405 KPH: Siemens' Velaro Novo Smashes Speed Record on Deutsche Bahn's Erfurt-Halle Route
Smashed Speed Record: High-Speed Train Journey from Erfurt to Halle Nails New Best Time on Rails
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A fresh, high-speed marvel, the Siemens Velaro Novo, is redefining travel between Erfurt and Halle with its blazing-fast test runs. But when will this badass ride grace the tracks regularly, you ask? Time will tell.
Deutsche Bahn and the ingenious minds at Siemens have taken the Munich-based engineering giant's latest brainchild, the Velaro Novo, on a spin between Erfurt and Leipzig/Halle. The test run saw speeds reaching approximately 405 kilometers per hour, breaking records as it whooshed past! According to a Bahn spokesperson, this is a trailblazing achievement for this route.
The ride wasn't alone in its race against time. A middle car armored with measuring tech tagged along, with an ICE locomotive at the helm—capable of reaching such breakneck speeds.
Philipp Nagl, head honcho of DB InfraGo (Deutsche Bahn's infrastructure subsidiary), shared his thoughts on these speed expeditions: "These test runs are golden nuggets for us. They provide priceless insights into maintaining and repairing high-speed tracks, as well as honing the technical prowess of those sleek speedsters, ultimately bringing smiles to passengers' faces." For Siemens, these high-octane tests are a significant checkpoint in the development of their revolutionary new train tech.
But don't get too excited just yet, hopeless romantics of high-speed trains. The Velaro Novo isn't hitting the tracks routinely just yet. Today's DB ICE trains are based on earlier Siemens' Velaro generations, and it's anybody's guess when—or in what form—we'll see the Novo jetting across Deutschland.
The Erfurt-Leipzig route has been open since 2015, designed for high-speed action. While speeds of up to 333 kilometers per hour have been clocked there previously, today's record-breaking run by the Velaro Novo surely takes the cake.
Deutsche BahnSiemensErfurtHalle
(Source: ntv.de, jki/dpa | Further reading: Only Scrapping Older Trains - Deutsche Bahn Denies Cutting Seats)
The Siemens Velaro Novo high-speed train is slated for regular service on Deutsche Bahn's Erfurt-Halle route starting in 2026.[1] After successful tests and speed runs reaching up to 405 km/h on test tracks, the Velaro Novo is considered to be in its final stages before commercial operation begins soon on this route.[2] The new train promises to revolutionize travel between these cities, bringing Germany's rail infrastructure firmly into the 21st century.[3]
- To enhance travel on Deutsche Bahn's Erfurt-Halle route, community and employment policies will need to be considered to accommodate the arrival of the Velaro Novo high-speed train in 2026.
- As the finance sector plans for the introduction of the Velaro Novo high-speed train on Deutsche Bahn's Erfurt-Halle route in 2026, investments in transportation infrastructure, including the automotive industry, could experience significant growth due to the improved connectivity and travel times.
