Taiwan welcomes new high-speed train from Japan

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan - Taiwan's high-speed rail operator celebrated the arrival of its first new-generation N700ST train from Japan on Saturday, marking a significant milestone in their nearly two decades of collaboration based on Japanese Shinkansen technology. The advanced train, which can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour, is set to enter commercial service as early as July 2027.

The N700ST, derived from the N700S model utilized on Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen Line connecting Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, was unveiled at a ceremony at Kaohsiung Port in southern Taiwan. Local and Japanese officials, along with attendees, applauded as the train's lead car was carefully unloaded onto the pier. Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. had placed an order for 12 trainsets, each consisting of 12 cars, from a consortium including Hitachi Ltd. and Toshiba Corp., in 2023 for around 124 billion yen ($780 million).

These state-of-the-art trainsets, measuring approximately 300 meters in length, will provide commercial service with a full-active suspension system to minimize vibrations. Additionally, each seat will feature power outlets, and the trains are equipped with a lithium-ion battery-powered backup system. This system can either move the trains to a safe location at low speed or maintain onboard facilities like lighting and restrooms in the event of a power outage.

Once all 12 N700ST trainsets are operational, peak-hour transport capacity is projected to increase by 25 percent, according to Taiwan High Speed Rail. Currently, the operator runs 700T trains based on Japan's 700 series across a 12-station network serving Taiwan's western corridor, which opened in 2007.

During the ceremony, Taiwan High Speed Rail Chairman Shih Che emphasized the economic benefits high-speed rail has brought to communities along its route, describing the operator as an "artery of Taiwan" and an "indispensable part of everyday life." Meanwhile, Taiwan's Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai highlighted the new train as a "milestone" that will shape the development of the rail network and Taiwan's cities and industries over the next 20 years.