Transport: Japan's trains take track record
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There may be faster ways of travelling, but not on railway tracks. Japan's latest shinkansen bullet trains are now officially the fastest passenger carriages in the world, according to a global survey by Railway Gazette.
The 120-mile stretch from Hiroshima to Kokura takes only 44 minutes as Japanese travellers are propelled at more than 160mph on the shinkansen. The French TGV, for 15 years the world's speediest service, races along at a little more than 158mph from Lille to Paris.
Eurostar manages to claim third place, on its journey from Paris to Mons, where it clocks more than 130mph. Britain's fastest railway, Great North Eastern, takes sixth spot with its 190-mile trip from London to York which runs at an average speed of 112 mph. However, this title may soon slip away from the east-coast service. Chris Jackson, deputy editor of Railway Gazette, pointed out that Richard Branson's Virgin group had ordered trains that will run at 160 mph: "They are talking about it, but Virgin's West Coast service needs to upgrade a lot of track first," he said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments