Videos: New “Hayabusa” bullet train boasts 320km/h top speed

Japan has a long history of producing bullet trains, and now, the country is about to get yet another one. East Japan Railway recently tested the so-called “Hayabusa” (“Peregrine Falcon” in Japanese) between Shichinohe-Towada and Shin-Aomori stations in Aomori prefecture (Northern Japan).

The new bullet train, which has a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour, needed 20 minutes for the distance, traveling at an average speed of 140km/h.

East Japan Railway Corp. says that further tests at increased speeds are planned until September. The Hayabusa will then be introduced to the Tohoku Shinkansen Line between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori in spring 2011. It’s expected to need just 3 hours and 5 minutes to cover that distance, which is about 50 minutes faster than with other bullet trains.

Here’s a video showing Hayabusa during its first test run:

Here’s another clip:

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