kmh

A driver has crossed one of the longest tunnels in Europe at more than 170 km/h. He is now banned from driving in all of Switzerland.

by

A 22-year-old German has starred one of the most talked about chases of the last few weeks in Switzerland. And his journey through the gotthard tunnelone of the busiest arteries in Europe on the way to Italy, ended with an average speed that was triple the permitted limit, a positive drug test and a permanent ban on driving throughout the country. Below these lines we tell you all the details. what has happened. According to informed Uri cantonal police, the driver was driving south on the A2 motorway at dawn when, before reaching the northern portal of the St. Gotthard tunnel, he overtook another vehicle on the right, invading a delimited area. Once inside the tunnel, he wanted to continue freaking out. Accumulating fines. Once inside the almost 17 kilometers of tunnel, the young man carried out up to 21 overtaking maneuvers on a road with a double continuous line. Their average speed, calculated by the agents, was 171.8 km/h, more than double the limit allowed in the tunnel, which is 80 km/h. Normally, it would take a driver around 13 minutes to go through the tunnel. This guy did it in six minutes. Between the lines. The Gotthard tunnel is one of the most important mountain passes of Europe and one of the preferred routes for German tourists traveling to Italy, especially in the summer months. Precisely because of its intense traffic and its two-way route, any overtaking maneuver poses a risk of collision. The tunnel also has more than a hundred cameras and sensors that allow these types of violations to be captured in detail. So there was little he could do to escape the historical burden that fell on him. The consequences. The Ticino cantonal police finally managed to intercept the driver at the exit of the tunnel, immediately imposing a driving ban on him throughout Swiss territory. In addition, they demanded bail of several thousand euros, an amount that has not been revealed. Added to this is that the rapid drug test to which he was subjected tested positiveso now a blood test is also pending. Crime. The young man faces a complaint for serious speeding violation. According to collect According to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, since a legal reform in 2023, Swiss courts have more room for maneuver when imposing sentences, which in some cases allows the prison sentence to be replaced by a fine if it is a first offense. Even so, according to the media, the law contemplates in these cases a minimum penalty of one year in prison, in addition to a fine and withdrawal of the license, and in the most serious cases the vehicle used may even be confiscated. The driver is now free, although he remains under investigation while the judicial proceedings progress. Cover image | Google Maps In Xataka | Electric car sales in Europe, on a revealing map with a devastating peninsula. Spoiler: it is not the Ibérica

The greatest Japanese railway dream is a train that would connect Madrid and Barcelona in 75 minutes at 600 km/h. It’s also your biggest nightmare

by

Year 2027, Japan prepares for the first trip of its new Maglev. The train that works by magnetic levitation runs at a speed of 505 km/h and has exceeded 600 km/h in its testing phase. It will barely take 40 minutes to travel between Tokyo and Nagoya, cities that are currently separated by more than an hour and a half of travel. If we move it to Spanish soil, the new Maglev that is about to leave Tokyo station would link Madrid and Barcelona in 75 minutes. Today, the fastest train takes 182 minutes and work is being done to reduce travel time to less than two hours. But all this is a dream. A nightmare, more like. And it is that Japan has been dreaming for years with once again taking the initiative in high-speed rail worldwide. Despite being the pioneers in offering trips on what are known as “bullet trains” and demonstrating to the world in 1964 that they were decades ahead of any competitor, China has surpassed them. A project aims to return them to the top. It is the Chuo Shinkansen line operated by a Maglev. But that project is taking hold and, at the moment, things are not looking too good. A decade of delay and shovelfuls of money When in 2015 the Maglev exceeded 600 km/h We thought that today we would travel by train much faster than we do. Japan then presented a seven-car prototype known as the L0 Series. It was one of the first steps to connect Tokyo and Nagoya in just 40 minutes. He calendar projected the dream described above. In 2027, Japan would have a line operated by trains capable of reaching 505 km/h. It would be a punch on the table on a board, that of high speed, which China dominates right now. The neighboring country and great rival has managed to establish itself as the place where the trains travel the fastest, move more people and They have more kilometers of roads available. But all these plans have been delayed and the new date points to 2036. They explain in the specialized media Japanism that the Chuo Shinkansen was designed as a fast route to link the large cities located on the Pacific coast. Currently, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka are already linked by the Tokaido Shinkansen, but this new line would serve to decongest roads that circulate at their limits and, at the same time, offer the fastest route possible. So much so that Tokyo and Osaka, today separated by a trip of at least 202 minutes, would become connected in just 75 minutes. That is, an hour and a quarter. This alternative obviously requires the construction of an entire railway infrastructure that is encountering a multitude of problems. One of the big secrets why trains in Japan are so fast and punctual is that they use different infrastructure for their high-speed trains and conventional ones. With the Chuo Shinkansen it would be even more necessary since the train works by magnetic levitation. The Maglev is an old Japanese railway dream that has its roots in the 70s when research began on whether a train could operate using magnetic levitation. The idea is that the train “floats” on the tracks traveling at a very high speed, held by powerful magnets. This way friction against the tracks is eliminated and the ride should be smoother and quieter. Obviously, this prevents the current roads from being reused. To carry out this new infrastructure, Japan has proposed launching its trains underground for about 250 kilometers. Tokyo and Nagoya are separated by 286 kilometers and the project involves burying 90% of the route. And to reduce travel times, the train would go underground in the interior of the country, instead of continuing near the coast like the current Tokaido Shinkansen. High-speed trains have a problem: tunnels. The speed of trains in Japan is limited by the numerous holes that the country has had to make in its mountains to carry out its high-speed lines. With each entry into a tunnel there is a change in pressure that generates discomfort for passengers and enormous noise outside, as well as challenges for the movement of the train itself. The idea with Maglev is to eliminate these entrances and exits with a train that almost always runs underground. In this way, it can also work in vacuum conditions, which reduces the energy needed to reach speeds of more than 500 km/h. This idea has faced countless problems, they explain in Japanism. The project began to take shape in 2011 but has experienced constant delays and setbacks. First there was an important political struggle to decide what the final itinerary of the line was and it was not until 2015 when the ground began to be excavated. The problem is that the new tracks circulate, in some sections, next to current high-speed tracks. They explain in the middle that in the Shinagawa area the conventional train tracks are being replaced by magnetic levitation sections but that they can only advance 12 meters a day because there are only four hours of work left free, which is the interval between the last train of the day and the first of the next day. All this, added to the fights with the land owners and the technical difficulties, has increased the cost of the project. It was estimated that the line between Tokyo and Osaka would cost 9 billion Japanese yen, of which 5.52 billion yen would have to be spent between Tokyo and Nagoya. However, cost overruns have skyrocketed the final figure and in 2025 JR Central, in charge of the project, already estimated the cost of this last section in 11 trillion yen. All these cost overruns and technical problems (barely 2% of traffic will move on land, 86% of the time will travel underground and the rest on viaducts and bridges) have caused interruptions in construction and, as we have seen, an increase … Read more

