What is the new "E10 Series" train scheduled to appear on the Tohoku Shinkansen?

If you ride a Tohoku Shinkansen train, there's a good chance you'll be riding in a car with a green body and pink lines.
JR East's E5 series train.
Along with the N700S, the main train on the Tokaido Shinkansen, this is one of the most representative trains of today's Shinkansen.

The E5 series began commercial operation in 2011, so the early trains manufactured are over 10 years old.
Shinkansen trains begin to deteriorate after a decade or so, so the introduction of the " E10 series " a successor to the E5 series, has been announced.
What kind of train is it?

What kind of train will the next Tohoku Shinkansen E10 series be?

JR East, which operates the Tohoku Shinkansen (Tokyo Station to Shin-Aomori Station), announced on March 4, 2025, that it would begin designing a new E10 series train. The company has indicated that
the actual train will be completed after autumn 2027, and after running tests, it aims to begin commercial operation in fiscal year 2030 .

The E10 series' body color is based on green, but it gives off a very different impression compared to the E5 series.
This coloring is said to be inspired by the mountains of the Tohoku region.
In addition, the curved stripes on the sides of the body are modeled after the shape of cherry blossom petals.

Maximum speed remains the same, but safety is improved

The Tohoku Shinkansen, which opened in 1982, has increased its speed with each new train.
Both the E5 series and its predecessor, the E2 series, have been faster than previous trains.

However, it has been announced that the maximum speed of the E10 series will remain at 320 km/h, the same as the E5 series

However, even though the maximum speed remains the same, the running performance is not exactly the same as the E5 series.
The braking performance has been improved, shortening the braking distance by 15% compared to the E5 series.
safety has been improved by adopting lateral dampers that absorb vibrations in the event of an earthquake and prevent derailment and damage to the carriages .

Another feature is that it has improved energy-saving performance through the adoption of new technologies and new materials

Furthermore, in preparation for the future introduction of autonomous driving on the Tohoku Shinkansen, the design will incorporate preparations for the incorporation of autonomous driving functions

Even though the maximum speed remains the same, ambitious improvements have been made.
It is by no means a mere stopgap between the E5 series and the "next generation E10 series train."

There is no Gran Class

Car 10 of the E5 series is a "Gran Class" car with seats one rank higher than the Green Car.
However, it has been announced that the first E10 series trains produced will not have Gran Class seats.
Whether to include Gran Class seats in the second and subsequent trains will be considered in the future, but it is natural to think that the possibility of them being included is low.

However, this probably doesn't mean giving up on comfortable travel

First of all, the E10 series power outlets installed in all seats .
This is a major improvement, as more than half of the E5 series trains had no power outlets.

TRAIN DESK service, which is already offered on the Tohoku Shinkansen and other lines, for people who want to work or study on board, will be further expanded.

The carriages on which the new service is offered will have seats arranged in two rows plus two rows (commonly, Shinkansen regular cars have three rows plus two rows), allowing for more space between seats.
Dividers will be installed between the two rows of seats to improve sound insulation and privacy.
In addition to in-seat outlets, USB power sources will also be installed.
Tables will be 5cm wider to accommodate passengers using laptops and mice.

However, while TRAIN DESK can be used for the same price as a regular reserved seat, it is hard to imagine that the E10 series service can be used for the regular price. It
will probably be more expensive than a regular reserved seat, but I hope it will be a more affordable price.

Clearly indicating that you are transporting luggage

offers Hakobyun which allows for the quick transport of luggage using the Shinkansen

JR East Logistics

Hakobyun | Services | JR East Logistics

https://www.jrbutsuryu.jregroup.ne.jp/business/hakobyun.html

To expand the Hako Bun service, will be installed
on car 5 of the E10 series Having a door dedicated to baggage transport will allow the flow of baggage to be separated from passengers, making it possible to load and unload baggage at stations other than the starting and ending stations .

The E10 series is also scheduled to run in India

The E10 series is also scheduled to run in India (although to be precise, it will be a vehicle based on the E10 series but modified for India).
India is planning to build a high-speed railway that will connect Mumbai in the west to Ahmedabad, a 508km journey in about two hours.
80% of the project costs are covered by yen loans from Japan, and JR East is also providing technical support.
Construction began in 2017, and the line is expected to open between 2027 and 2030.

The E10 series is expected to begin commercial operation in Japan in 2030, so it may not be ready in time for the opening of India's high-speed railway. In
that case, the E10 series will likely be introduced as a "new model of train" after the opening.

in conclusion

The Hokkaido Shinkansen, which operates directly with the Tohoku Shinkansen, currently runs from Shin-Aomori Station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, but is aiming to extend the line to Sapporo Station around 2038

www.jrhokkaido.co.jp

Overview of the Hokkaido Shinkansen | Company | JR Hokkaido - Hokkaido Railway Company

https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/corporate/shinkansen/index.html

JR Hokkaido's portal site. Contains railway information, travel information, related business information, corporate information, etc. Train and accommodation reservations are also available

After the extension, direct trains are expected to run from Tokyo Station to Sapporo Station, but the E10 series will not be developed for this direct train between Tokyo and Sapporo. A
separate, next-generation E10 series vehicle will be developed based on the E10 series and used for direct trains between Tokyo and Sapporo.
the detailed specifications of the next-generation vehicle have not been revealed, it is expected that it will have semi-private compartments and higher performance (probably including an increase in maximum speed).

The E10 series' modest specifications, such as its maximum speed remaining the same as the E5 series and its lack of a Gran Class, suggest that its main role will be to bridge the gap between the E5 series and the arrival of the next generation of trains
However, as mentioned above, by no means a train with the same performance and concept as the E5 series .

The E10 series, which is scheduled to enter commercial operation in fiscal year 2030, will gradually replace the aging E2 series and the earlier-manufactured E5 series. It is
expected that the E10 series will continue to be used on Yamabiko and Nasuno trains that run only within the Tohoku Shinkansen line, while relatively new E5 series trains will continue to be used on Hayabusa trains that run directly to the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

As the Hokkaido Shinkansen line nears its extension to Sapporo, next-generation rolling stock based on the E10 series will be introduced, with trains that only operate within the Tohoku Shinkansen line being mainly operated by the E10 series, and direct trains to the Hokkaido Shinkansen being operated by next-generation rolling stock.
The rolling stock that runs on the Tohoku Shinkansen line will be completely renewed over the course of about 15 years from now (2025).

Yuto Ono

A former railway engineer and current freelance writer who has loved trains since childhood. His dream is to make railway travel his job.