# How do Maglev trains work?

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Ning Zhao
- Year: 2026
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Engineering, Art, architecture and design, Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/ning_zhao_how_do_maglev_trains_work)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

To coincide with the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Japan launched a groundbreaking bullet train that inspired countries around the world to invest in high-speed rail. Today, high-speed trains regularly travel at over 300 km/h, on par with the take-off speed of a commercial airplane. But can it ever be faster than flying? Ning Zhao details the possibilities and hurdles facing high-speed rail transit. \[Directed by Vicente Numpaque, Dr3i Studio, Hernando Bahamon, Globizco Studios, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Zak Engel\].

## Lectures

1. [How do Maglev trains work?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/ning_zhao_how_do_maglev_trains_work/990f10ea182e), 7 min (TED's player)