijing with another of its winter Olympic host venues, Zhangjiakou. That cut the travel time between the two from three hours to just 47 minutes.