It was a drone flying at almost 350 km/h

by

Latest Austrian GP in Formula 1 he left us quite surprising images. Not because of the events themselves, that too, but because of the moments that one of the cameras left us that plummeted over the Red Bull Ring, attached to the cars. The camera belonged to a fpv drone (first-person view) flying at the height of the cars, and ended up being one of the protagonists of the broadcast. Chasing cars. Last Sunday, during the Austrian Grand Prix, F1 used images from an FPV drone as the main camera for his coverage, something he had never done in this way. The stellar moment came on lap 11, when the drone flew at low altitude over the duel between Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull), capturing the ups and downs of the Spielberg track at the same pace as the cars. The images were broadcast live and then repeated in the replay, placing the camera very low over the cars as they overcame the hills of the circuit, according to collect the specialized media DroneXL. Click on the image to go to the post Leadership. Until now, these types of plans were used as an occasional detail within the production. This time, the organization itself decided to give it prominence. In fact, the official F1 account public a quick and low step over the circuit, and the Red Bull team itself shared the overtaking between Hamilton and Verstappen, inviting fans to stay for the drone images. Where does this technology come from? F1 has been trying to incorporate this type of shots for years. Just like share In the middle, the first attempt dates back to the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, although the result was quite average, since the drone used a basic camera and the image quality was not up to par with the rest of the broadcast. A year later, in Las Vegas, drone pilot Johnny FPV managed to chase a Red Bull car through the desert all the way to the Strip with a much more decent result. But the real technical leap came with the independent project of the Dutch Drone Gods, in collaboration with Red Bull Advanced Technologies. According to point DroneXL built a custom chase drone and completed a full lap behind Verstappen’s RB20 at Silverstone, reaching 310 km/h on a straight line. The 350 km/h drone. This project is called Red Bull Drone 1 (RBD1) and is, to date, the reference in speed within this terrain. It weighs less than a kilogram, is made of carbon fiber, fiberglass and 3D printed polymers, and is capable of going from 0 to 100 km/h in less than two seconds and from 100 to 300 km/h in another two, with a maximum speed of 350 km/h and forces of up to 6G at full load. According to explained its pilot, Ralph Hogenbirk, known as Shaggy FPV, told Motorsport, the order came directly from Red Bull, which wanted a drone capable of following a Formula 1 car during a complete lap, maintaining its pace and recording it with an eye-catching result. The pilot himself acknowledges that this is already the third version of the device, having completed months of testing. As a curiosity, the RBD1 does not have brakes, so to reduce speed when cornering it simply stops accelerating and brakes in the air, forcing the driver to anticipate where the cars will brake. Click on the image to go to the post It is not confirmed that it was the same drone. At the moment, it is not confirmed that it was exactly the same device that we saw in the broadcast. According to point DroneXL, the RBD1, remains a private project that F1 is trying to incorporate into its races, but negotiations are being complicated because at the moment this model cannot fly over the public or cross the track. The most likely thing, according to the media, is that the images from Austria came from F1’s own drone system that F1 already uses in other events on the calendar. The organization operates its own internal drone system for around ten races per season, in circuits such as Bahrain, Miami or Budapest, choosing this equipment because it is already approved and is easier to approve compared to the licensing, insurance and safety regulations that change from one country to another, according to explained to SVG Europe the head of F1 TV production, Dean Locke. It’s not easy to take one of these drones to a race. Flying an FPV next to an F1 car is not the same as doing it in a rally or on an empty circuit. Dean Locke has explained on several occasions why the Red Bull drone, despite its performance, still does not have free rein to race alongside the cars in an official session. And it cannot fly over the fans, it cannot cross the track and, lacking a moving head, it must limit itself to following the car from behind or from the side. Added to this is that the air trail generated by F1 cars at these speeds can divert the trajectory of such a light device, something that Hogenbirk himself had to overcome during filming in Silverstone. And now what. F1 itself has acknowledged that it continues to explore this avenue, although progressively. Locke has pointed that there are sections of some circuits, such as the back straights of China or Austin, where there could be room to use technology similar to that of the RBD1 without putting the public at risk. For our part, as fans, I hope so, because the images left by these devices are spectacular. Cover image | F1 and Red Bull In Xataka | The great challenge of electric cars is how to charge them. Ferrari believes that the solution is to put solar panels on them

