A modern Olympic bobsled can typically reach around 120–150 km/h (75–93 mph), and the fastest recorded runs have hit about 157 km/h (around 98 mph) on the quickest tracks.

Top speeds in bobsled

  • Most World Cup and Olympic runs see sleds in the 120–140 km/h (75–87 mph) range on many tracks.
  • On the very fastest tracks, like Whistler in Canada, speeds regularly climb to about 150 km/h (93 mph).
  • The reported world-record bobsleigh speed is roughly 157.06 km/h (97.6 mph), set at the 2019 World Championships in Whistler.

Why they can go that fast

  • Steep, iced tracks plus gravity do most of the work, while aerodynamic sled design reduces air drag.
  • Polished steel runners glide on a thin melt-water layer on the ice, cutting friction so the sled can keep accelerating down the course.
  • A powerful push start by the crew in the first seconds of the run adds crucial initial speed that carries through the whole descent.

How this compares to other sliding sports

  • Bobsled is among the fastest Winter Olympic sports, with athletes reaching “upward of 90 mph” in competition on the quickest tracks.
  • Luge is generally considered slightly faster, with peak speeds up to around 96 mph, while skeleton tops out a bit lower than bobsled and luge.

TL;DR:
In good conditions on elite tracks, a bobsled usually goes 120–150 km/h (75–93 mph), and the fastest ever runs are just over 157 km/h (about 98 mph).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.