Bullet Train vs Metro Train: Difference and Comparison

Everyone loves trains. In theory, at least. A moving vehicle that puffs steam and carries hundreds across thousands of miles, sounds wonderful.

Though the modern trains look far from the ones we had seen growing up in our letter books, the concept of trains bears a little resemblance. Bullet trains and metro trains are yet more marvels that human beings have created with the tools and toys they have been given.

Key Takeaways

  1. Bullet trains are high-speed trains that can travel up to 200 mph, while metro trains are designed for urban transportation and have a maximum speed of around 60 mph.
  2. Bullet trains are more expensive to build and operate than metro trains.
  3. Bullet trains have fewer stops than metro trains and are used for long-distance transportation.

Bullet Train vs Metro Train

Bullet train a type of rail system that operate at a significantly faster pace than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. Metro trains, also known as rapid transit are exclusively reserved for highly populated metropolitan cities.

Bullet Train vs Metro Train

Bullet trains, officially called the high-speed rail, are a rail transport type that beats all its counterparts in lieu of its speed. With significantly higher power, bullet trains operate on an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks.

Originating from Japan, bullet trains can run on a maximum of two hundred to two fifty kilometers per hour.

Metro trains, also known as rapid transit, are yet another type of rail transport that is predominantly focused on urban regions.

This public service rail network carries a large number of people within cities and towns, providing an efficient solution to the transportation problem faced in highly populated areas.

This system makes use of multiple electric units on rail tracks for its functioning.

Comparison Table

Parameters of ComparisonBullet TrainMetro Train
DefinitionBullet trains are a type of rail transport that runs at a much faster pace than other rail systems.Metro trains are a public transport rail system that operates in urban regions.
Alternate NamesHigh-Speed Rail (HSR), Bullet Trains.Heavy rail, Underground, U-Bahn, Metro, Subway, Tube, T-Bane.
OriginThe first bullet train was officially operated in Japan. The London Underground was the first to introduce metro trains.
YearBullet trains officially came into existence in the year 1964.The earliest recorded metro trains date back to 1863.
SpeedThe median speed of a bullet train could be anywhere from 160-210 kph.The average speed of this type of train is considered to be at 45 kph.

What is a Bullet Train?

A bullet train pretty much summarizes all that it stands for in its name.

Considered to be one of the fastest modes of transportation, bullet trains are a stellar invention that stemmed from a list of sources before the final credit was whisked away by the Japanese National Highway engineers for their successful launch of several bullet trains.

A super-fast railway transport, bullet trains are gaining popularity and keep in line with the fast-moving pace of the modern world.

High-speed rails abbreviated as HSR, fall under the type of rail transport that runs significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, distinguishing them from other frequently used railways.

These magic trains have specialized rolling stock and tracks that are used in their operations.

The efficiency and effectiveness of bullet trains have been acknowledged with several countries building and developing high speed-rails. They help minimize the time spent on traveling and a safe and easy method of transport.

Though the first bullet train is considered to have been successfully launched in 1964, there have been several instances that indicate that the grids for their production started way earlier.

With an average speed of hundred and sixty to two hundred and ten kilometers an hour, these trains will whoosh past you before you complete blinking.

The average speed of a bullet train ranges between 160-210 kph.

bullet train

What is a Metro Train?

A popularly used railway system, Metro trains are focused in and around the urban regions. These trains help transport thousands of people across brief distances on a regular basis.

A mass public means of transportation, they are widely used in metropolitan cities. Metro trains are known by a slew of other names such as heavy rail, Underground, Subway, U-Bahn, Metro, Tube, or T-Bane.

These are rapid transit railways that function on electricity and are operated on the basis of an exclusive right-of-way. This allows for no access by pedestrians or any other third-party vehicles.

The railways are categorized into grades and could run in tunnels or on elevated platforms.

Often integrated with other modes of public transport, rapid transits are operated by the authorities responsible for public transport.

The metro train is capable of running at a speed that ranges between thirty-seven to fifty-five kilometers an hour, with a carrying capacity of thousands.

Metro trains are hugely popular and exist across the globe. The first metro is credited to the London Underground, which began the rapid transit system in 1863 as a conventional railway.

The busiest metro trains exist in Shangai, Tokyo, and Moscow, with over six million passengers riding these trains every single day.

The world’s first rapid transit system was the London Underground, which began as an underground railway that functioned partially via tunnels. They are operated by the same public transport authorities.

metro train

Main Differences Between Bullet Train and Metro Train

  1. Bullet trains refer to high-speed rails that function at elevated speed levels over other rail systems. Metro trains refer to urban public rail transportation system.
  2. Bullet trains were launched in 1964 in Japan. The earliest metro is traced back to the London Underground in 1863.
  3. Both the trains are known by different names. High-Speed Rail (HSR), also known as bullet trains are an efficient transportation method. Termed as heavy rail, underground, tube, U-Bahn, subway, and T-Bane, Metro trains are an urban boon.
  4. The average of a bullet train and metro trains vary significantly. Bullet trains can travel between 160-210 kph, whereas a metro moves at a speed of 45 kph.
  5. Bullet trains are preferred for a longer duration travel in order to save time. Metros are used in order to avoid the urban traffic and lessen the pollution level.
Difference Between Bullet Train and Metro Train
References
  1. https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/180027
  2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=foSEPTUE7NMC&oi=fnd&pg=PP13&dq=rapid+transit+railways&ots=0lgSUnfuce&sig=NjlO7Twch2zCjVGXu4pNnGcCvAc

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023

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