Spain is committed to connecting Madrid and Barcelona at 350 km/h. And you have already taken the first step to achieve it

by

Madrid and Barcelona linked by a train capable of reaching 350 km/h. Just when the journey between the two largest Spanish cities has become a Russian roulette if your goal is to arrive on time. And just where the Renfe trains are having the most problems fulfilling what is expected. However, the Government is determined to increase the maximum speed of the line. And you have already taken the first step. At 350 km/h. In November 2025Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport, presented one of his star projects: linking Madrid and Barcelona with a train that travels at a maximum of 350 km/h. The final objective is to be able to travel between both cities in less than 120 minutes when it is now necessary to spend at least 182 minutes. As long as everything works correctly, of course. To reduce the trip by one hour two interventions are necessary for which the necessary papers have already begun to be moved. One of them is the construction of two new stations, one in Parla (close to Madrid) and another in El Prat de Llobregat (close to Barcelona). The objective is to decongest the traffic that currently passes through Madrid and offer a variant of exit and entry to Barcelona. The other intervention would be applied to the infrastructure itself and, it seems, will be the first to be carried out. A first step. The Ministry of Transport has confirmed which has already awarded a first supply batch of overhead traverses for the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line. A 112 million euro contract that is key for trains to reach 350 km/h top speed. These first air traverses will be installed in four sections: Mejorada del Campo-Brihuega (232,400 units), Brihuega-Alcolea (143,150 units), Alcolea-Ariza (166,250 units) and Ariza-Calatayud (138,600 units). In addition, some maintenance tasks have been awarded “such as the renewal of the seat plates for sleepers (elements that ensure the fixing of the rail to the sleeper).” Finally, the Ministry of Transport points out that “treatment and improvement actions are being carried out on two viaducts on the Guadalajara-Calatayud section of the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line, Benamira and Río Blanco, both in the province of Soria.” A physical question When the train exceeds 300 km/hthe aerodynamic load on the underside of the trains increases. This load is generated by turbulence under the train car, “gluing” it to the track. The more load, the more energy the train has to use to maintain speed. If the train releases that aerodynamic load a little, it does not need as much energy and it is easier for it to reach the desired top speed. It is the same case as a Formula 1. The car is interested in having a lot of downforce on a circuit with many curves because it will be able to go through them faster. However, it will penalize on the straight because the top speed will be lower. On the contrary, if the circuit has few corners and many long straights, you are interested in low downforce to “fly” as fast as possible. But the car will be more unstable when cornering. Furthermore, the Ministry of Transport explains that the ‘ballast flight’ must be added. This is the vibration of the stones, the ballast, when the train exceeds 300 km/h. At that speed it is critical because the turbulence raises these stones and produces constant collisions against the undercarriage and increases the risk of them being thrown and falling on the tracks and sleepers, generating potholes and vibrations. The air traverses. Since the project was presented, the Ministry of Transport has indicated that the aerocrosses are key to being able to guarantee speeds greater than 300 km/h on the route. But, What are aerocrosses? The aerocrosses are born from an Adif project which has been working on for more than a decade. Its design is very similar to current sleepers at first glance, but it has a rounded design that reduces the turbulence generated under the trains and, with it, the pressures that increase the aerodynamic load and ballast flight. According to his calculations: Reduces the aerodynamic load in the space immediately above the ballast bed by 21%. The design allows increasing the distance between the ballast level and the upper face of the sleeper. It has no higher manufacturing or handling costs (they are still molds). And most importantly: the aerodynamic load generated by a train at 330 km/h on a track with current sleepers is equivalent to that generated by the same train at 370 km/h, but with aero sleepers. In a delicate moment. He Adamuz accident in Córdoba led to the machinists to lift their foot on the line and Adif ended up lifting temporary restrictions of speed that have been happening until today while the line is being reviewed. The result is that Madrid-Barcelona will be played in the promised 182 minutes (25 minutes more than usual) is, right now, taking a chance. This has caused a good part of the passengers who used the train to travel during their work day, with many comings and goings during the day, to move back to the Aerial Bridge. The CNMC calculates that up to half a million passengers may be lost if travel times remain higher than usual. But, in addition, the Madrid-Barcelona line is where Renfe has detected the most problems with its Avrils. The vibrations on this route ended up generating cracks in the Talgo trains, designed to be used on variable gauge trackwhich gives them a competitive advantage in Madrid-Galicia. However, Renfe had to remove them from circulation upon seeing that they broke on this route that is now being renewed. Photo | Pablo Nieto Abad In Xataka | Spain decided to build its social life around the AVE. And now he’s discovering the consequences of failing.

