Shinkansen facts for kids

The Shinkansen (pronounced shin-kahn-sen), also known as the bullet train, is a famous network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. It was first built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital city. This helped Japan's economy grow and develop. Besides long-distance travel, some parts of the Shinkansen network around big cities are used by people commuting to work or school every day. The Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency owns the network. Five different Japan Railways Group companies operate the trains.

The first Shinkansen line, the Tokaido Shinkansen, opened in 1964. It was 515.4 kilometers long. Today, the network has grown to 2951.3 kilometers of lines. Trains on these lines can reach top speeds of 260 to 320 kilometers per hour. There are also 283.5 kilometers of "Mini-Shinkansen" lines, where trains go up to 130 km/h. The network connects most major cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. It also reaches Hakodate on the northern island of Hokkaido. An extension to Sapporo is being built and should open in March 2031. The fastest operating speed is 320 km/h on a 387.5 km section of the Tohoku Shinkansen. Test trains have gone even faster, reaching 443 km/h for regular rail in 1996. Special magnetic levitation (maglev) trains have set a world record of 603 km/h in April 2015.

The original Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. These are three of Japan's biggest cities. It is one of the busiest high-speed rail lines in the world. Between March 2016 and March 2017, it carried 159 million passengers. Since it opened over 50 years ago, it has carried more than 6.4 billion passengers in total! During busy times, up to 16 trains run every hour in each direction. Each train has 16 cars and can carry 1,323 seated passengers, sometimes more with standing room. Trains can run as close as three minutes apart.

Until 2011, Japan's Shinkansen network had the most passengers each year, with a peak of 353 million in 2007. Then, China's high-speed railway network became the busiest, carrying 370 million passengers annually. By 2019, China's network carried over 2.3 billion passengers each year.

What Does "Shinkansen" Mean?

The Japanese word Shinkansen (新幹線) means 'new trunk line' or 'new main line'. This word is used for both the railway lines and the trains themselves. In English, these trains are also known as the "bullet train." The name bullet train (弾丸列車, dangan ressha) came about in 1939. It was the first name given to the Shinkansen project when it was being planned. Also, the word superexpress (超特急, chō-tokkyū) was used for the Hikari trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen until 1972. Today, you can still hear "superexpress" in English announcements and signs.

How the Shinkansen Started

Japan was the first country to build special railway lines just for high-speed trains. Japan's older railway network used narrow tracks (1067mm wide). These tracks often took winding routes through the mountains. They could not handle very high speeds due to their design. For example, a curve that a standard-gauge train could take at 145 km/h would only be safe for a narrow-gauge train at 130 km/h. So, Japan really needed new high-speed lines more than countries with wider, standard tracks already in place.

Two key people helped make the first Shinkansen happen: Hideo Shima, the Chief Engineer, and Shinji Sogō, the first President of Japanese National Railways (JNR). Sogō convinced politicians to support the plan. Other important people who helped develop the technology were Tadanao Miki, Tadashi Matsudaira, and Hajime Kawanabe. They worked at the Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), which was part of JNR. These three had all worked on aircraft design during World War II.

Early Ideas for a Bullet Train

The popular English name bullet train comes from the Japanese term dangan ressha. This was a nickname given to the project when it was first discussed in the 1930s. The name stuck because the first Shinkansen trains, the 0 Series, looked like a bullet and went very fast.

The name Shinkansen was officially used in 1940. It was for a planned line between Tokyo and Shimonoseki that would carry passengers and cargo. It would use steam and electric trains with a top speed of 200 km/h. Over the next three years, plans grew even bigger. They wanted to extend the line to Beijing (through a tunnel to Korea) and even Singapore! They also wanted to connect to the Trans-Siberian Railway and other main lines in Asia. These plans were stopped in 1943 because Japan's situation in World War II became worse. However, some parts of the line were already built. Several tunnels used by today's Shinkansen lines date back to this wartime project.

