Tokyo ( CNN ) It 's a bird -- It 's a plane -- It 's an insanely fast Japanese bullet train . A Japan Railway maglev train hit 603 kilometers per hour ( 374 miles per hour ) on an experimental track in Yamanashi Tuesday , setting a decisive new world record . A spokesperson said the train spent 10.8 seconds traveling above 600 kilometers per hour , during which it covered 1.8 kilometers ( 1.1 miles ) . That 's nearly 20 football fields in the time it took you to read the last two sentences . Takeo Ookanda , who runs an exhibition center next to the test track , said witnesses erupted with excitement and applause when the new record was set . `` I was moved just like many other visitors here today , '' he told CNN . `` This maglev project ... ( increases ) the hope that Japan can have a good growth again in the future . '' The train broke its own record from last Thursday , when it ran at 590 kilometers per hour ( 366 miles per hour ) on a test track . That beat the old record of 581 kilometers per hour ( 361 miles per hour ) , which was set in 2003 during another Japanese maglev test . Right now , China operates the world 's fastest commercial maglev , which has hit 431 kilometers per hour ( 268 miles per hour ) on a route through Shanghai . By contrast , the fastest train in the United States , Amtrak 's Acela Express , is only capable of 241 kilometers per hour ( 150 miles per hour ) , though it usually plods along at half that speed . Unlike traditional trains , maglev trains work by using magnets to push the train away from the tracks and drive the train forward . Japan 's maglevs do n't use metal tracks — instead , they float nearly 10 cm ( 4 inches ) above special guideways , allowing for frictionless movement . Japan Railways has been testing their train to figure out the best operational speed for a planned route between Tokyo and Nagoya , scheduled to begin service in 2027 . That trip can take nearly 5 hours by car . But in the future , a maglev train could finish the journey in 40 minutes . READ MORE : The future of transportation will blow your hair back . CNN 's Yoko Wakatsuki contributed reporting .
Japanese passenger trains set new speed record : 603 kilometers per hour . The train is scheduled to begin service in 2027 .