Alstom train Pendolino broke the platforms world speed record

Press Contacts

Visit our media section and follow the link "Press contacts"

An Alstom train operated by the Polish railway company PKP set a speed record for the Pendolino platform. It was meant to be the Polish national rail speed record, but it became a world record for the high speed trains.

At precisely 14.09, on 24 November 2013, the Pendolino PKP attained the speed of 293 kilometres per hour on the conventional line between Gora Wlodowska and Psary, northwest of Cracow.

Never before had the Alstom high-speed train travelled so fast. The previous world records, 283 kilometres per hour in Italy and 280 in Germany, were beaten by a wide mark. As for the record of 250 kilometres per hour, established on a Polish line 19 years ago, this was literally pulverized. This success testifies to the excellent quality of the train built by Alstom and the expertise of test teams.

The record was established as part of tests being conducted since 16 October 2013 to obtain circulation permission for the trains. PKP ordered 20 next generation Pendolino trains on 30 May 2011, a contract which includes the design and construction of an advanced technology maintenance depot as well as 17 years full maintenance.

As of December 2011, Pendolino Allegro trains run between St. Petersburg and Helsinki. Owing to this service, the traveling time between these cities has reduced from 5.5 to 3.5 hours. On the 20th of September this year, the train carried the millionth passenger. Max speed of Pendolino Allegro in Russia is 200 km/h, in Finland 220 km/h.

To remind, on 3rd April 2007 the Alstom's V150 trainset established the world very high speed (VHS) record on rail making 574.8 km/h.