The Pulse of 60 km/h: Breathing Life into the City — AGT's Optimal Speed Balancing Efficiency and Kindness

Compared to traditional railways, the

top speed of 60 km/h (approx. 37

mph) for AGT might seem modest.

However, sitting in the front car as it

navigates the city reveals a sense of

speed and a crisp rhythm that numbers

alone cannot capture.

The average distance between stations

for Japanese AGT lines is roughly 890

meters. After leaving a station, the

vehicle accelerates to its top speed

only to begin decelerating almost

immediately for the next stop, letting

passengers feel a gentle, rhythmic

pull of gravity. This nimble repetition of

"full acceleration and immediate

deceleration" is a light-footed step

that heavy railway cars simply cannot

replicate—it is the very pulse of the city.

One might wonder: why not aim for

speeds beyond 60 km/h? This choice

is the result of pursuing the most

economical operation for a lightweight

system running through a city. The

acceleration force of a typical electric

train motor begins to decline around

40 km/h, while air resistance increases

in proportion to the square of the

speed. Within a short span of about

900 meters, balancing these physical

constraints with the "lightness of the

vehicle" naturally leads to the  

"Golden Balance" of 60 km/h.

Rather than chasing high speeds and

pushing stations further apart, AGT

chooses to maintain moderate speeds

and place stations frequently,

preserving a rhythm that makes travel

easy for everyone. A gentle speed of

60 km/h is a sincere choice that allows

passengers to enjoy the city's scenery

and stay in sync with the rhythm of

daily life.

I hope you look forward to the next

AGT Blog!