CRH380A, China

An increasing number of countries are turning to high-speed rail to link cities, citing its advantages over air travel for mid-distance trips. With well-designed and well-operated systems, weather conditions are less likely to affect journeys, proponents such as the US High Speed Rail Association say. It's not surprising that countries are pushing technological limits to provide the most efficient (and fastest) ways to travel by rail. In 2012, China launched the world's first-ever high-speed train capable of operating in extreme weather conditions, according to China Central TV. Japan has also started testing its floating magnetic levitationtrains, which can travel up to 311 mph, according to the Daily Mail. Here, we take a look at the high-tech, high-speed trains of the world -- sleek innovations that zip to destinations, in mind-blowing speeds.

With a top, world record-breaking speed of 302.8 mph (486 kmph), China's CRH380Ais one of the world's fastest trains. It was launched in 2010 and now serves the Shanghai-Nanjing, Shanghai-Hangzhou, and the Wuhan-GuangzhouHigh-Speed Railways.It has reduced the travel time between Shanghai and Hangzhou from 1 hour 18 minutes to 45 minutes, and travel time between Nanjing and Hangzhou reduced from 3 hour 19 minutes to 2 hour 48 minutes. Travel time may be shorter, but the CRH380A is still loaded with luxurious amenities, including deluxe seat compartments, a dining car, and a VIP sightseeing section with an electronic curtain and a driver's view of the running train, according to Railway-Technology.com.

NEXT: A new generation of bullet trains in Japan

Shinkansen N700, Japan

Ever since the introduction of its world-famous Shinkansen bullet trains in 1964, Japan has been known as the pioneer of high-speed rail, and itsN700 series brings the high-speed bullet train to a new level. Launched commercially in 2007, the N700has a maximum speed of 300 kmph (186 mph). Its tilting mechanisms (which allows its to whip around corners without slowing down) and aerodynamic features also increase energy efficiency and maximum speeds while reducing journey times on the Tokaido Shinkansen, the world's first and busiest high-speed line, according to Railway-Technology.com.

NEXT: A train as fast as a WWII fighter plane

TGV, France

France's Train à Grande Vitesse (or "High-Speed Train") has been serving French commuters since 1981. A specially configuredTGV train called the V150is perhaps the crown jewel of its fleet. In 2007, the V150 set a world land speed record for conventional railed trains when itreached a speed of 574.8 kmph (357.2 mph) on an unopened section of the LGV Est between Strasbourg and Paris, according to the BBC. The modified version of the train had larger wheels and two engines driving three double-decker cars. The BBC reported that thetrain traveled almost as fast as a World War II Spitfire fighter at top speed.

NEXT: Spain's ultrafast trains connect its major cities

AVE, Spain

TheAlta Velocidad Española or AVE is Spain's ultrafast trainoriginally designed to compete with the airplane for commutes between major cities around 300 miles apart, according to the Wall Street Journal. With a speed of up to 300 kmph (186 mph), the AVE (which also mean "bird") travels from Madrid to Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and other Spanish cities. It can zip from Madrid to Barcelona in under three hours (compared to a six-hour journey by car). Construction on a Madrid-Lisbon line also began in 2008 and once completed, travel time between the Spanish and Portuguese capitals will be dramatically reduced to around three hours.

NEXT: A high-speed, "floating" train in Shanghai

Shanghai Maglev Train, China

The Shanghai Maglev Train in China is the world's first commercially operated high-speed magnetic levitation ("maglev") train, designed to connect Shanghai Pudong International Airport to the outskirts of centralPudong. The maglev train goes beyondtraditional steel-wheels-on-steel-rail technology, it uses high-powered magnets to levitate the train above the rails for faster speeds and reduced friction. So prepare for a bit of whiplash when riding the Shanghai Maglev, the train reaches a speed of 430 kmph (267 mph) and can take travelers to Longyang Road station in less than eight minutes, according to TIME.