A homemade drone has just exceeded 700 km/h. And with this he has put the official record on the ropes

by

When we think of a drone, we normally imagine a device that takes off vertically, remains suspended in the air and allows us to record impossible shots quite easily. He Blackbird It’s not about that. Its objective is much more extreme: fly as fast as possible. In this race, stability in flight matters less than efficiency at high speed, and so a change in the propellers has given it a surprising boost. The official record remains in the hands of Luke Bell and Mike Bell. According to Guinness World Recordsreached an average speed of 408.60 mph, equivalent to 657.59 km/h, on December 11, 2025, with the Peregreen V4 in Cape Town. It was not their first time: Guinness points out that father and son had already achieved this same record in 2024, with 480 km/h, and in June 2025, with 580 km/h. With that bar on the table, the Blackbird attempt has a very specific reading: it does not replace the official record, but it puts it under pressure. Ben Biggs and Aidan’s drone reached 453 mph, approximately 730 km/hduring a test pass. That fact is the most striking, although it is also the one that needs the most context. For now, what we have is an unofficial demonstration with a huge figure and the question if it can be repeated under verified conditions. A record-breaking race played on the propellers Here is the nuance that separates a spectacular figure from a truly comparable measurement. On the 730 km/h pass there was a tailwind of 54.7 km/h, so the estimated airspeed was reduced to 674 km/h. On the upwind pass, the drone reached about 640 km/h. The average of the two was close to 684 km/h, and that is why that data weighs more than the maximum peak when we try to understand how far the project really went. The key is how those new propellers behave when the drone stops flying like a conventional quadcopter and starts moving like a controlled projectile. The carbon fiber blades have a high pitch angle and that allows them to be more efficient at high speed because they are more parallel to the air that the drone passes through. It is not a free advantage: on takeoff and at low speed they push worse, so the motors have to demand more from the battery in that initial phase. The other important detail is in the serrated leading edge of the blades. As they explain, this shape generates small vortices on the surface of the propeller and helps the air not to move laterally along the blade, but rather to come out backwards to push the drone. It also helps to stabilize the boundary layer, that film of air attached to the surface that influences drag. In practice, it allows working with steeper angles without the propeller losing efficiency and behaving more like a piece that removes air than one that generates thrust. The flip side of pushing a quadcopter to the limit is that problems can also arise. Blackbird lost connection at about 633 km/h, due to a combination of antenna geometry, Doppler effect and signal overload. In the second, the drone ended up damaged after a hard landing, when the batteries ran out a few meters from the ground. The official record remains that of the Peregreen V4, but the Blackbird has made it clear where the next attempt may be. The question, now, is obvious: will they call Guinness World Records to try to certify it? Images | Drone Pro Hub In Xataka | The US vetoed the largest Chinese drone manufacturer. Now 8,000 American pilots have a serious problem

