Hitachi Toshiba Consortium Delivers First N700ST to Taiwan

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan – The first 12-car N700ST high-speed trainset ordered by Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) arrived in Kaohsiung in July 2026 after shipment from Hitachi’s Kasado Works in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan. Built by Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium (HTSC), the train is the first of 12 sets contracted in May 2023. Each trainset measures approximately 300 meters and is designed for a maximum service speed of 300 km/h on the Taipei–Kaohsiung corridor.

What Does This Contract Cover?

HTSC’s May 2023 contract covers 12 high-speed trainsets, totaling 144 passenger cars, based on the N700S Shinkansen platform operated by Central Japan Railway Co. The Taiwan specification adds a self-propelled lithium-ion battery back-up supply from Toshiba Infrastructure Systems, allowing emergency low-speed movement when overhead power is unavailable.

Manufacturer-confirmed interior features include nursing rooms and barrier-free facilities, differentiating the N700ST from older Taiwan rolling stock. The port arrival in Kaohsiung was confirmed by regional media, and HTSC states the remaining 11 sets will be commissioned progressively so that all 12 are in revenue service by the end of 2028. Total fleet capacity released by this order has not been disclosed by either HTSC or THSRC.

Key Contract Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Contracts?

The N700ST is the second Shinkansen-derived fleet ordered for Taiwan, following 34 series-700T 12-car trainsets that entered revenue service on the corridor in 2007. The original 700T fleet already operates at 300 km/h, meaning THSRC’s new order is not a headline-speed upgrade but a fleet-modernisation and resilience buy (Source: Taiwan High Speed Rail operating records, 2007–2025).

JR Central’s domestic N700S trainsets, in 16-car formation on the Tokaido Shinkansen, run at a 285 km/h maximum commercial speed; the 12-car Taiwanese derivative is rated for 300 km/h, making it the fastest N700S-family application announced to date (Source: Central Japan Railway Co., 2020). The order also represents the first export deployment of the N700S platform, a notable step because Japan has exported Shinkansen technology only to Taiwan.

Regional procurement patterns show contrasting approaches to fleet renewal: Indonesia’s commuter operator had placed 16 new trainsets in service as of December 31, 2025, with 11 sets built by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and five produced locally by PT INKA — a manufacturing-localisation strategy that differs sharply from Taiwan’s complete-import model (Source: Tempo.co, 2025). Japan’s railway system market is projected to grow at a 4.2% CAGR from 2026 to 2036, supported by asset renewal and precision-maintenance demand on high-density networks — conditions that favour exports of mature Shinkansen-derived platforms (Source: Future Market Insights, 2025).

Editor’s Analysis

Adding 12 twelve-car sets to a nominal fleet of 34 raises THSRC’s trainset count by roughly 35%, creating the operational slack needed to withdraw ageing 700T units for deep overhaul without shrinking peak-hour capacity on the west coast corridor. The Toshiba lithium-ion back-up system shifts the fleet’s emergency profile from stranded-train recovery toward self-powered movement, a meaningful resilience feature on a rail network exposed to frequent seismic disruption. This order, combined with JR Central’s domestic N700S renewal programme, points to a sustained Japanese rolling-stock export cycle rather than a one-off replacement sale (Source: Future Market Insights, 2025).

FAQ

Q: When did Taiwan receive its first N700S-based high-speed train?
A: The first N700ST trainset arrived in Kaohsiung in July 2026, shipped from Hitachi’s Kasado Works in Japan. HTSC is scheduled to deliver all 12 sets for commercial operation by the end of 2028.

Q: How fast will Taiwan’s new N700ST trains run?
A: Each 12-car set is rated for a 300 km/h maximum service speed over approximately 300 meters in length. That matches the existing 700T operating speed and exceeds the 285 km/h commercial limit of JR Central’s domestic 16-car N700S.

Q: Why do the Taiwan N700ST trains carry a battery back-up system?
A: The Toshiba lithium-ion battery provides self-propelled back-up power, allowing a train to move at reduced speed if the overhead catenary supply is lost. This is a safety and resilience feature intended to reduce passenger evacuation risk during power disruptions on Taiwan’s high-speed line.