Japan is developing the L0 Series maglev, a high-speed train designed to become the world’s fastest. Built and tested by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), the train is part of a long-term plan. It aims to transform travel between Japan’s biggest cities and set a new global standard for high-speed rail, according to Euronews.
Trains run on steel wheels, the L0 Series uses magnetic levitation, also known as maglev technology. Powerful magnets lift the train slightly above the track, removing friction and allowing it to glide smoothly through the air. As a result, this system makes it possible for the train to reach an astonishing top speed of 603.5 km/h. This figure has already been achieved during test runs.
If these speeds are maintained in commercial service, the L0 Series will easily surpass the world’s only operating commercial maglev, China’s Shanghai Maglev, which currently runs at speeds of up to 460.2 km/h. It will also leave Europe’s fastest conventional trains far behind.
The biggest promise of the L0 Series is the dramatic reduction in travel time. Today, a journey from Tokyo to Nagoya can take anywhere from one hour and 26 minutes to more than two hours. This depends on the service. With the new maglev line, known as the Chuo Shinkansen, that same trip is expected to take just 40 minutes.
Plans also include extending the line to Osaka, which would reduce the Tokyo–Osaka journey to around one hour. At present, that trip can take between two hours and 20 minutes and four hours on existing rail services. By linking Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, the project could effectively turn these three major cities into a single, closely connected economic region.
To put this into context, a train with similar performance could theoretically cut the journey between London and Edinburgh to about 60 minutes. Currently, the journey takes four to five hours.
Japan’s ambition becomes even clearer when compared with other high-speed trains. Europe’s fastest services, such as France’s TGV and Italy’s AGV Italo, operate at top speeds of roughly 306 to 354 km/h. While these trains are fast, they are still hundreds of kilometres per hour slower than the L0 Series’ target speed.
The total cost of the L0 Series and its dedicated infrastructure has already reached around £52 billion (€59.9 billion). Much of this expense comes from the need to build entirely new tracks. Most of them run through specially dug tunnels, as the maglev cannot operate on existing railway lines.
The project was originally scheduled to open in 2027, but delays have pushed the expected launch back by nearly eight years. Current estimates shows a more realistic opening window of 2034 to 2035. Despite the delays, JR Central and Japanese authorities continue to present the project as a long-term national investment. They see it as rather than a short-term commercial venture.
