Speed Record Table

Blue Riband-era transatlantic record breakers (1838–1952)

This page is meant as a reference table, not a mythmaker. “Blue Riband” was an informal accolade, and record figures can vary depending on distance definitions and endpoints (e.g., Ambrose vs. Cherbourg vs. Bishop Rock). Where possible, the table is consistent with published compilations that specify start, finish, distance, time, and average speed.

Curatorial note: Treat any single-number claim (“fastest ever”) as incomplete without the underlying route endpoints and distance. The same ship can appear multiple times as routes and measurement conventions changed.

Download Printable Reference Sheet (PDF)
Westbound (to New York / Ambrose) Eastbound (to Europe / Bishop Rock / Eddystone)

Westbound record breakers (1838–1952)

Direction shown as “westbound” with the route endpoints as recorded in the source table. (Endpoints shifted over time; that’s part of the story.)

Year Ship Line From To Distance Time Avg. speed
1838 Sirius British & American Steam Navigation Co. Cork New York 2,894 nm 18 d, 10 h, 12 m 6.71 kn
1838 Great Western Great Western Steamship Company Bristol New York 2,892 nm 15 d, 5 h 7.95 kn
1840 Britannia Cunard Liverpool Halifax 1,662 nm 12 d, 10 h 10.77 kn
1845 Cambria Cunard Liverpool Halifax 1,662 nm 10 d, 0 h, 38 m 6.91 kn
1852 Asia Cunard Liverpool New York 2,892 nm 9 d, 16 h, 52 m 12.45 kn
1863 Scotia Cunard Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 8 d, 5 h, 1 m 12.94 kn
1871 Adriatic White Star Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 7 d, 23 h, 17 m 13.50 kn
1873 Baltic White Star Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 7 d, 20 h, 9 m 13.73 kn
1879 Arizona Guion Line Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 7 d, 8 h, 28 m 14.72 kn
1882 Alaska Guion Line Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 6 d, 18 h, 37 m 16.08 kn
1883 Oregon Cunard Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 6 d, 10 h, 10 m 16.79 kn
1885 Etruria Cunard Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 6 d, 9 h, 31 m 16.85 kn
1885 Umbria Cunard Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 6 d, 4 h, 2 m 17.50 kn
1889 City of Paris Inman / American Line Queenstown New York 2,592 nm 5 d, 22 h, 50 m 18.41 kn
1897 Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse Norddeutscher Lloyd Cherbourg New York 3,050 nm 5 d, 18 h 22.28 kn
1900 Deutschland Hamburg America Line Cherbourg New York 3,050 nm 5 d, 11 h, 5 m 23.36 kn
1907 Lusitania Cunard Queenstown Sandy Hook 2,778 nm 4 d, 19 h, 52 m ≈23.99 kn*
1909 Mauretania Cunard Queenstown Sandy Hook 2,778 nm 4 d, 10 h, 41 m 25.89 kn
1929 Bremen Norddeutscher Lloyd Cherbourg New York 3,050 nm 4 d, 17 h, 42 m 27.83 kn
1933 Rex Italian Line Gibraltar Sandy Hook 3,181 nm 4 d, 13 h, 58 m 28.93 kn
1935 Normandie French Line (CGT) Bishop Rock Ambrose 2,942 nm 3 d, 22 h, 7 m 30.14 kn
1937 Queen Mary Cunard-White Star Bishop Rock Ambrose 2,939 nm 3 d, 23 h, 57 m 30.63 kn
1952 United States United States Lines Bishop Rock Ambrose 2,942 nm 3 d, 12 h, 12 m 35.59 kn

Eastbound record breakers (1838–1952)

Eastbound figures are included because many standard references treat records in both directions as qualifying, but conventions varied by era and author.

