Hitachi Delivers First N700ST High-Speed Train to Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan – The first of 12 N700ST high-speed trainsets ordered by Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) was shipped from Japan in July 2026, after final assembly at Hitachi’s Kasado Works. The 12-car train is the first complete trainset delivered under the JPY 124 billion contract placed with the Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium (HTSC) in May 2023. THSRC said the entire fleet is scheduled to enter commercial service by the end of 2028.

What Does This Contract Cover?

The contract covers 12 twelve-car N700ST trainsets — 144 railcars in total — plus depot equipment for THSRC’s Yanchao maintenance base. Each trainset is approximately 300 metres long and is rated for a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h on Taiwan’s existing north–south high-speed corridor.

Hitachi is the lead manufacturer, Toshiba supplies the silicon-carbide traction package and the SCiB lithium-ion backup battery system, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is equipping the Yanchao workshop where the fleet will be maintained. The contract value is arithmetically equivalent to roughly JPY 10.3 billion per 12-car trainset and about JPY 861 million per railcar, although THSRC has not disclosed whether that total includes spare parts, training, or long-term support services.

Key Contract Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Contracts?

The N700ST programme is the first export application of the N700S platform, but THSRC has not published a contract-price comparison against its original 700T procurement. The domestic N700S entered service with Central Japan Railway Company in 2020, while the Taiwanese version is configured as a 12-car, 300 km/h trainset adapted to the operating and maintenance environment of the Taipei–Kaohsiung line. (Source: JR Central, 2020)

The order is being delivered into a strong global market for rolling stock. Alstom reported record group orders of EUR 27.6 billion in fiscal year 2026, equivalent to a book-to-bill ratio of 1.4, and the smart-railways sector has been generating new contract activity across signalling and automated train operation. (Source: RailwayPRO, 2026; Source: Future Market Insights, 2025)

Japan’s high-speed rail investment market is projected to advance at a 4.2% CAGR between 2026 and 2036, supported by asset renewal and precision-service requirements on dense networks — a tailwind for the export supply chain behind HTSC. (Source: Future Market Insights, 2026) Direct comparable data for THSRC’s original 700T contract was not publicly available at time of publication.

Editor’s Analysis

THSRC is prioritising an evolutionary upgrade of its proven 12-car, 300 km/h operating concept over a leap to a faster platform, suggesting the commercial case rests on energy savings, train frequency, and passenger amenity rather than headline speed. The order also confirms Taiwan as a durable market for Shinkansen-derived technology at a time when global manufacturers are reporting record order backlogs. With roughly 25% more peak-period capacity planned, the N700ST fleet is a frequency-driven answer to corridor congestion, not a route-expansion programme.

FAQ

Q: When will passengers be able to ride Taiwan’s new N700ST high-speed train?
A: THSRC has committed to commercial operation of the full 12-train fleet by the end of 2028. An exact launch date for the first trainset has not been officially announced.

Q: How fast is the N700ST and how much extra capacity will it provide?
A: The maximum operating speed is 300 km/h, matching the current 700T trains on the Taipei–Kaohsiung line. THSRC estimates the additional trainsets will enable peak-period capacity to rise by approximately 25%.

Q: How do the N700ST and Japan’s N700S differ?
A: The N700ST is a Taiwanese adaptation of the N700S: it is a 12-car trainset rather than the longer domestic Japanese formations, and it uses Toshiba’s SCiB battery system, silicon-carbide traction components, and interiors configured for Taiwan’s operating requirements. THSRC has not confirmed whether further design changes were made for local climate or depot compatibility.