the sensation of jumping from the 13th floor at 100 km/h

by

With summer almost (almost) knocking on the door, it’s time to think about what to do on vacation and how to take advantage of the sun, the heat and the long days that provide light until late in the afternoon. There are those who choose the beach, the mountains, a cold beer on a terrace or, in the case of people hooked on adrenaline shots, jumping into the void from 13 stories high, without ropes or parachutes. It sounds strange, I know, but that’s precisely it. the experience featuring Verti-Go, one of the tallest water slides in Europe. Its owners assure that when descending it they are easily reached. 100 km/h. As I said: an experience suitable only for people who really like adrenaline. Who said vertigo? Spain offers many ways to cool off in summer, but few (none) like Vertigohe megaslide aquatic Aqualandia Benidorma huge water park located on the Costa Blanca. Whoever gets on it is guaranteed a dip, but first must face an experience that is not very advisable for people with vertigo or those who do not like strong emotions. Before reaching the water you must climb several dozen meters and then drop into the void and travel, in a matter of three seconds, the equivalent of a multi-story residential tower. “It’s like jumping off a 13-story building,” they assure those responsible for the park, who specify that the level of inclination exceeds 60%. Is it that big? Yes. And it comes with taking a look at your file to check it. According to Aqualandia Benidorm, the slide is 33 meters high and more than 100 m long, allowing those who slide down it to reach more than considerable speeds. Those responsible speak of more than 100 km/halthough they clarify that this information depends, among other things, on the body mass of the person jumping. To enjoy the experience you must meet certain conditions: measure at least 1.4 m and not exceed 120 kg. If you want to release adrenaline, but with a somewhat more moderate experience, the same park has a second water slide 28 meters which extends over 95 m in length. It is a smaller version located right next to its ‘big brother’, although it still far surpasses the majority of water slides in Spain. Is it new? No. Verti-Go was introduced to the world a few years ago, during summer 2013. At that time it was announced with great fanfare as one of the riskiest (and most attractive) bets of Aqualandia, a water park that also accumulates a long story. The venue opened its doors in 1985presenting itself as “the largest in Europe”, with a dozen attractions. from the park they explain which maintained that status for just over two decades, until 2008. That year opened in Tenerife Siam Park. If Verti-Go is in the news these days it is because Aqualandia has just premiered its new season. It did so on Saturday the 23rd, with more than twenty attractions that include rapids, soft slopes, a wave pool, several slides, Verti-Go, children’s areas and another highlight: Cycloneinaugurated in 2019 and, depending on the park“holds the record for the longest water roller coaster in Europe.” The truth is that it reaches a greater height than Verti-Go (36 m) and travels more than 200 m, although the average speed is much lower (60 km/h). @aqualandiabnd And if you then end up in a capsule that launches you at 100 km/h from a height of 33 meters… I won’t even tell you. 😏 Raise your hands 🙋 those who have already experienced the Verti-Go madness. 🔥 #vertigo #waterslide #giantslide #capsuleslide #aqualandia #waterpark #waterpark #waterpark #benidorm ♬ Vidrado Em Você – Dj Guuga & Mc Livinho Do you have any Verti-Go records? If you search on Google you will find a good handful of articles in which Verti-Go is referred to as “the water slide highest in Europe” or the “capsule slide fastest in the world“. The reality is more complicated. When it opened, in 2013, showed up as a unique case and the largest attraction of its kind on the entire continent. The truth is that for years in Caribe Baya park in Veneto (Italy), there is a water slide that allows you to jump from a height of 42 m. His name: Captain Spacemaker. According to the Italian venue, it is “highest in Europe” in his style. If we look further we find facilities still most surprising. In Meryal Park in Qatar, there is a slide that “reaches a height of 76.3 m.” Its name leaves little room for doubt: Vertigo. In Brazil there is also another mass to take into account, Kilimanjaro, built more than 20 years ago and offering a drop of 49.9 m. According to the Guinness Book it is “the tallest water slide”. Have they overcome it then? If we talk about water slides, Vertigo or Kilimanjaro are much higher than Verti-Go, but if we talk about Europe things are a little more complicated. The rankings They usually place the Caribe Bay structure in Italy first, because exceeds 40 meters in height. However, some media indicate that the complete structure of Verti-Go is also around those dimensions. Aqualandia itself assured in 2016 that the attraction has a 42m high. Are there more categories? Yes. The Alicante park also boasts that Verti-Go is a unique copy “capsule slide”, a label that identifies a very specific type of slide. Basically, users enter a capsule with a trapdoor in the floor that, after a brief countdown, opens to let them fall. In 2016 Aqualandia claimed that Verti-Go was “the tallest in the world.” Now keep defending which, at the very least, is “one of the tallest capsule slides.” “Only the bravest dare with this attraction suspended on a 42 m high platform, where the tower has 250 steps to its highest point, simulating the height of a 13th floor and which is accessed through an airtight and transparent capsule,” clarify the company. … Read more

