JR Central Expands Tokyo-Nagoya Maglev Schedule to 2034-35

JR Central revised Chūō Shinkansen Tokyo-Nagoya completion to 2034-2035. Tunneling delays affect the 286-kilometer, €60 billion maglev project.

JR Central Expands Tokyo-Nagoya Maglev Schedule to 2034-35
January 26, 2026 1:39 pm | Last Update: March 9, 2026 2:03 am
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Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) has revised the completion schedule for the Tokyo-Nagoya section of the Chūō Shinkansen. The new operational launch window is between 2034 and 2035, a change from the previous target of 2027.

The project utilizes the L0 Series train, which is based on Superconducting Magnetic Levitation (SCMaglev) technology. During testing on the Yamanashi Maglev Line in 2015, the vehicle set a world record speed of 603.5 km/h. The planned maximum operational speed for the commercial service is 500 km/h.

Construction of the 286-kilometer route requires entirely new infrastructure, including extensive deep-tunnel sections. JR Central has attributed the revised completion date to delays encountered during these complex tunneling works. The estimated cost for the Tokyo-Nagoya segment is approximately €60 billion.

Once operational, the Chūō Shinkansen is expected to reduce the travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya to 40 minutes. A future phase of the project includes an extension of the line from Nagoya to Osaka. In China, CRRC Changchun is developing a competing maglev prototype with a design speed of 600 km/h for potential deployment on routes like Beijing to Shanghai.