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Tokaido Shinkansen

High-speed railway line between Tokyo and Osaka From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tokaido Shinkansen

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Japanese: 東海道新幹線, romanized: Tōkaidō Shinkansen, lit. 'East coast route, new main line') is a Japanese high-speed rail line that is part of the nationwide Shinkansen network. Along with the San'yō Shinkansen, it forms a continuous high-speed railway through the Taiheiyō Belt, also known as the Tokaido corridor. Opening in 1964, running between Tokyo and Shin-Ōsaka, it was the world's first high-speed rail line,[1] and it remains one of the world's busiest.[2][3] Since 1987, it has been operated by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), prior to that by Japanese National Railways (JNR).

Quick Facts Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Overview ...
Tōkaidō Shinkansen
A JR Central N700S Series train running Tokaido Shinkansen, September 2021
Overview
Native name東海道新幹線
StatusOperational
Owner JR Central
LocaleTokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu, Shiga, Kyoto, and Osaka Prefectures
Termini
Stations17
Color on map     Blue (#1153af)
Service
TypeHigh-speed rail (Shinkansen)
SystemShinkansen
Services
Operator(s)JR Central
Depot(s)Tokyo, Mishima, Nagoya, Osaka
Rolling stock
History
OpenedOctober 1, 1964; 60 years ago (1964-10-01)
Technical
Line length515.4 km (320.3 mi)
Number of tracksDouble-track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 25 kV 60 Hz AC
Operating speed285 km/h (177 mph)
SignallingCab signalling
Train protection systemATC-NS
Maximum incline2.0%
Route map

Legend
( Tōhoku Shinkansen)
0:00
 Tokyo
0:07
 Shinagawa
Tama River
0:18
 Shin-Yokohama
Sagami River
0:35
 Odawara
0:44
 Atami
0:54
 Mishima
1:08
 Shin-Fuji
Fuji River
1:08
 Shizuoka
Abe River
Ooi River
1:39
 Kakegawa
Tenryū River
1:34
 Hamamatsu
JR Central Hamamatsu works spur
Lake Hamana
1:24
 Toyohashi
1:30
 Mikawa-Anjō
1:35
 Nagoya
1:59
 Gifu-Hashima
2:18
 Maibara
2:09
 Kyōto
2:24
 Shin-Ōsaka
( San'yō Shinkansen)
Times shown are fastest timetabled journey from Tokyo (HH:MM).
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There are three types of services on the line: from fastest to slowest, they are the limited-stop Nozomi, the semi-fast Hikari, and the all-stop Kodama. Many Nozomi and Hikari trains continue onward to the San'yō Shinkansen, going as far as Fukuoka's Hakata Station.

The line was named a joint Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark and IEEE Milestone by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 2000.[4][5]

History

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Perspective

The predecessor for the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines was originally conceived at the end of the 1930s as a 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge dangan ressha (bullet train) between Tokyo and Shimonoseki, which would have taken nine hours to cover the nearly 1,000-kilometer (620 mi) distance between the two cities. This project was planned as the first part of an East Asian rail network serving Japan's overseas territories. The beginning of World War II stalled the project in its early planning stages, although three tunnels were dug that were later used in the Shinkansen route.[6]

By 1955, the original Tokaido line between Tokyo and Osaka was congested. Even after its electrification the next year, the line was still the busiest in Japan's railway network by a long margin, with demand being around double the then capacity.[7] In 1957, a public forum was organized to discuss “The Possibility of a Three-hour Rail Trip Between Tokyo and Osaka.”[6] After substantial debate, the Japanese National Railways (JNR) decided to build a new 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge line alongside the original 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) one to supplement it.[8] The president of JNR at the time, Shinji Sogō, started attempting to persuade politicians to back the project. Realizing the high expenses of the project early on due to the use of new, unfamiliar technologies and the high concentration of tunnels and viaducts, Sogō settled for less government funding than what was needed.[6][9]

The Diet approved the plan in December 1958, agreeing to fund ¥194.8 billion out of the ¥300 billion required over a five-year construction period. Then-finance minister Eisaku Satō recommended that the rest of the funds should be taken from non-governmental sources so that political changes would not cause funding issues.[9] Construction of the line began on April 20, 1959 under Sogō and chief engineer Hideo Shima. In 1960, Shima and Sogō were sent to the United States to borrow money from the World Bank. Although the original request was for US$200 million, they came back with only $80 million, enough to fund 15% of the project, and could not use the loan for "experimental technology".[6][10] Severe cost overruns during construction forced both of them to resign.[11] The opening was timed to coincide with the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which had already brought international attention to the country. Originally, the line was called the New Tokaido Line in English. Just like the original railway line, it is named after the Tokaido road that has been used for centuries.

