There is provided a sintered friction material for railway vehicles that has excellent frictional properties and wear resistance even in a high speed range of 280 km/hour or more. The sintered friction material for railway vehicles is a green compact sintered material containing, in mass %, Cu: 50.0 to 75.0%, graphite: 5.0 to 15.0%, one or more selected from the group consisting of magnesia, zircon sand, silica, zirconia, mullite, and silicon nitride: 1.5 to 15.0%, one or more selected from the group consisting of W and Mo: 3.0 to 30.0%, and one or more selected from the group consisting of ferrochromium, ferrotungsten, ferromolybdenum, and stainless steel: 2.0 to 20.0%, with the balance being impurities.