The L0 Series reached 603 km/h during a 2015 test run on Japan’s Yamanashi maglev line.
The L0 Series is a superconducting maglev train developed by Central Japan Railway Company for the Chuo Shinkansen project. On April 21, 2015, a seven-car L0 train set a world record for manned rail-vehicle speed at 603 km/h during testing. The record was achieved on a test track, not in scheduled passenger service.
Maglev trains differ from conventional high-speed trains because they are lifted and guided by magnetic forces rather than running on steel wheels throughout the high-speed portion of travel. The L0 system uses superconducting magnets and a guideway designed for very high speeds.
The 603 km/h record is often mistaken for a commercial operating speed. Planned passenger services are expected to run substantially slower, balancing speed, energy use, infrastructure, and operating conditions. The L0 Series also differs from the wheel-on-rail Shinkansen families, despite both being Japanese high-speed railway projects.