Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium (HTSC) has shipped the first of 12 new high-speed trainsets ordered by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC).
This marks a key stage in the delivery of a fleet based on Japan’s N700S Shinkansen platform.
The first shipment, comprising a 12-car trainset manufactured at Hitachi’s Kasado Works in Japan, has departed for Taiwan. It forms part of a contract awarded to the consortium in May 2023 for 12 trainsets, totalling 144 cars.
The new trains, designated N700ST, have been developed from the N700S Shinkansen currently operated in Japan and adapted to meet THSRC’s operational requirements.
Each train will be approximately 300 metres long and designed to operate at a maximum commercial speed of 300km/h on Taiwan’s north-south high-speed railway between Nangang in Taipei and Zuoying in Kaohsiung.
The fleet incorporates a number of technologies intended to improve efficiency and resilience. These include a traction system combining silicon carbide (SiC) power devices with a blower-less cooling system to reduce equipment size, weight and energy consumption.
The trains will also be equipped with Toshiba’s SCiB™ lithium-ion battery system, enabling the train to move at low speed to a safe location during a power outage while maintaining onboard services such as lighting and toilet facilities.
The exterior design combines a white front end with orange accents reflecting THSRC’s corporate identity, while retaining visual elements from the existing 700T fleet.
Passenger facilities have also been updated. Standard Class will feature reclining seats with linked seat cushions, while Business Class will include wraparound seating. Other features include active suspension to reduce vibration, power sockets at every seat, full-colour LCD passenger information displays, additional luggage storage, upgraded nursing rooms and increased wheelchair spaces compared with the existing fleet.
The 12 trainsets are scheduled to enter commercial service by the end of 2028. The additional trains are expected to increase passenger capacity on Taiwan High Speed Rail by approximately 25% during peak periods through an increase in service frequency.
The new fleet will operate on Taiwan’s principal high-speed corridor, linking Taipei and Kaohsiung and serving stations along the island’s west coast.