NEXT: This luxurious train is modeled on airliners

Hayabusa, Japan

Japan's Hayabusa (or "Falcon") is a high-speed Shinkansen service connecting Tokyo and Aomori Prefecture, on the northern tip of Honshu Island. Launched in 2011, the cutting-edge, luxury train operates at a top speed 320 kmph (190 mph), complete with a business class carriage modeled on airliners, where cabin attendants serve drinks and food as passengers recline on leather seats, according to the Daily Mail. After some upgrades in the past year, the Hayabusanow covesS the link between tokyo and Shin-Aomori in two hours and 59 minutes.

NEXT: The fastest way to travel in Italy

Frecciarossa, Italy

Inside first class of a Frecciarossa high-speed train at Rome's Termini station on Nov. 24, 2011. (Gabriel Buoys/AFP/Getty Images)

Italy is home to two high-speed trains, and Trenitalia'sFrecciarossa (or "Red Arrow") is considered one of the fastest ways to travel the country. In 2009, Freciarossa inaugurated its Milan-Rome service, which whisks travelers from the fashion capital to the Eternal City in just three hours (travel time used to be four hours). Its ETR 500 reaches speeds of up to 363 kmph (225 mph), and in March 2013, testing began for the Frecciarossa 1000, a train reportedly capable of traveling at 360 kmph (with a top speed of 400 kmph), according to the International Union of Railways.

NEXT: Taiwan's Shinkansen-derived train

THSR 700, Taiwan

Derived from the Japanese Shinkansen, Taiwan's THSR 700 high-speed trains are currently operating with a top speed of 300 kmph (186 mph). A number of features for the THSR was modeled on the 500 and 700 Series Shinkansen, but changes were made to adapt to Taiwan's environment and warmer climate, such as higher strength and wear specifications of certain components and a stronger air conditioning system, according to Taipei Times. Taiwan's high-speed rail runs along the west coast of Taiwan, linking Taipei to the southern city of Kaoshiung. Launched in 2007, he system carries over 121,000 passengers a day and has served over 200 million passengers by December 2012.

NEXT: This train sets the standard for international rail travel

Eurostar, UK, France and Belgium

Setting standards in international rail travel, the high-speed Eurostar trains travel through the Channel Tunnel between London, England and Paris, France. They also travel to Brussels, Belgium. Based on France's TGVtrains, Eurostar trains receive electricity from a pantograph on the roof or from a third rail on the ground and can run up to 300 kmph (186 mph), according to The World's Fastest Trains by Terri Sievert. In 2007, Eurostar moved services from London Waterloo to London St Pancras International. This coincided with the completion of the UK's first high-speed line, High Speed 1, reducing journey time between London and mainland Europe. Travel time from London to Paris is now only two hours and 15 minutes.

NEXT: Korea's first commercial high-speed train

KTX-II, South Korea

The first commercial high-speed train developed in South Korea, the KTX-II (or KTX-Sancheon) has a top speed of 305 kmph (190 mph). It links the country's two biggest cities -- Seoul in northwest South Korea and Busan in the southeast -- with a travel time of three hours. Although it is one of South Korea's crowning technological achievements, the KTX-II has had its share of problems. In 2011, the train broke down in the second-largest tunnel on the main KTXline, stranding 400 passengers for an hour in darkness and without air conditioning, according to the Wall Street Journal.

NEXT: Germany's record-breakingmaglev train

TransrapidTR-09, Germany

A Transrapid 09 highspeed train rushes in the rain on the test track in Lathen on Nov. 16, 2009. (David Hecker/AFP/Getty Images)

Germany'sTransrapidTR-09is a high-speed monorail train which also uses magnetic levitation technology. One of the fastest trains in the world, the TR-09 hit 450 kmph (280 mph) during a test in 1993. Problems have also plagued the development of theTransrapid train. In September 2006, 23 people were killed when a Transrapidtrain collided with a maintenance vehicle on a test track in Lathen, Germany. It was later concluded that the tragedy was caused by human error.

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A group of orphaned boys from the Dr. Barnardo's Homes leave Waterloo Station in London for a new life in Canada, April 1923. (Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)