The wheel-wear characteristics of the motor and unpowered car of a high-speed train were investigated, for the first time, by a wheel-wear prediction model comprising a wheel-wear sub-model, an unpowered car dynamics sub-model, and a novel motor-car dynamics sub-model. The motor-car dynamics model considers the detailed structural characteristics and working mechanics of the traction transmission system. Assuming the real track parameters and track irregularities, it handles the nonlinear factors such as the traction characteristics, gear backlash, time-varying mesh stiffness, gear friction and wheel–rail contact. This study assessed the wheel-wear characteristics of a high-speed train by suitable performance indices (wheel-wear depth and contact patch energy). Finally, the model was validated by comparing the simulation results with those of field tests. The predicted and measured wheel wear were in good agreement. Both the wheel wear depth and contact energy were higher for the motor car than the unpowered car, because the traction torque on the wheelsets of the motor car increased the longitudinal creepage. During one re-profiling cycle, the transmission stability of the gear transmission system worsened with continuous wheel-wear. Furthermore, the proposed methods can assess the wheel wear and working status of the traction transmission system in the vehicle vibration environment of any rail vehicle. •A novel spatial vehicle dynamics model of high-speed train considering gear transmission system was established.•The wheelwear prediction model of the newly motor and unpowered car are established based on the dynamics model and wheel wear model.•Revealing the wheel wear characteristics between motor and unpowered car, which are supported by experimental tests.•The dynamic performance evolution of gear transmission system in one re-profiling cycle were investigated for the first time.