Japanese train smashes 600kph barrier to beat its own world record

Operator JR Central said the train reached a top speed of 603kph. Jiji Press / AFP Photo

The train travelled about 1.8 kilometres at a speed exceeding 600 kph (373mph).. Jiji Press / AFP Photo

Unlike regular shinkansen or ‘bullet trains’ that run on steel rails, magnetic levitation trains hover above rails, suspended by powerful magnets. Junko Ozaki / Kyodo News via AP Photo

The Maglev Test Line, near Mount Fuji about 80 kilometres west of Tokyo, is developing technology for use on a future 410km link that will reduce travel time between Tokyo and Osaka to just over an hour. Katsuya Miyagawa / Kyodo News via AP Photo

The line, which will mostly run under mountains, is due to begin operations in the late 2020s.. Katsuya Miyagawa / Kyodo News via AP Photo

TOKYO // A Japanese maglev that is the fastest passenger train in the world has broken its own speed record.

Operator JR Central said the train reached 603 kilometres per hour (375 miles per hour) in a test run on Tuesday, surpassing its previous record of 361mph (581 kph) set in 2003. The train travelled about 1.8 kilometres at a speed exceeding 600 kph (373mph).

Japan’s high-speed rail services are among the most advanced in the world, with hundreds of trains running each day with minimal delays. However, unlike regular shinkansen or “bullet trains” that run on steel rails, magnetic levitation trains hover above rails, suspended by powerful magnets.

The Maglev Test Line, near Mount Fuji about 80 kilometres west of Tokyo, is developing technology for use on a future 410km link that will reduce travel time between Tokyo and Osaka to just over an hour. The current minimum by bullet train is nearly three hours.

The maglev trains, begun as a project of Japan Airlines and the national railways with government support, have undergone decades of testing. Construction of the Tokyo-Osaka link, which is expected to cost more than 9 trillion yen (Dh279 billion), began in 2014.

The line, which will mostly run under mountains, is due to begin operations in the late 2020s. A similar system operates in Shanghai, linking its airport in the seaside suburbs of Pudong to the city’s subway system.

* Associated Press