bullet train

American  

noun

1. a high-speed passenger train, as on certain routes in Japan.

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bullet train British  

noun

1. a passenger train that travels at very high speed

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Etymology

Origin of bullet train

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

She had just taken a two-hour ride on the bullet train from Daegu to attend Lee Sulla's "book concert" in Seoul - an evening of music and author-led readings.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Winds are slowly blowing sand into the 75-mile trench meant to hold a bullet train, while once-bustling worker camps have turned to ghost towns, one former employee said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

California’s bullet train, now under construction in Fresno, may one day carry passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco, a distance of about 400 miles.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

But the silent engine isn’t a bullet train.

From Barron's • Nov. 15, 2025

“Maybe. I don't know yet. Only takes twenty-three hours by bullet train to get to New York City. I looked it up.”

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton