A full-length Transrapid -- up to as many as 20 sections -- can carry just over 19 U.S. tons per section, or could therefore carry as much as 386 U.S. tons of air cargo Page 4 “Dispelling the Top Ten Myths of Maglev” (continued) High Speed Rail 2010 Conference: White Paper Page 4 in one vehicle.

The carrying capacity of a high-speed maglev system (like the Shanghai Maglev or the upcoming Chuo Shinkansen) is comparable to or slightly higher than traditional high-speed rail, capable of moving 10,000 to 15,000 passengers per hour, per direction. This capacity is achieved through a combination of high-capacity trainsets (often 8 to 16 cars long) and extremely short "headways" (the time between trains). Because maglevs are controlled by an automated, synchronous long-stator motor in the guideway, they can safely run much closer together than traditional trains that rely on friction-based braking. In an urban "low-speed" maglev context (like the Linimo in Japan), the capacity is designed for mass transit, moving roughly 30,000 passengers per hour. The primary limitation on maglev capacity is not the technology itself, but the size of the stations and the speed at which passengers can board and alight from the vehicles during the very short station stops.