The original 0 Series Shinkansen had a maximum speed of 210 km/h when it entered service in 1964.
Japan’s first high-speed electric trains were designed for the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. Their 210 km/h top speed was exceptionally high for regular passenger service and helped establish the modern meaning of “bullet train.” The first trains began operating for the public on 1 October 1964, shortly before the Tokyo Olympics.
The 0 Series was not a single short train type but a family of trainsets used on several Shinkansen routes. Later versions received technical improvements, and operating speeds increased on newer lines and equipment. The 210 km/h figure describes the original train’s maximum speed, not the speed of every later Shinkansen. It is also distinct from the line’s journey time or a train’s average speed, which is lower because of stations, curves, and timetable stops.