While China boasts of its high-speed trains, there are others that go at 40 km/h and are just as important

by

We have spoken on many occasions about the enormous China’s railway infrastructurewith a very extensive network of high speed trains who serve this colossal country. But in parallel to this technological showcase, China also operates another network of trains that travel at less than 40 km/h, cost less than the price of a coffee and have not raised their prices for decades. And no, they are not a vestige of the past that no one has bothered to dismantle. They are perfectly functional and provide a very important service in the country. What exactly are they? They are officially known as public welfare trains, although many of the population refer to them as “slow trains for the poor.” The Chinese government maintains 81 active routes of this type throughout the country, all of them inherited from the era of Mao (Mao Zedong, who ruled the People’s Republic of China from 49 until his death in 76) and preserved as a social service. According to collect Marketplace, are trains painted in military green with a yellow stripe (the classic image of the Chinese railway before modernization) that stop at each station along the way, including small remote villages that no other transportation connects with the outside. Its prices are so low that the train itself has a sign painted on the side that identifies it as a “slow train in the fight against poverty.” How cheap are they? To give an example, the minimum fare for the train that travels 376 kilometers between the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan is 2 yuan, which is equivalent to about 25 euro cents. The maximum, for the complete journey of more than 11 hours, is 25.5 yuan (less than 3.50 euros). According to People’s Dailythat price has not changed for more than 30 years. What are they really for? The point is that these trains not only transport passengers, they are economic, health and educational infrastructure for communities that would otherwise be isolated. People’s Daily account how some carriages incorporate notice boards with crop prices to facilitate trade between farmers and urban buyers. In several trains, rows of seats have been removed so that farmers can board with their goods (vegetables, chickens, construction materials, etc.) without restrictions. Just like account According to the Xinhua agency, these types of trains are like a mobile artery that takes villagers to the market, transports livestock and allows children to go to school in the nearest towns. Tsocial ermometer. Axi Aga has been working on train 5633 since 1996. He started as a flight attendant when passengers boarded carrying potatoes, corn flour and turnips, and could barely afford instant noodles during the journey. In 2020 explained to the portal of the Chinese State Council (SCIO) that currently sees passengers boarding who are concerned about how they are dressed, wearing traditional costumes on holidays and recording videos for social networks. “The train is like a mobile town in which I have witnessed the changes it has brought to people over the last 25 years,” he told the outlet. According to Aga, girls used to barely appear among the students. Today they represent two thirds of the students who use the train. Beyond transportation. In recent decades, these routes have evolved into something more akin to a service platform. According to People’s Dailysome trains in the north of the country already have shelves of books, study tables with plugs and school supplies for children who do their homework during the journey, with conductors who help them during breaks. They also carry hot water bottles, thermal bags and portable chargers. In winter, the carriages are kept at 20 degrees to protect passengers from the freezing cold. Furthermore, over time they have incorporated air conditioning and progressive improvements without giving up their public service mission. Why the government keeps them at a loss. They are more of a social policy strategy than a commercial one. These routes lose money, since their fares do not cover operating costs and the State subsidizes them directly. The decision to maintain them is simply territorial cohesion, that is, ensuring that the most remote and poorest areas of the country are not disconnected from the rest of China. The Global Times points out that these routes have been in operation for more than 60 years and that the national railway considers them a structural measure to combat poverty, not a residual service. Cover image | Wikimedia Commons and People’s Daily In Xataka | 16,000 passengers per hour, 9.5 billion trips: China is showing the world what high speed is for

