How many maglev trains are in Japan?

Right now, there is already one Japanese maglev train in operation, the Linimo line in Aichi Prefecture. This 9km train runs from Fujigaoka Station in Nagoya to Yakusa Station in the city of Toyota and has a top speed of 100km/h or 62mph.



In 2026, Japan has one major commercial Maglev line in operation and one massive "next-generation" line under construction. The Linimo (Tobu Kyuryo Line) in Nagoya is currently the only operational commercial Maglev in Japan; it is a low-speed urban transport system that opened for the 2005 World Expo. However, the most famous Japanese Maglev is the Chuo Shinkansen, which is currently being built by JR Central to connect Tokyo and Nagoya (and later Osaka). While not yet in "public service," the SC Maglev test trains at the Yamanashi Maglev Exhibition Center are fully functional and hold the world speed record of 603 km/h (375 mph). These trains use "Superconducting Maglev" technology, which involves liquid-nitrogen-cooled magnets that allow the train to levitate 10cm above the guide-way. So, while there is currently only one "slow" line carrying daily commuters in Nagoya, the high-speed "bullet" Maglev fleet is already being tested and refined as Japan prepares for a new era of rail travel that will eventually cut the travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya to just 40 minutes.

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This dreamlike experience is will soon be a reality thanks to Japan's famous Maglev bullet trains, the fastest train in the world. Japan is already well known for its extensive Shinkansen train system, which has been in operation since 1964.

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One is located in Japan, two in South Korea, and three in China. In Aichi, Japan, near Nagoya, a system built for the 2005 World's Fair, the Linimo, is still in operation. It is about 9 km (5.6 miles) long, with nine station stops over that distance, and reaches speeds of about 100 km (62 miles) per hour.

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There are only three countries in the world that currently have operational Maglev Trains: China, Japan, and Korea. Maglev trains are much more efficient than traditional trains and hold the speed record for trains (603km/h).

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There are nine shinkansen lines in Japan, that together cover the islands of Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu. This means you can travel north from Tokyo all the way up to Hakodate on Hokkaido, or west past Osaka and Hiroshima to Kagoshima.

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Due to the huge cost of running a maglev over very long distances, the hovering trains have been ruled out for the planned HS2 line connecting Manchester with London and Birmingham by 2033.

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Maglev trains are “driven” by the powered guideway. Any two trains traveling the same route cannot catch up and crash into one another because they're all being powered to move at the same speed. Similarly, traditional train derailments that occur because of cornering too quickly can't happen with Maglev.

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Maglev trains require very straight and level tracks to maintain high speeds. This necessitates extensive viaducts and tunneling, making construction costly.

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Hayabusa is the fastest train in Japan, reaching a maximum speed of 320 km/h (200 mph). There is a direct train connecting Tokyo to Shin-Aomori in just 189 minutes. Making a seat reservation before boarding the Hayabusa train is mandatory.

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Shinkansen bullet trains are the fastest and most convenient way of discovering Japan. The Japan Rail (JR) network is extensive and the trains reach a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph). This allows you to get to wherever you need in little time. The nine Shinkansen lines take you in different directions around Japan.

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Transrapid (German: [t?ans??a'pi?t]) is a German-developed high-speed monorail train using magnetic levitation. Planning for the Transrapid system started in 1969 with a test facility for the system in Emsland, Germany completed in 1987.

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As of 2022, the United States has no maglev trains. Keystone Corridor: According to Transrapid, Inc., Pittsburgh has the most advanced maglev initiative in the U.S., followed by the Las Vegas project. Once federal funding is finalized, these two markets could be the first to see maglev in the United States.

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Harmony CRH 380A. Harmony CRH 380A, with maximum operational speed of 380kmph, is currently the second fastest operating train in the world.

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And if you're wondering how fast does Eurostar go, it travels at a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph). Plus there are plenty of daily departure options in the Eurostar train schedule to choose from - more than 10 per day!

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During his race with Shockwave for the title of the fastest man alive, the announcer states that A-Train can reach speeds in excess of 1,000 miles per hour (1,609.34 kilometers per hour/Mach 1.3).

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