First N700ST “platypus” high-speed train rolls out for Taiwan, deliveries begin August 2026
The first of 12 new N700ST trainsets for Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation rolled out of Hitachi’s Kasado Works on July 30, 2026, with deliveries beginning in August and commercial service starting in 2027. The “platypus”-nosed trains mark a fleet renewal for the island’s high-speed line.
On July 30, 2026, the first of 12 new-generation N700ST trainsets rolled out of Hitachi’s Kasado Works in Japan, the initial 12-car unit destined for the Taiwan High Speed Rail network.
The train is the product of the Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium, and its rollout marks the start of deliveries that will see the first set arrive in Taiwan during August 2026.
The N700ST has already acquired the “platypus” nickname, a reference to the aerodynamic nose profile that distinguishes the latest generation of Japanese high-speed rolling stock.
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. now faces the logistics of bringing the new fleet into service. The 12 trainsets will be delivered gradually starting in August 2026, with the final units arriving over the next two years.
The first batch is expected to begin commercial operations next year, with six trainsets entering service in 2027 and the remaining six following in 2028.