discovering the largest railway network in the world at 347 km/h

by

A new day dawns in Beijing. After a long (and exhausting) day at the Motor ShowToday we have a long train journey ahead of us. Today we leave Beijing to head to Wuhuthe city where the headquarters of the Chery group is located, and yes, we do it by train. I admit that I am excited: it is the first time that I have gotten on both a bullet and a Chinese train. When I ask local Chery employees about Wuhu, what it is like, they all tell me the same thing: “for you it is a huge city, but for us it is a small city.” Wuhu has four million inhabitants. Madrid, to put us in context, has 3.4 million. I imagine that living in a country of 1.4 billion inhabitants causes the dimensions of things to become distorted. I suppose that for someone from Beijing traveling to Madrid is like when we go to town. Buildings in Wuhu | Image: Xataka Wuhu is located around 1,000 kilometers south of Beijing. Specifically, between Wuhan and Shanghai. Google Maps, which is not the most reliable reference in China, shows me almost 11 hours by car. By train, the trip lasts around four and a half hours, which is more than enough time to talk a little about this other small-big city and, in the process, get to know the city more closely. chinese railway network and the experience of traveling on one of its trains. China has made leaps and bounds in its electrification, we have seen that in the two previous installments of this daily blog. Well, in the same way that the electric and hybrid car has evolved, so has its railway network. Let’s go in parts. To get into flour let’s look at some numbers. Let’s talk about Spain. Our country has 15,652 kilometers of road, of which 4,000 kilometers are high-speed (+200 km/h). It is the second most extensive high-speed network in the world. The first, indeed, is the Chinese one. And it is with an absolutely insane difference. Roads in China | Image: Xataka According to the Chinese government and according to the local Xinhua agencyChina closed last year with 165,000 kilometers of track, of which “more than 50,000 kilometers” are high-speed. In 2025 alone, Chinese railways transported a whopping 4.59 billion passengers, 6.4% more than last year. In Spain, the figure was of 177.6 million. We cannot make the direct comparison because the size of China is like 17 times that of Spain, but it helps us put into perspective how enormous this infrastructure is. And it is getting worse, because this year they intend to put 2,000 more kilometers into operation. Only in the first quarter of 2026 will Chinese railways they completed an investment in fixed assets of 20.9 billion dollars. By 2050, the country’s goal is to achieve 274,000 kilometers. Image | Xataka The body in charge of managing most railway operations is in the hands of China State Railway Group Company, a state-owned company created in 2013 after the dissolution of the Ministry of Railways. Since 2019 it has been under the umbrella of the Ministry of Finance. There are other “private” lines that connect mines with refineries, for example. The network is divided into several horizontal and vertical corridors, mostly concentrated in the east of the country where, evidently, most of the population is concentrated and where coal is produced. Only one line extends to the northwest (crossing the Gobi Desert and bordering the Taklamakan Desert) and southwest of the country (near the Tibet Plateau). A train on the way to Wuhu | Image: Xataka ​But let’s leave geography and talk about experience, because it is not only that the Chinese network is larger than the Spanish one (for whatever reason), but it is also significantly faster. And no, it is not noticeable | Image: Xataka The Spanish high speed can be up to 300 km/h, but on a line like the one from Andalusia to Madrid it is normal for trains to not exceed 250 km/h. Sections of 200 km/h are also frequent. Also, recently, there have been more aggressive speed limitations on some lines. I write this on a train that moves exactly at 347 km/h and I must admit that because I have seen the figure on a screen, otherwise I would not have known. I don’t know if it will be the same on all trains, but the experience on this one has been exquisite. The train, despite going 50% fast, vibrates much less than the trains I am used to taking in Spain. I think the video speaks for itself. This speed, which has remained relatively constant throughout the trip, allows us to get from Beijing to Wuhu in about four and a half hours. The train has made some stops of just a few minutes at certain stations, but little more. In a country of these dimensions it makes all the sense in the world to bet on the railway. Not only to transport people, that too, but for the transport of goods. If we have discovered something these days it is that China has a competitive advantage by having all the links of the supply chain very close at hand. That, however, is of little use if the transport of goods does not accompany. It is not the case, although half. In Wuhu, where Chery was founded, the brand’s presence is much, much more evident | Image: Xataka Again, according to official Chinese government data, in 2025 alone railways moved a whopping 5.27 billion tons of freight, 2% more than the previous year. However, road and air transport remains very important when moving goods in the domestic market. At an international level, air and sea are the two great cornerstones. Tomorrow more, this time in Wuhu. More deliveries: Journey to the center of the Chinese motor (part 1): a walk through Beijing, Ebro, Chery and the silent streets Journey to the … Read more

The United Kingdom has a laser capable of shooting down drones flying at 650 km/h. And each shot is the same as two beers.

by

For some time now, armies have pursued an idea: weapons that fire energy instead of projectiles. Already in the Cold War was experienced with systems capable of concentrating heat at a distance, although technical limitations relegated them to tests and prototypes for years. Today, with advances in electrical generation and beam control, that ambition has begun to emerge from the laboratory, although it still entailed challenges that for a long time seemed impossible to solve. The UK seems to have solved the most important one. From the laboratory to real combat. He DragonFire program marks a turning point in the evolution of directed energy weapons, and it does so by going from technological demonstrator to embedded operating system. The United Kingdom has decided to accelerate its deployment until 2027integrating it into Type 45 destroyers and becoming the first European country from NATO in deploying a functional naval laser. There is no doubt, the movement is not only technological, but also doctrinal, because it implies changing the way in which air defense at sea is conceived, integrating new layers that do not depend on traditional ammunition. Two beers for the price of a shot. The key element of DragonFire is not only its accuracy, but rather its economy. Each shot costs just about 10 pounds (just over 11 euros) in electricity, just a couple of “pints” in a pub compared to the hundreds of thousands that a conventional interceptor missile can cost, which completely alters the balance between attack and defense. we had seen it in Ukraine and now in Iran. In a scenario where cheap drones are launched by the dozens or hundreds, responding with expensive missiles had become unsustainable, while a laser allows the pace to be maintained. without depleting critical resources. This difference makes the laser an especially attractive tool in modern conflicts where saturation is more important than sophistication. Extreme precision and new capabilities. The system has proven capable of hitting targets the size of a coin a kilometer away, maintaining the beam on moving targets until causing structural failure. More: its architecture combines multiple fiber lasers in a single high-quality beam, guided by electro-optical sensors and continuous tracking systems. Furthermore, its sustained firing capability eliminates one of the main limitations of conventional weapons: need to rechargeallowing you to take on multiple threats consecutively in a matter of seconds. The response to swarms. The rise of cheap drones and swarm attacks has put in check to traditional defense systems, designed to intercept more limited and higher value threats. DragonFire positions itself as the direct response to that change, offering an effective solution against small, fast and numerous targets without compromising missile arsenals intended for strategic threats. In this context, the laser does not replace existing systems, but rather complements themreinforcing short-range defense and freeing up resources for more complex scenarios. From sea to air and land. Beyond its naval deployment, the program aims for broader integration in ground and aerial platformswhich infers a structural change in modern weaponry. Let us think that the possibility of standardizing this type of technology in vehicles, ships or even combat fighters opens the door to a new generation of systems where energy progressively replaces to physical ammunition. Analysts recalled by Army Recognition that although there are still limitations (such as the need for line of sight, electrical power and thermal management), the advancement of DragonFire indicates that that concept before fantastic of “infinite ammunition” has ceased to be a theoretical idea and has become an operational reality in development. Image | UK Ministry of Defense In Xataka | Spain has built a laser that shields the backbone of its Navy: the A400M is now ready for combat In Xataka | China has achieved something hard to believe: reducing the production of laser weapons and parts for electric cars to one second

