Tokyo-Nagoya Maglev Line Construction to Cost US$14 billion More

• 4 May 2021
• Construction Focus
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The ultra-high-speed maglev train project running between Tokyo to Nagoya is expected to cost up to US$64 billion, an increase of almost US$14 billion in addition to the original estimated cost, according to Nikkei Asia.

The increase in budget is from the higher than expected costs for building complicated segments as well as from earthquake-proofing measures and removing soil produced by drilling tunnels.

The Tokyo-Nagoya maglev line is 290km and is a part of the 500km Tokyo-Osaka line.

The project was proposed in 2014 and is expected to be operational in 2027. However, the deadline was unclear after Shizuoka Prefecture decided not to approve construction work over fears of environmental damage last year.

According to GCR, unlike the existing shinkansen trains that trace the coastline, the maglev will go straight through the south Japanese Alps and 90% of the 500km length of the line will be made up of tunnels.

Maglev is an electromagnetic train system where the train levitates above the railway using superconducting magnets onboard the train and coils on the ground. This technology allows Maglev trains to run at up to 500 km/hr, or be able to carry passengers from Tokyo to Osaka in just an hour.

• Technology and Engineering
• Road and Infrastructure