Year Ship Line From To Distance Time Avg. speed
1838 Sirius British & American Steam Navigation Co. New York Cork 2,894 nm 17 d, 17 h 6.79 kn
1838 Great Western Great Western Steamship Company New York Bristol 2,892 nm 14 d, 21 h 8.06 kn
1840 Britannia Cunard Halifax Liverpool 1,662 nm 10 d, 22 h 10.96 kn
1863 Scotia Cunard New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 7 d, 22 h, 33 m 13.60 kn
1872 Bothnia Cunard New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 7 d, 18 h, 2 m 13.93 kn
1873 Baltic White Star New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 7 d, 15 h, 53 m 14.09 kn
1879 Arizona Guion Line New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 6 d, 22 h, 5 m 15.62 kn
1882 Alaska Guion Line New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 6 d, 15 h, 35 m 16.36 kn
1883 Oregon Cunard New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 6 d, 8 h, 26 m 17.11 kn
1884 Etruria Cunard New York Queenstown 2,592 nm 6 d, 4 h, 2 m 17.50 kn
1892 Campania Cunard New York Queenstown 2,799 nm 5 d, 17 h, 27 m 20.11 kn
1898 Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse Norddeutscher Lloyd New York Plymouth 3,006 nm 5 d, 20 h, 38 m 21.59 kn
1900 Deutschland Hamburg America Line New York Plymouth 3,006 nm 5 d, 15 h, 46 m 22.41 kn
1903 Kaiser Wilhelm II Norddeutscher Lloyd New York Plymouth 3,006 nm 5 d, 11 h, 3 m 23.21 kn
1907 Lusitania Cunard Ambrose Daunt’s Rock 2,833 nm 4 d, 16 h 25.83 kn
1909 Mauretania Cunard Ambrose Queenstown 2,933 nm 4 d, 17 h, 21 m 25.88 kn
1924 Mauretania Cunard Ambrose Cherbourg 3,198 nm 5 d, 1 h, 49 m 26.25 kn
1929 Bremen Norddeutscher Lloyd Ambrose Eddystone 3,084 nm 4 d, 14 h, 30 m 27.91 kn
1933 Bremen Norddeutscher Lloyd Ambrose Cherbourg 3,199 nm 4 d, 16 h, 15 m 28.51 kn
1935 Normandie French Line (CGT) Ambrose Bishop Rock 3,015 nm 4 d, 3 h, 25 m 30.31 kn
1936 Queen Mary Cunard-White Star Ambrose Bishop Rock 2,939 nm 3 d, 23 h, 57 m 30.63 kn
1937 Normandie French Line (CGT) Ambrose Bishop Rock 2,967 nm (Mar) 4 d, 0 h, 6 m 30.99 kn
1937 Normandie French Line (CGT) Ambrose Bishop Rock 2,936 nm (Aug) 3 d, 22 h, 7 m 31.20 kn
1938 Queen Mary Cunard-White Star Ambrose Bishop Rock 2,938 nm 3 d, 20 h, 42 m 31.69 kn
1952 United States United States Lines Ambrose Bishop Rock 2,942 nm 3 d, 10 h, 40 m 35.59 kn

Research review (2026): *The 1907 Lusitania westbound duration is corrected from 4 d 19 h 2 m to 4 d 19 h 52 m. The approximately 23.99-knot figure is the commonly reported published average, while the displayed provisional 2,778 nm and the corrected time calculate to approximately 23.98 kn; the underlying historical distance convention remains under review. Normandie made distinct eastbound record passages in March and August 1937; both rows are intentionally retained. Three early Cunard Liverpool–Halifax entries currently display 1,662 nm and derived speeds that require independent distance/endpoint reconciliation before correction. See 1894 Admiralty-route evidence in Hansard. These rows should not be treated as reconciled record statistics.

How to read this table: “Distance” is the published distance used for the particular claim, not a universal “true” mileage. “Avg. speed” is derived from the published distance and elapsed time. When ships and routes look “repeated,” it’s usually because endpoints or conventions changed rather than the ship suddenly becoming faster.

Source checks for this editorial revision: Liverpool Maritime Society reproduction of the 1907 Liverpool Echo account; Blue Riband record compilation; and 1894 parliamentary account of Admiralty route distances. The March 1937 Normandie record and the August improvement require distinct treatment.

Sources used for the compiled record-breaker rows: “Blue Riband” record-breaker tables and references as summarized in standard liner histories (and compiled in the referenced table format).

Ship Guides Home