--- title: "Japan Just Shipped a 1,000-Foot Bullet Train to Another Country" date: "2026-08-18" modified: "2026-08-18" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/japan-just-shipped-a-1000-foot-bullet-train-to-another-country" categories: - "News" --- # Japan Just Shipped a 1,000-Foot Bullet Train to Another Country ![Shinkansen rail car being removed from cargo ship in Taiwan]() *\TaiwanPlus News via YouTube\* Despite its obvious association with Japan, Japan isn't the only country where you can ride the Shinkansen—colloquially referred to as the "bullet train"—to get around. The same [high-speed trains]() used by JR Central and produced by a consortium of Japanese companies are also used elsewhere in Asia, including in Taiwan. Over the weekend, Taiwan took delivery of the first of 12 brand-new trains, based on the latest Shinkansen, and shipped from Japan via boat. Each train is composed of 12 railcars, will measure just under 1,000 feet in length, and will travel up to 186 mph, or 300 km/h, according to *[Railway Pro]()*. This new generation of Shinkansen is designed to be more efficient and operate with less vibration; it also uses lithium-ion backup batteries that allow the train to continue at a reduced speed if power is lost, while keeping the lights on and toilets running. Taiwan was the first country to borrow Shinkansen tech for its own high-speed rail system 19 years ago. The line runs from Taipei at the north of the island, through the more developed western coast, and terminates at Kaohsiung in the west. It's a distance of about 210 miles, takes around 90 minutes, and costs less than $50 for a one-way ticket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6MFcqrWEgQ This new Shinkansen equipment built by Hitachi and Toshiba won't complete that journey any faster, but it figures to be a major update all the same, adding to the initial fleet that Japan first sold to Taiwan two decades ago. It took two days for all 12 railcars comprising the first train to be unloaded off their cargo ship. Through the rest of the week, they'll be transported by road from the port at Kaohsiung to the depot in Yanchao, where they'll be assembled before hitting the track next summer. If you're wondering how much an order like this costs, the invoice was about $840 million. Or, you know, [21 first-edition Ferrari Luces](). *Got a tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()