Initially, there were two services: the faster Hikari (also called the Super Express) made the journey between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka in four hours, while the slower Kodama (or the limited express) made more stops and took five hours to travel the same route.[12] A test run was conducted August 25, 1964, simulating a Hikari service. The run, which was deemed "very successful" by then-JNR president Reisuke Ishida, was also broadcast on television by NHK.[13] On October 1 that same year, the line was officially opened, with the first train, Hikari 1, traveling from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka with a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph).[14] In November 1965, both services had their schedule reworked so that the new timetable listed travel times of three hours for the Hikari and four hours for the Kodama.[15]

The 1970s were a difficult time for the JNR as local lines built up deficit. Profits from the Tokaido Shinkansen were used to offset the lines which were running at a loss which resulted in a lack of development and faster service over a 15-year period. Labor issues during that time steered away any attention from JNR executives, further complicating the possibility for research initiatives.[16] Despite the difficult financial situation throughout the 1970s, the loan from the World Bank made in 1959 was paid back in 1981.[17]

In 1988, one year after the privatization of JNR, the new operating company, JR Central, initiated a project to increase operating speeds through infrastructure improvement and a new train design. This resulted in the debut of the 300 Series and the Nozomi, the line's fastest service which took two and a half hours to traverse the route with a top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph), on March 14, 1992.[18][19][20]

New platforms for Shinkansen services at Shinagawa Station opened in October 2003, accompanied by a major timetable change which increased the number of daily Nozomi services, which was now higher than the number of Hikari trains.[21][22] Initially, certain Nozomi and Hikari services did not stop at the station, with some skipping either Shinagawa or Shin-Yokohama, and the plurality of services stopping at both. From March 2008 onward, all services stop at both stations.[23][24] Another station was planned to open in 2012 to serve Rittō, a city between Maibara and Kyoto. Construction started in May 2006, but the project was canceled the next year due to political opposition from the government of the surrounding Shiga Prefecture and the Supreme Court of Japan ruling the ¥4.35 billion bond that the city had issued to fund construction was illegal and had to be canceled.[25]

The next speedup, which raised the top speed to its current 285 km/h (177 mph) level through the use of improved braking technology, was announced in 2014 and introduced on March 14, 2015, the 23rd anniversary of the last speed raise.[26][27] Initially, just one service per hour would run at this new speed.[28] After the replacement of the older, slower 700 series with the N700 series and N700S series in March 2020, a new timetable taking advantage of the speed increase with more services was planned.[29][30] However, the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed these plans as service was temporarily cut.[31] An automated operating system is planned to be implemented for the line by 2028, with test runs starting in 2021.[32]

Stations and service patterns

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Perspective
Thumb
Map of Tokaidō Shinkansen
Thumb
Mt. Fuji and the Tokaido Shinkansen
Thumb
Mt. Ibuki and the Tokaido Shinkansen
Map all coordinates in "Category:Tōkaidō_Shinkansen" using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Legend:

More information ●, ▲ ...
● All trains stop
▲ Some trains stop
｜ All trains pass
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More information Station, Distance from Tōkyō (km) ...
Station Distance from
Tōkyō (km)		 Service Transfers Location
English Japanese Nozomi Hikari Kodama
Tokyo 東京 0.0 ● ● ●
Chiyoda Tokyo
Shinagawa 品川 6.8 ● ● ●
  • JY Yamanote Line (JY25)
  • JK Keihin-Tōhoku Line (JK20)
  • JT Tōkaidō Main Line (JT03)
  • JO Yokosuka Line (JO17)
  • KK Keikyū Main Line (KK01)
 Minato
Shin-Yokohama 新横浜 25.5 ● ● ●
Kōhoku-ku,
Yokohama		 Kanagawa
Prefecture
Odawara 小田原 76.7 ｜ ▲ ●
Odawara
Atami 熱海 95.4 ｜ ▲ ●
Atami Shizuoka
Prefecture
Mishima 三島 111.3 ｜ ▲ ●
Mishima
Shin-Fuji 新富士 135.0 ｜ ｜ ●   Fuji
Shizuoka 静岡 167.4 ｜ ▲ ●
Aoi-ku
Kakegawa 掛川 211.3 ｜ ｜ ●
Kakegawa
Hamamatsu 浜松 238.9 ｜ ▲ ●
Chūō-ku,
Hamamatsu
Toyohashi 豊橋 274.2 ｜ ▲ ●
Toyohashi Aichi
Prefecture
Mikawa-Anjō 三河安城 312.8 ｜ ｜ ● Tōkaidō Main Line (CA55) Anjō
Nagoya 名古屋 342.0 ● ● ●
Nakamura-ku,
Nagoya
Gifu-Hashima 岐阜羽島 367.1 ｜ ▲ ●  TH  Meitetsu Hashima Line (Shin-Hashima, TH09) Hashima Gifu
Prefecture
Maibara 米原 408.2 ｜ ▲ ●
Maibara Shiga
Prefecture
Kyōto 京都 476.3 ● ● ●
Shimogyō-ku,
Kyoto		 Kyoto
Prefecture
Shin-Ōsaka 新大阪 515.4 ● ● ●
Yodogawa-ku,
Osaka		 Osaka
Prefecture
↓ Through services towards Hakata via the San'yō Shinkansen ↓
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Rolling stock

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Perspective
  • N700A series 16-car sets, since July 1, 2007 (owned by JR Central and JR West, modified from original N700 series sets)
  • N700A series 16-car sets, since February 8, 2013 (owned by JR Central and JR West)
  • N700S series 16-car sets, since July 1, 2020 (owned by JR Central and JR West)[33]

The last services operated by 700 series sets took place on March 1, 2020, after which all Tokaido Shinkansen services are scheduled to be operated by N700A series or N700S series sets.[34] N700S series sets were then introduced on Tokaido Shinkansen services from July 1, 2020.