Building the First Shinkansen

After World War II ended, people forgot about high-speed rail for a few years. But then, more and more passengers and goods needed to travel on the old Tokaido Main Line. Japanese industries and the economy were rebuilding. By the mid-1950s, the Tokaido Line was completely full. So, the Ministry of Railways decided to look at the Shinkansen project again. In 1957, the Odakyu Electric Railway introduced its 3000 series SE Romancecar train. This train set a world speed record of 145 km/h for a narrow-gauge train. This success gave designers confidence that they could build an even faster train on standard-gauge tracks. The first Shinkansen, the 0 series, was built based on what they learned from the Romancecar.

In the 1950s, many people in Japan thought that trains would soon be old-fashioned. They believed air travel and highways would replace them, just like in the United States. However, Shinji Sogō, the President of Japanese National Railways, strongly believed in high-speed rail. He pushed for the Shinkansen project to happen.

The government approved the project in December 1958. Construction of the first part of the Tokaido Shinkansen, between Tokyo and Osaka, began in April 1959. The cost was first estimated at about 200 billion yen. Money came from a government loan, railway bonds, and a low-interest loan of US$80 million from the World Bank. But the first estimates were too low. The actual cost was about 380 billion yen. When the money problems became clear in 1963, Sogō resigned to take responsibility.

A test track for the trains, called the Kamonomiya Model Section, opened in Odawara in 1962.

Early Success and Growth

The Tokaido Shinkansen started service on October 1, 1964. This was just in time for the first Tokyo Olympics. The old Limited Express train took six hours and 40 minutes to go from Tokyo to Osaka. But the Shinkansen made the trip in just four hours. By 1965, it was even faster, taking only three hours and ten minutes. This made it possible for people to make day trips between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan's two biggest cities. It greatly changed how Japanese people did business and lived their lives. It also created a lot of new travel demand. The service was an instant hit! It reached 100 million passengers in less than three years, on July 13, 1967. By 1976, it had carried one billion passengers. Longer, sixteen-car trains were introduced for Expo '70 in Osaka. By 1992, the Tokaido Shinkansen was the world's busiest high-speed rail line. It carried an average of 23,000 passengers per hour in each direction. In 2014, for the train's 50th anniversary, daily passenger traffic reached 391,000. This meant nearly 22,000 passengers per hour during its 18-hour schedule.

The first Shinkansen trains, the 0 series, could run at speeds up to 210 km/h. Later, this was increased to 220 km/h. The last of these trains, with their classic bullet-shaped nose, were retired on November 30, 2008. One of the driving cars from a 0 series train was given by JR West to the National Railway Museum in York, United Kingdom, in 2001.

Expanding the Network

The quick success of the Tokaido Shinkansen led to it being extended westward. It reached Okayama, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka (the San'yō Shinkansen). This extension was finished in 1975. Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka strongly supported the Shinkansen. His government suggested building a huge network of lines that would run next to most existing main railway lines. Two new lines, the Tohoku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shinkansen, were built following this plan. Many other planned lines were delayed or completely stopped. This happened because Japanese National Railways (JNR) fell into debt throughout the late 1970s. The high cost of building the Shinkansen network was a big reason for this debt. By the early 1980s, the company was almost bankrupt. This led to it being split up and sold to private companies in 1987.

After privatization, the regional JR companies continued to develop the Shinkansen. They created new train models, each with its own unique look. For example, the 500 series was introduced by JR West. Since 2014, Shinkansen trains regularly run at speeds up to 320 km/h on the Tohoku Shinkansen. Only the Shanghai Maglev train, China Railway High-speed networks, and the Indonesian Jakarta-Bandung High-speed railway have faster commercial services.

Since 1970, work has also been ongoing for the Chūō Shinkansen. This is a planned maglev line from Tokyo to Osaka. On April 21, 2015, a seven-car L0 series maglev train set a world speed record of 603 km/h.

