Watch: UP CM Yogi Adityanath takes a test ride on Japan’s SCMAGLEV

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday took a ride on Japan’s high-speed SCMAGLEV train during his official visit to the country, describing the system as a glimpse of future transport built on clean and precise mobility.The test run took place on the Yamanashi Maglev Line. The train, developed by the Central Japan Railway Company, uses superconducting magnetic technology to lift the coaches above the guideway. There are no conventional wheels touching rails – less friction and higher velocity.

Yogi Adityanath’s SCMAGLEV ride in Yamanashi
During the ride, the train crossed 500 km/h. In a post on X, Adityanath wrote that he was travelling at 501 km/h and called the experience “smooth and remarkably stable even at extraordinary speed.” He added that such technology reflects Japan’s long-term focus on infrastructure and innovation.

You can see that I was travelling at 501 km/h.

Experienced Japan’s advanced SCMAGLEV train in Yamanashi, a next-generation high-speed system that reaches speeds of up to 500 km/h and represents the future of clean, efficient and precision mobility.The ride was smooth and… pic.twitter.com/Xbp8ftEwv8

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 26, 2026

The SCMAGLEV previously set a world record of 603 km/h in 2015. Officials present during the demonstration highlighted the train’s quiet movement and layered safety systems, noting that speed does not compromise operational control.

What makes SCMAGLEV different

Unlike traditional high-speed rail, the maglev system floats using powerful magnets. Once the train gains momentum, it rises slightly above the track and is propelled forward by magnetic forces. The absence of wheel-rail contact reduces vibration and mechanical wear.

Japan has positioned the technology as a long-term investment in rapid intercity travel, per ANI reports. The Yamanashi test line continues to serve as a proving ground for further upgrades.

India-Japan cooperation in focus

Beyond the demonstration ride, the visit carried diplomatic weight. Adityanath thanked the Japanese government and the Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture for supporting closer India-Japan ties – referencing the broader vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Chief Minister also pointed to cooperation beyond transport. A proposed initiative aims to strengthen the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur as a Centre of Excellence, with emphasis on green hydrogen research, ANI reported.

According to Adityanath, such work could support Uttar Pradesh’s push toward energy self-sufficiency.

He said that when technology moves at such speed, “the future feels closer than ever.”