A running gear for a rail vehicle includes first and second independent wheel assemblies on opposite sides of a longitudinal vertical median plane of the running gear, each having an independent wheel and a bearing assembly for guiding the wheel about a revolution axis fixed relative to the bearing assembly. In a reference position of the running gear, the revolution axes of the first and second wheel assemblies are coaxial and perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical median plane. The running gear further includes one or more steering actuators for moving the bearing assembly of at least one of the two wheel assemblies away from the reference position in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal vertical median plane, a wheel flange contact detection unit for detecting a contact between a flange of the wheel with a rail, and a controller for controlling the one or more steering actuators.