The Japanese L0 Series maglev train holds the world rail speed record of 603 km/h.
Central Japan Railway Company, commonly called JR Central, developed the L0 Series for the Chuo Shinkansen maglev project. During a test run on the Yamanashi Maglev Line on 21 April 2015, a seven-car L0 train reached 603 km/h, surpassing its own earlier record of 590 km/h set six days before.
The L0 Series is a superconducting maglev rather than a conventional wheel-on-rail bullet train. Its cars use superconducting magnets to levitate above and move along a specially built guideway. This means the record is often described as the world record for rail vehicles, but it should not be confused with the maximum speed of an ordinary commercial Shinkansen.
JR Central plans to use the technology on the Chuo Shinkansen. The first planned section, between Shinagawa and Nagoya, is intended to cut the journey substantially compared with the existing Tokaido Shinkansen route.