How to Calculate Train Speed
The average speed formula is straightforward: speed equals distance divided by time (S = D / T). For trains, this tells you how quickly a service covers its route on average, including scheduled station stops. Note that the average speed will always be lower than the train's maximum operating speed, because time is lost accelerating, decelerating, and waiting at stations.
For example, the Nozomi Shinkansen travels from Tokyo to Osaka, a distance of 515 km, in about 2 hours and 22 minutes (142 minutes). Using the formula: 515 km / (142/60) hours = 217 km/h average speed. Yet the N700S is capable of a top speed of 285 km/h, which it reaches only for a portion of the journey.
Use the calculator above to try any combination of distance, time, and speed. The reference table provides real figures from the world's major high-speed routes to benchmark your calculations against.