Taiwan welcomes new high-speed train from Japan

Taiwan’s high-speed rail operator on Saturday welcomed its first new-generation N700ST train from Japan, marking the latest chapter in nearly two decades of cooperation rooted in Japanese shinkansen technology.

The new train is slated to enter commercial service as early as July 2027. The N700ST, based on the N700S model used on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line connecting Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations, was presented at a ceremony at Kaohsiung Port in southern Taiwan.

Officials and guests from Taiwan and Japan broke into applause as they welcomed the train, with the lead car steadily unloaded onto the pier.

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Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. ordered 12 trainsets, each comprising 12 cars, from a consortium consisting of Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and others, in 2023 for about 124 billion yen ($780 million).

Each trainset, approximately 300 meters long, will operate commercially at a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour and feature a full-active suspension system that helps reduce vibration. Power outlets will also be available at every seat.

The trains are also equipped with a lithium-ion battery-powered backup system that, in the event of a power outage, can either move them at low speed to a safe location or keep onboard facilities such as lighting and restrooms operational.

Once all 12 N700ST trainsets enter service, peak-hour transport capacity is expected to increase by 25 percent, Taiwan High Speed Rail said. The operator currently runs 700T trains based on Japan’s 700 series across a 12-station network serving Taiwan’s western corridor, which opened in 2007.

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In his speech delivered at the ceremony, Taiwan High Speed Rail Chairman Shih Che highlighted the economic benefits high-speed rail has brought to communities along its route, saying the operator “has become an artery of Taiwan and an indispensable part of everyday life.”

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Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai said the new train represents more than just an addition to Taiwan’s high-speed rail fleet, describing it as a “milestone” that will shape the development of the rail network, as well as Taiwan’s cities and industries, over the next 20 years. /dl