The Chuo Shinkansen is the culmination of Japanese maglev development since the 1970s, a government-funded project initiated by Japan Airlines and the former Japanese National Railways (JNR).
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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.
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).
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.
The shinkansen train uses superconducting maglev (short for magnetic levitation) to achieve these incredible speeds. As the train leaves the station, it's rolling on wheels. But as it speeds up, the wheels retract, and the power of magnets allows the vehicle to hover four inches above the ground.
The Chuo Shinkansen is the culmination of Japanese maglev development since the 1970s, a government-funded project initiated by Japan Airlines and the former Japanese National Railways (JNR).
Bullet Trains vs Maglev TrainsThough both are insanely fast trains, the Maglev can be thought of as a step up from the bullet. While bullet trains travel at speeds of 320kph, Maglev trains are anticipated to travel at speeds well over 500kph. In tests, one Maglev train reached a record-breaking speed of 603kph.
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.
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.
The high cost of maglev systems results from the need for a stand-alone guideway construction featuring active magnetic coils embedded directly into the guideway or on the vehicle and, in the case of the Japanese design, the addition of very low temperature liquid cooled superconducting magnets.
Disadvantages of Maglev TrainsComplications resulting in accidents will usually lead to high human fatalities. Maglev trains are much more expensive to construct than conventional trains because of the high number of superconducting electromagnets and permanent magnets required, which are usually very costly.
In addition, the tracks, signals, rail cars and software made in the U.S. are costlier than imports, largely because the government has not funded rail the way European and Asian countries have, experts say.
The Hikari train connects Tokyo to Shin-Osaka in exactly 173 minutes. The maximum operating speed is 285 km/h (178 mph), which makes it the second-fastest train on the Tokaido line. Hikari also runs on the Sanyo Shinkansen line with an operating speed of 300 km/h (185 mph).
Eating and drinking on Japanese trainsYou should eat on trains only when taking a long-distance train, such as the Shinkansen. These types of trains have a tray and cup holder at every seat, and snacks are sold from a vendor trolley.