Question

What term is the popular phrase (in English) to describe the Japanese train known as the Shinkansen?

Answer 1

Shinkansen is the term used to describe bullet trains in Japan and it literally means “new trunk line.” Sometimes referred to as “super express” services in English, Shinkansen trains mostly run on dedicated tracks and stop only at major stations.

Answer 2

In English, the trains are also known as the bullet train. The term bullet train (弾丸列車, dangan ressha) originates from 1939, and was the initial name given to the Shinkansen project in its earliest planning stages