Japan’s bullet trains are famous across the world. The Shinkansen network stretches across thousands of kilometres, which links major cities in Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido. Every day, more than a million
passengers travel on these high-speed trains, which are known for their punctuality and near-perfect safety record. For decades, they have symbolised Japan’s technological excellence.
But now, Japan has introduced something unexpected: a bullet train with no seats at all. Yes, no seats, no passengers and not even side windows inside the coaches.
While Japan is rethinking what high-speed rail can look like, India is also moving forward with its own bullet train ambitions. But before we come to India’s project, here’s a closer look at what Japan has just unveiled.
Japan’s First No-Seat Bullet Train: What Is It?
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) recently revealed its first-ever Shinkansen designed entirely for cargo. Unlike the usual high-speed trains packed with passengers, this one is built only to transport goods.
The seven-car train once carried travellers. But it has now been redesigned for freight use. All seats have been removed and replaced with special non-slip flooring so that boxes and crates remain stable during high-speed movement.
There are no passenger amenities because obviously, there are no passengers.
What Will It Carry And How Is It Designed?
This cargo-only Shinkansen is expected to transport fresh food items like fish and vegetables, along with delicate precision equipment such as electronics and mechanical parts. These goods require fast delivery and careful handling.
Since no one needs to look outside, the side windows inside the cars are covered with artwork that features regional products from areas along the route. This will also help in reducing light and heat exposure inside the cargo space.
The train can reportedly carry up to 1,000 boxes per trip. To improve efficiency, JR East is also using automated carts to move boxes between platforms and train cars. This helps manage large shipment volumes even when manpower is limited.
Why Japan Is Introducing A Cargo Bullet Train
This new train is an expansion of JR’s existing Hakobyan Shinkansen shipping service, which is already used by businesses such as Tokyo restaurants to source fresh fish. Japan is currently facing a shortage of certified truck drivers. This has created uncertainty in maintaining strong logistics and delivery networks. By using high-speed rail for freight, JR East hopes to support supply chains and meet rising shipping demands, especially for time-sensitive goods.
When Will Japan’s First Freight Bullet Train Run?
The train was publicly shown for the first time recently. But it will officially begin regular operations on March 23. It will run once daily on weekdays between Morioka in Iwate Prefecture and Tokyo.
Take a look at the bullet train in the video shared by NTV News.
India’s First Bullet Train: The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Corridor
While Japan is innovating with cargo-based high-speed rail, India is preparing to launch its first passenger bullet train corridor.
The 508-kilometre Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project will connect India’s financial capital, Mumbai, with Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The corridor will operate using Japanese Shinkansen E5 series technology.
Once operational, trains will run at 320 km/h, with a maximum speed of 350 km/h. Travel time between the two cities will reduce to just 1 hour and 58 minutes for limited-stop services. Stopping at all stations will complete the journey in approximately 2 hours and 57 minutes.
Route, Stations And Key Infrastructure
The corridor stretches 508.17 km, passing through Maharashtra (155.76 km), Dadra & Nagar Haveli (4.3 km) and Gujarat (348.04 km).
There will be 12 stations: Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.
The infrastructure includes:
A 353 km long viaduct
25 river bridges
21 km of tunnels
A 7 km undersea tunnel at Thane Creek
To address environmental concerns, a 30-metre-wide wildlife passage is being built near Sanjay Gandhi National Park in the Karbau section.
Timeline And Operational Plans
The project will become operational in phases. The first stretch (a 100 km section between Surat and Vapi in Gujarat) is scheduled to be inaugurated first. Full end-to-end operations for the entire corridor are currently targeted for December 2029, while partial operations are expected to begin earlier, with August 15, 2027, often cited as a key milestone.
Once running fully, trains are expected to operate:
Every 20 minutes during peak hours
Every 30 minutes during non-peak hours
Nirmala Sitharaman’s Announcement On Future Bullet Train Corridors
India’s high-speed rail vision does not stop with Mumbai-Ahmedabad.
In the Union Budget 2026–27, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed seven new high-speed rail corridors to be developed over the next five years. The aim is to reduce travel time, lower emissions and promote regional development.
The planned routes include:
Mumbai–Pune
Pune–Hyderabad
Hyderabad–Bengaluru
Hyderabad–Chennai
Chennai–Bengaluru
Delhi–Varanasi
Varanasi–Siliguri
“In order to promote environmentally sustainable passenger systems, we will develop seven high-speed rail corridors between cities as growth connectors, namely Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Chennai, and Chennai to Bengaluru. Delhi to Varanasi, Varanasi to Siliguri,” the finance minister said.
During her speech, she also announced a new dedicated east-west freight corridor connecting Dankuni in the east with Surat in the west.
