Latest update:17 December 2025 at 07:00 IST

A trial run of a futuristic maglev train in Japan stunned a reporter and the Internet after the train passed at nearly 500 kilometers per hour, showcasing the country’s high-speed rail technology.

The train’s launch has now been postponed until 2034. (Image source: Instagram)

Japan’s bullet trains have long been the global standard for high-speed rail, known for their remarkable speed, near-perfect punctuality, and an unparalleled safety record with no fatal accidents in more than six decades. Now, Japan is pushing transportation even further into the future with its next-generation maglev train, and the result is leaving people speechless.

In a video that has now gone viral, a Japanese reporter witnessed a maglev in action for the first time. While the train was traveling at an astonishing speed of 310 mph (about 500 km/h), it did not shake or vibrate like a traditional locomotive. Instead, it was swirling quietly, floating on a cushion of magnetic force.

How did the reporter react?

Although he expected top speed, the reporter was completely unprepared for the surreal sight of the train accelerating like an airplane while remaining completely stable. It passed so quickly that it was almost impossible to see it, resulting in stunned silence followed by uncontrollable laughter. The moment, captured on video, quickly went viral, with viewers around the world agreeing to not believe the reporter.

The clip shows journalists reacting in awe to the superconducting magnetic train developed by JR Central in cooperation with the Railway Technical Research Institute.

How do Instagram users respond?

The “blink and you miss it” speed has left social media users equally astonished. Instagram viewers flooded the comments with humor and disbelief. Many expressed that they had the same reaction, while others compared that the train must be faster than the speed of light.

“If you blink, you might miss it,” read one comment.

Another quipped: “I think the train was racing the car under the bridge. It was going at the same speed.”

“It’s like my paycheck comes into my account and then it just disappears,” one user said.

“That’s faster than the speed of light. I doubt it,” one person said.

“Literally my same reaction,” another user commented.

Delay in launch

According to Blue News, the maglev train is being tested as part of the ambitious Chūō Shinkansen project, which aims to connect Tokyo and Osaka. Once completed, the line is expected to feature the world’s fastest passenger train, with a top speed of 500 kilometers per hour.

However, the project faced major delays. It was scheduled to open in 2027, but the launch was postponed until 2034 due to construction challenges. Costs have also risen, with estimates reaching around 40 billion Swiss francs.

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