JR Central said that it had named the Yamanashi Maglev Line of the Chuo Shinkansen the “Yamanashi Maglev Line” and had completed the experimental phase. It said that the technology required for commercial operation was complete and that levitation operation at 500 km/h could begin as soon as tomorrow.
At a maglev test-ride event held on 29 September, JR Central unveiled its new L0 Series improved test vehicle (M10) for the first time and said that levitation technology had virtually resolved the issues related to commercial operation. It also announced that the route previously known as the Yamanashi Maglev Experimental Line had changed to the “Yamanashi Maglev Line.”
The author toured the lead car of the M10 and took a test ride to experience its main selling point, levitation operation at 500 km/h. The maglev is operated by an automated ground-based system and runs using levitation and guidance coils and propulsion coils, without requiring an external power supply.
Meanwhile, the cumulative distance traveled over the 30 years from 1997 through August 2026 reached 5.617 million km, and the number of test riders reached 353,000, with participants reportedly giving it high marks. Although the line is expected to connect Shinagawa and Nagoya in as little as 40 minutes, the existing conventional wheel-on-rail Shinkansen is considered unlikely to achieve speeds of 500 km/h.