How the Shinkansen Works

The Shinkansen uses many advanced technologies. This allows it to run at high speeds while also being very safe and comfortable. Its success has inspired other railways around the world. It shows how important and good high-speed rail can be.

Train Routes

Shinkansen routes almost never cross paths with slower, narrow-gauge conventional lines. The only exceptions are the "mini-shinkansen" lines, which run along older tracks. This means the Shinkansen is not slowed down by local or freight trains. It can run many high-speed trains on time. Also, Shinkansen routes (except mini-shinkansen) are completely separated from roads and highways. This means there are almost no railway crossings. People are strictly not allowed on the tracks, and there are laws against trespassing. The routes use tunnels and tall bridges (viaducts) to go through and over obstacles, instead of going around them. Curves in the track are very wide, with a minimum radius of 4000 meters. The oldest Tokaido Shinkansen has a minimum curve radius of 2500 meters.

Tracks

The Shinkansen uses standard gauge tracks, which are 1435mm wide. Most other lines in Japan use narrow gauge tracks, which are 1067mm wide. The Shinkansen uses continuous welded rails and special crossing points. This removes gaps where tracks join or cross, making the ride smoother. Long rails are used, connected by special joints that allow for expansion and shrinkage due to temperature changes. This keeps the track width stable.

The tracks use a mix of ballasted (gravel) and slab track. Slab track is used only on concrete sections like viaducts and tunnels. Slab track is much cheaper to build in tunnels. This is because the lower track height means the tunnel can be smaller, saving up to 30% on construction costs. However, the smaller size of Shinkansen tunnels, compared to some other high-speed lines, has led to a problem called "tunnel boom." This is a loud noise that happens when trains enter tunnels at high speed. It can be a concern for people living near tunnel entrances.

Slab track is made of rails, fasteners, and concrete slabs. These slabs are held in place by circular bumps on the roadbed or in tunnels. These bumps are 400-520mm wide and 200mm high, placed every 5 meters. The slabs themselves weigh about 5 tons each. They are 2220-2340mm wide, 4900-4950mm long, and 160-200mm thick.

Signal System

The Shinkansen uses an Automatic Train Control (ATC) system. This means there are no signals along the tracks. It has a full system for Automatic Train Protection. A Centralized Traffic Control system manages all train operations. All tasks related to train movement, tracks, stations, and schedules are connected and managed by computers.

Electrical Power

Shinkansen trains use a 25 kV AC (alternating current) overhead power supply. Mini-Shinkansen lines use 20 kV AC. This is more powerful than the 1,500 V DC (direct current) used on older, narrow-gauge lines. Power is sent to all the train's axles. This helps reduce the heavy weight on single power cars. The Tokaido Shinkansen uses a power supply with a frequency of 60 Hz.

Trains Themselves

Shinkansen trains are Electric Multiple Units (EMUs). This means each car has its own motors. This allows for fast acceleration and deceleration. It also causes less damage to the tracks because the trains are lighter compared to trains pulled by separate locomotives. The train cars are sealed to keep the air pressure stable when they enter tunnels at high speed.

Shinkansen trains (except mini-Shinkansen) are also built wider than regular trains. This wider size allows for 5 seats across (2+3) in Standard Class cars. Other trains usually have 4 seats across (2+2). Sometimes, this wider size was even used for 6 seats across (3+3) on certain trains, like the E1 and E4 series. This, along with having motors on many axles, means more passengers can fit in a shorter train. However, mini-Shinkansen lines use tracks that were originally narrow-gauge. So, the trains on these lines must fit the smaller size limits of conventional trains.

How Trains Move

The Shinkansen has always used EMUs. The first 0 Series Shinkansen had motors on all its axles. Other train makers often didn't use this design. They preferred trains pulled by separate locomotives. But in Japan, the EMU design is very useful. Having more motored axles means the train can speed up faster. This is important because Shinkansen lines have more stops for their length than high-speed lines in other parts of the world.

