Passengers Break Out in Spontaneous Applause as Japan's Maglev Train Completes First Test Run... Reaching Speeds of over 500 KILOMETRES PER HOUR
- 100 passengers boarded the maglev train's inaugural 42.8 km journey
- Total of 2,400 people will experience the train over eight days in December
- New magnetic levitation railway line expected to be complete in 2027
- Lightning-fast trains will cut travel times in half
23 November 2014
Lucky passengers have finally experienced the lightning quick travel time of Japan's maglev train.
The first trial run which included 100 passengers on board operated between the cities of Uenohara and Fuefuki in the Yamanashi Prefecture
The 42.8 km trip whizzed by as the train travelled at speeds OVER 500 kilometres per hour.
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The first 100 passengers have experienced the lightning-fast speeds of Japan's maglev train. Pictured: the test track at Yamanashi Prefecture.
As they experienced such a record-breaking ride, several passengers began to applaud
Riding aboard Japan's super-fast Maglev train;
Excited passengers were filmed as they experienced their first record-breaking journey, with most snapping pictures in amazement and awe.
A total of 2,400 people - selected by lottery - will have the chance to experience the high-speed ride over eight days in December. Almost 300,000 people had applied for the passes.
On board, guests could also track the ever-increasing velocity on the monitoring screens - with the maximum topping out at 502 km/hr.
Excited members of the public snapped photos as the train reached speeds of 502 km per hour
A total of 2,400 people were selected to try out the trains over eight days
The Central Japan Railway Company is running eight days of testing for the experimental maglev Shinkansen train on the Yamanashi Prefecture test track.
The trains use magnetic levitation to 'float' above the tracks.
Even faster that Japan's famous bullet trains, which currently travel at 320 km/hr, the maglev trains are expected to eventually consist of 16 carriages and carry up to 1,000 passengers at a time.
When completed in 2027, their exceptional speed capacity will cut the travel time by half, linking Tokyo's Shinagawa Station with Nagoya in about 40 minutes, a journey which currently takes approximately 80 minutes.
Riding Aboard Japan's Super-Fast Maglev Train