High speed trains, often called bullet trains, are being planned in several regions of the United States.
A high speed train is defined as one that can run between 150 and 320 miles per hour (242 and 515 km/hr).
Amtrak’s Acela trains travel at speeds up to 150 miles per hour and are now connecting Boston and Washington, D.C. California hopes to build a high-speed rail system that will have trains running 200 or 300 miles per hour (322 or 483 km/hr).
Several other states are considering upgrading existing rail lines so they can offer high-speed train service.
High speed trains have been running for many years in several European countries; France began its service in 1981.
Bullet trains have been operating in Japan since the mid-1960s.