Shinkansen Lines

Here are the main Shinkansen lines:

Line	Start	End	Operating speed	Length	Operator	Opened	Annual passengers (2018)
Tokaido Shinkansen	Tokyo	Shin-Osaka	285 km/h (177 mph)	515.4 km (320 mi)		1964	174,171,000
San'yō Shinkansen	Shin-Osaka	Hakata	300 km/h (186 mph)	553.7 km (344 mi)		1972–1975	76,007,000
Tōhoku Shinkansen	Tokyo	Shin-Aomori	320 km/h (199 mph)	674.9 km (419 mi)		1982–2010	93,489,000
Jōetsu Shinkansen	Tokyo	Niigata	275 km/h (171 mph)	269.5 km (167 mi)		1982	44,452,000
Hokuriku Shinkansen	Takasaki	Tsuruga	260 km/h (162 mph)	470.6 km (292 mi)		1997–2024	31,670,000
Kyushu Shinkansen	Hakata	Kagoshima-Chūō	260 km/h (162 mph)	256.8 km (160 mi)		2004–2011	14,488,000
Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen	Takeo-Onsen	Nagasaki	260 km/h (162 mph)	66.0 km (41 mi)		2022
Hokkaido Shinkansen	Shin-Aomori	Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto	260 km/h (162 mph)	148.8 km (92 mi)		2016	1,601,000

The Tokaido, San'yō, and Kyushu lines actually form one long line from Tokyo going west and south. Trains run directly between these lines, even though different companies operate them.

The Tokaido Shinkansen tracks are not directly connected to the Tohoku Shinkansen tracks at Tokyo Station. This is because they use different electrical systems, signal systems, and earthquake safety devices. So, trains cannot go straight from one line to the other. All trains heading north from Tokyo on the Tohoku Shinkansen travel along it until at least Ōmiya. Then they split off towards Sendai or Takasaki.

Two other lines, called Mini-shinkansen, were built by making existing lines wider and better:

• Yamagata Shinkansen (Fukushima – Shinjō)
• Akita Shinkansen (Morioka – Akita)

There are also two standard-gauge lines that are not officially Shinkansen lines. But they use Shinkansen trains because they lead to Shinkansen storage or maintenance areas:

• Hakata Minami Line (Hakata – Hakata-Minami)
• Gala-Yuzawa Line (Echigo-Yuzawa – Gala-Yuzawa)

Lines Being Built

The following lines are currently under construction:

• The Hokkaido Shinkansen from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Sapporo is being built. It is planned to open by March 2031.
• The Chūō Shinkansen (Tokyo–Nagoya–Osaka) is the first maglev Shinkansen line. Construction started in 2014. JR Central had hoped to open the Tokyo to Nagoya section by 2027. However, there's a disagreement with the Shizuoka prefecture. So, as of 2023, there is no official opening date.

Line	Route	Speed	Length	Construction began	Expected start of revenue services
Hokkaido Shinkansen Phase 2	Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto – Sapporo	260 km/h (162 mph)	211.3 km (131 mi)	2012	FY2030

Future Planned Lines

• An extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Osaka is planned. The government chose the route through Obama and Kyoto on December 20, 2016. Construction is expected to start in 2030 and take 15 years.
• The Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen has been built to full Shinkansen standards between Takeo Onsen and Nagasaki. The existing narrow-gauge line from Shin-Tosu to Takeo Onsen will stay narrow-gauge for now. But there is a proposal to build this section to full Shinkansen standards too.

