Abstract: Hydrogen fuel cell rail vehicle is a new type of rail vehicle powered by hydrogen as fuel. Its characteristics of zero emission, low noise, and high efficiency have significant social and economic benefits, and it is also one of the important ways for rail transportation to save energy and reduce emissions. This paper expounds the working principle and system composition of hydrogen fuel cells, as well as the research and development progress and trends of hydrogen fuel cell systems. Systematically combs the research and application status of hydrogen fuel cell rail vehicles at home and abroad, mainly summarizes the differences in terms of vehicle type, fuel cell power, battery life, maximum operating speed, power mode, hydrogen storage capacity and pressure, and analyzes the output characteristics of hydrogen fuel cell hybrid power mode and power matching in various environments, confirming that the hybrid power system formed by hydrogen fuel cells and power batteries/super capacitors can better adapt to various working conditions such as startstop, idling, continuous high speed and climbing of rail vehicles. Finally, the research difficulties of hydrogen fuel cells, the storage and transportation challenges of hydrogen, and the development potential of hydrogen fuel cell hybrid power in rail vehicles are discussed.