UST Inc. Expert Evaluates Maglev Project

Evgeny Kalin, Head of the Department for Experimental Operation of Transport Complexes, has shared his assessment of the Japanese maglev project intended to connect Tokyo and Nagoya. According to the UST Inc. expert, it is one of the most technologically sophisticated and expensive infrastructure projects in the world.

Construction of the maglev system has been underway for several years. Part of the line has already been completed: JR Central’s 43-kilometer test section is fully operational. L0-series trainsets are being tested there, including levitation modes, automation systems, reliability, and energy consumption. Meanwhile, tunnels, stations, and track structures for the main route are progressing.

However, the project’s completion has been delayed multiple times. The expert notes: “Maglev can deliver 500 km/h, but at the price of a space program. Yes, it is a technologically strong solution: high speed, no friction, minimal wear, and low noise. But the cost has already exceeded 90 billion, and it’s still rising.” 

According to Evgeny Kalin, such budgets are unattainable for most countries. That is why today’s transportation priorities are shifting away from record-breaking speeds toward more practical criteria: safety, energy efficiency, cost per kilometer of track, and the ability to seamlessly integrate a route into existing urban infrastructure and natural terrain. This is exactly the approach taken by UST Inc. when designing its transport and infrastructure complexes.