Trip Ideas Bus and Train Travel Japan's Future Ultra-fast Bullet Train Will Reach Speeds up to 311 mph (Video) By Andrea Romano Andrea Romano Andrea Romano is a writer and editor in New York City. For the last eight years, she has been a lifestyle journalist for Mashable, Brit+Co, Reviewed, Bustle, and Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on February 27, 2020 Japan is home to some of the fastest trains in the world, and now, the country is working on a bullet train that will leave all the rest behind. According to Matador Network, Japan Railways Group (JR Group), a conglomerate of companies that overtook rail operations from the government of Japan, has been developing an ultra-fast bullet train that will take passengers from Tokyo to Osaka in 67 minutes. For context, that commute will virtually be cut in half, since the current average travel time between these two cities is about two and a half hours, according to Matador Network. In order to do this, a Linear bullet train will be developed to run on wheels until it gains enough speed to retract them and essentially levitate four inches above the rail all the way through the journey, Matador Network reported. By doing this, the train is estimated to reach about 311 miles per hour. Yamanashi, Japan - June 11, 2015: Linear motor high speed train Maglev L-0 in Yamanashi test line in Japan, June 11, 2015. JR Tokai is planning to build commercial line from Tokyo to Nagoya by 2027. Getty Images Japan is well know for its super fast bullet trains. One of the first of these trains is the Shinkansen train, which debuted at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and can reach speeds up to 199 miles per hour. The Shinkansen train is still operational after over 50 years of service. Similar bullet trains are now used all over the globe to help people get from point A to point B as fast as possible. The country has a number of other high-speed trains and is developing even more for the future. These trains can certainly help people get around more efficiently and even fuel economic growth, but this incredibly fast “levitating” train is still many years away from being a reality. According to Matador Network, the cost is around $50.5 billion and it is not anticipated to be complete before 2037. Infrastructure must also be built first, including underground tunnels for the train to run through. Matador Network reported that 86 percent of the track will be underground in order to avoid areas that have high risk of earthquakes. With so many astounding innovations in the works, anyone can feel hopeful about the future of travel in both Japan and worldwide.