  • Thumb
    N700A series in September 2021
  • Thumb
    N700S series in March 2020

Former rolling stock

  • 0 series 12/16-car sets, October 1, 1964, to September 18, 1999 (owned by JR Central and JR West)
  • 100 series 16-car sets, October 1, 1985, to September 2003 (owned by JR Central and JR West)
  • 300 series 16-car sets, March 1992 to March 16, 2012 (owned by JR Central and JR West)
  • 500 series 16-car sets, November 1997 to February 2010 (owned by JR West)
  • 700 series 16-car sets, March 1999 to March 2020 (owned by JR Central and JR West)
  • Thumb
    0 series at Odawara Station in May 1989
  • Thumb
    100 series in January 2003
  • Thumb
    300 series in January 2008
  • Thumb
    500 series at Odawara Station in June 2008
  • Thumb
    700 series in January 2008

Former non-revenue-earning types

  • Thumb
    JR Central Class 922 "Doctor Yellow" set T2, October 1998
  • Thumb
    JR Central's Class 923 "Doctor Yellow" set T4 on the Tokaido Shinkansen, September 2021

Timeline

0 series
100 series
300 series
500 series
700 series
N700/N700A series
N700A series
N700S series
│
1960
│
1965
│
1970
│
1975
│
1980
│
1985
│
1990
│
1995
│
2000
│
2005
│
2010
│
2015
│
2020
│
2025
Rolling stock transitions

Classes and onboard services

All Tokaido Shinkansen trains have two classes of seating: Green Cars (First Class) offer 2+2 configured seating with all-reserved seating. Ordinary cars feature 2+3 configured seating with both reserved and unreserved seating.

Previously, all trains had an onboard trolley service that sold food and drinks. The ice cream sold by these trolleys was popularly known as "Shinkansen too hard ice cream", which eventually became an official sales name. Trolley service on the Tokaido Shinkansen was discontinued on October 31, 2023, due to falling sales and labor shortages.[35] This was replaced by a mobile order seat service exclusive for Green Car passengers from 1 November 2023. Passengers can scan a QR code on the back of their seat to purchase refreshments, which would then be brought by a cabin attendant.[36]

In an announcement by JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu made on 17 October 2023, the companies stated that all onboard smoking rooms on the Tokaido, San'yo, and Kyushu Shinkansen trains would be discontinued by Q2 2024.[37]

Since 2020, reservations are required to take large pieces of luggage on Tokaido Shinkansen trains.[38]

Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail Pass is a rail pass available to overseas visitors which allows travel on most major forms of transportation provided by JR Group companies, including the Tokaido Shinkansen. Japan Rail Pass holders can ride Hikari or Kodama services free of charge, and since October 2023, pass holders can also ride the Nozomi service by purchasing a special supplementary ticket. Japan Rail Passes purchased prior to this were not valid on Nozomi services, and passengers were required to purchase a full fare ticket to use this service.[39] Certain regional Rail Passes let passengers ride all services, including the Nozomi. These passes typically have limited coverage and shorter useage periods compared to the full Japan Rail Pass.[40]

Ridership

From 1964 to 2012, the Tokaido Shinkansen line carried approximately 5.3 billion passengers.[3] Ridership increased from 61,000 per day in 1964[41] to 391,000 per day in 2012.[3] By 2016, the route was carrying 452,000 passengers per day on 365 daily services making it one of the busiest high speed railway lines in the world.[42]

More information Year, Mar 2007 ...
Tokaido Line Cumulative Ridership figures (millions of passengers)
Year196719762004Mar 2007Nov 20102012
Ridership (Cumulative) 100 1,000 4,160[43] 4,500[44] 4,900[2] 5,300[3]
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More information Year, April 1987 ...
Tokaido Line Ridership figures (per year, millions of passengers)
Year1967April 1987April 2007April 2008April 2009April 2010April 2011April 2012
Ridership 22[41] 102[41] 151[41] 149[41] 138[41] 141[41] 149[41] 143[3]
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Future stations

It was announced in June 2010 that a new shinkansen station in Samukawa, Kanagawa Prefecture was under consideration by JR Central. If constructed, the station would open after the Chuo Shinkansen, the new maglev service currently under construction, begins operations.[45]

Shizuoka Prefecture has long lobbied JR Central for the construction of a station at Shizuoka Airport, which the line passes directly beneath. The railway has so far refused, citing the close distance to the neighbouring Kakegawa and Shizuoka stations. If constructed, travel time from the center of Tokyo to the airport would be comparable to that for Tokyo Narita Airport, enabling it to act as a third hub airport for the capital.[46] As the station would be built underneath an active airport, it is expected to open after the new maglev line.[47]

See also

  • Chuo Shinkansen, a high-speed maglev line under construction between Tokyo and Nagoya

References

External links

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