A new model of the bullet train hit a record speed of 360 kilometres per hour during a test run, Japan’s JR Central railway operator said on Saturday. The N700S model will begin operations in July on the Tokaido-Shinkansen line linking Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture, The Japan Times reported. The “S” in N700S stands for “Supreme”, Reuters reported.

The test was conducted on a track between Maibara and Kyoto cities, The Japan Times reported quoting the JR Central operator. The train will hit a maximum speed of 285 km per hour during commercial operations, it added.

The operator has spent ¥240 billion (Rs 15,235 crore) to introduce the N700S train series, and will continue test runs till the end of June, according to Bloomberg.

The train is lighter and uses less energy than current designs, Reuters said. It added that the model also carries extra safety features, for calamities like earthquakes, which are a common occurrence in Japan.

Another operator, East Japan Railway Co, plans to unveil a model by the spring of 2031 which will be able to hit a top speed of 360 km per hour during commercial operations, Kyodo News Plus reported.