Jaw-dropping video captures moment international bullet train rips past station: 'Nothing short of superhuman'
There's nothing quite like the heart-pounding thrill of watching a high-speed train blast by.
A video posted by TikToker Harissa Boy (@harissa_boy) shows the mighty velocity of the Shinkansen train zooming through a Japanese rail station as awe-inspired onlookers watch, with a catchy, sped-up synth remix of Jacques Offenbach's famous can-can song Galop Infernal.
Shinkansen is the Japanese term for a bullet train. The Japan Rail Pass website writes, "Travelling at speeds of up to 320kph [about 199 mph], Japanese bullet trains are nothing short of superhuman."
From Tokyo to Osaka, according to Japan Rail Pass, this train takes two-and-a-half hours and costs 13,620 yen — about $94. Flying takes a little over an hour and costs about the same. Driving could take over six hours.
Travelers describe the ride through the Japanese countryside as "amazing," offering ample space, comfort, and breathtaking views.
Besides avoiding crowded flights or long drives, a significant difference is really in the environmental effects. A high-speed train offers a viable alternative to methods that consume high amounts of fuel.
Researchers Qiong Shen, Yuxi Pan, and Yanchao Feng investigated the environmental impact of increased high-speed train usage, focusing on fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Their research, published in Humanities and Social Science Communications, found that "the introduction of high-speed railways has been instrumental in promoting eco-friendly development, as evidenced by a notable reduction in traditional resource consumption and carbon emissions along the railway routes. This inhibitory effect has strengthened over time and with increasing distance from the railway."
The U.S. currently has only one train that approaches speeds similar to the Shinkansen. CNN reports, "Only Amtrak's Northeast Corridor has trains that can travel at speeds approaching those of the 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph) TGV and Shinkansen. Even here, Amtrak Acela trains currently max out at 150 mph — and only in short bursts."
Commenters on TikTok were all aboard for the bullet train.
"And they slow down to half the speed going through the stations. I was on one three weeks ago while I was in Japan. Amazingly smooth," one said, suggesting the actual speed is even faster.
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Someone added, "In some rural stations, they do a full speed blow by, and it's pretty insane to see IRL."
Another wrote, "Now that's the way to go!"
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