more than 600 km/h on a line that has accumulated years of delays

by

In 2015, a seven-car prototype in Japan made us dream with the tremendous speeds that the trains of the future would have, with the Japanese country as the main standard bearer. The L0 Series train reached 603 km/h on the Yamanashi test line, becoming the fastest manned railway vehicle ever recorded at the time. More than a decade later, that record still standsalthough the promise of its commercial use has yet to materialize. And the line that is supposed to bring it to travelers accumulates years of delays. magnetic levitation. The L0 Series works via superconducting magnetic levitation, using powerful magnets along the track and in the train that interact to lift the vehicle on the track, completely eliminating physical contact with the tracks. Without friction, without mechanical noise, without wear, and with heart-stopping speeds. The system is known as SCMaglev and uses an electrodynamic suspension, different from that used in the Shanghai maglev. Japan National Railways began researching this type of propulsion in 1962 with a clear objective: to connect Tokyo and Osaka in one hour. They have had that dream for more than six decades. Chūō Shinkansen. This is the maglev line under construction between Tokyo and Nagoya, with plans to extend it to Osaka. The idea is that it will be established between Shinagawa and Nagoya stations, with stops in Sagamihara, Kōfu, Iida and Nakatsugawa. The line is not intended to replace the legendary Tokaido Shinkansen, but it will exist to offer travelers a much faster alternative. The line would connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes and, later, Tokyo and Osaka in 67 minutes, at a maximum speed of 505 km/h. Today the fastest Nozomi (Japan’s fastest high-speed train service) takes around two and a half hours between the two cities. With Chūō Shinkansen, the idea is that approximately 90% of the 286-kilometer route to Nagoya passes through tunnels, instead of following the coast, as the Tokaido does. This decision is also the root of much of their problems. ORa prefecture and a river. The main obstacle was that the then governor of Shizuoka, Kawakatsu Heita, denied permission to drill one of the tunnels under the Japanese Southern Alps for environmental reasons. The argument was that the impact studies had been carried out with little rigor and that the excavations could affect the bed of the Oi River. The section in question affected just 8.9 kilometers of tunnel within Shizuoka, but it was enough to block the entire project for years. Without that section, the rest of the work could not be completed. However, the current governor of the region, Yasutomo Suzuki, authorized the geotechnical inspection prior, but the works are still in progress. A calendar full of delays. In 2024, JR Central president Shunsuke Niwa publicly ruled out opening in 2027 and targeted 2034 as the new minimum date. But the story doesn’t end there. Last October, JR Central postponed the arrival to 2035. Construction costs have already skyrocketed by more than 50% to 11 trillion yen (about 61 billion euros), according to RailTech. The section to Osaka, for its part, It would not arrive until 2037 at best. The threat from China. In July of last year, during the World High Speed ​​Congress held in Beijing, the state-owned CRRC presented a maglev prototype Designed to reach 600 km/h. The train runs on rubber wheels at low speed and switches to magnetic levitation when exceeding 150 km/h. The Asia Times shares that it will still take a long time to put it into commercial use, and that market demand, rather than technology, is the main obstacle. But there is more: the T-Flight project from the state company CASIC, which combines magnetic levitation with hyperloop-style vacuum tubes, has already reached 623 km/h in tests in 2024, with the goal of exceeding 1,000 km/h soon. China has also, for years, the only commercial maglev in the world that operates regularly: the Shanghai Maglev, which circulates at 430 km/h. Cover image | Maglev.net In Xataka | The Mayan Train has become a nightmare for Mexico: what seemed like a great plan has run into justice

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.