High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of rail transport that operates significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, new lines in excess of and existing lines in excess of are widely considered to be high-speed, with some extending the definition to include lower speeds in areas for which these speeds still represent significant improvements. The first such system began operations in Japan in 1964 and was widely known as the bullet train. High-speed trains normally operate on standard gauge tracks of continuously welded rail on grade-separated right-of-way that incorporates a large turning radius in its design.
High-speed rail
Germany's first high-speed lines ran north-south, for historical reasons, and later developed east-west after German unification. In the early 1900s, Germany became the first country to run a prototype electric train at speeds in excess of 200 km/h and during the 1930s several steam and Diesel trains achieved revenue speeds of 160 km/h in daily service. The InterCityExperimental briefly held the world speed record for a steel wheel on steel rails vehicle during the 1980s. The InterCityExpress entered revenue service in 1991 and serves purpose built high speed lines (Neubaustrecken) upgraded legacy lines (Ausbaustrecken) and unmodified legacy lines. Lufthansa, Germany's flag carrier, has entered into a codeshare agreement with Deutsche Bahn where ICEs run as "feeder flights" bookable with a Lufthansa flight number under the AIRail program.