Line	Route	Speed	Length	Construction proposed	Expected start of revenue services
Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Phase 2	Takeo-Onsen - Shin-Tosu	260 km/h (162 mph)	TBD	TBD	TBD
Hokuriku Shinkansen Phase 4	Tsuruga – Obama – Kyoto – Shin-Osaka	260 km/h (162 mph)	TBD	2030	FY2045
Chūō Shinkansen Phase 1	Shinagawa – Nagoya	505 km/h (314 mph)	285.6 km (177 mi)	2014	Unknown (Originally 2027)
Chūō Shinkansen Phase 2	Nagoya – Shin-Osaka	505 km/h (314 mph)	152.4 km (95 mi)	TBD	Unknown (Originally 2037)

Shinkansen Services

The Shinkansen lines were first meant to carry passenger trains during the day and freight trains at night. But for the first 55 years, they carried only passengers. Since 2019, some passenger trains have also carried light freight. There are plans to expand this with trains just for freight in the future.

The system shuts down every day between midnight and 6:00 AM for maintenance work. The few overnight passenger trains that still run in Japan use the older, narrow-gauge network that runs next to the Shinkansen.

There are three main types of Shinkansen services:

• Express services – These trains stop only at the very largest stations. This makes them the fastest Shinkansen services.
• Semi-express services – These trains stop at some smaller stations, as well as all the largest ones. They offer faster connections from smaller towns to big cities than local trains.
• Local services – These trains stop at every station along the Shinkansen line. Because of this, local services are the slowest Shinkansen trains. Often, these trains only run on a part of the line, not the whole thing.

Service Names by Line

• Tōkaidō, San'yō and Kyushu Shinkansen:
  • Nozomi (express, Tokaido and San'yō)
  • Hikari (semi-express, Tokaido and San'yō)
  • Hikari Rail Star (semi-express, San'yō)
  • Kodama (local, Tokaido and San'yō)
  • Sakura (semi-express, San'yō and Kyushu)
  • Mizuho (express, San'yō and Kyushu)
  • Tsubame (local, Kyushu)

• Tōhoku, Hokkaido, Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen:
  • Hayabusa (express, Tohoku & Hokkaido)
  • Hayate (local, Tohoku & Hokkaido)
  • Yamabiko (semi-express, Tohoku)
  • Nasuno (local, Tohoku)
  • Komachi (Akita)
  • Tsubasa (Yamagata)

• Jōetsu Shinkansen:
  • Toki / Max Toki (semi-express, Jōetsu)
  • Tanigawa / Max Tanigawa (local, Jōetsu)

• Hokuriku Shinkansen:
  • Kagayaki (express, Hokuriku)
  • Hakutaka (semi-express, Hokuriku)
  • Tsurugi (local, Hokuriku)
  • Asama (local, Hokuriku)

• Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen:
  • Kamome

Types of Shinkansen Trains

Shinkansen trains can be up to sixteen cars long. Each car is about 25 meters long, so the longest trains are 400 meters from end to end. Stations are also very long to fit these trains. Some of Japan's high-speed maglev trains are considered Shinkansen. Other slower maglev trains, like the Linimo line near Nagoya, are used for local city transport.

Passenger Trains

Tokaido and San'yō Shinkansen Trains

• 0 series: The first Shinkansen trains, started in 1964. They could go up to 220 km/h. The last ones were retired in December 2008.
• 100 series: Started in 1985. Some had two levels with a restaurant car. Retired in March 2012.
• 300 series: Started in 1992. They were the first to run at 270 km/h on Nozomi services. Retired in March 2012.
• 500 series: Introduced in 1997, reaching 300 km/h. Now used for shorter Kodama services.
• 700 series: Started in 1999, with a top speed of 285 km/h. JR Central's units retired in March 2020. JR West's units still run on the San'yō Shinkansen.
• N700 series: In service since 2007, with a top speed of 300 km/h.
• N700A series: An improved N700 series with better acceleration and quieter motors. All N700 series trains are now updated to N700A.
• N700S series: A newer version of the N700 series. Started passenger service on July 1, 2020.

• 

  0 series

• 

  100 series

• 

  300 series

• 

  500 series

• 

  700 series

• 

  700 series (Hikari Rail Star)

• 

  N700 series

• 

  N700A series

• 

  N700S series

Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Trains

• 800 series: Started in 2004 on Tsubame services, with a top speed of 260 km/h.
• N700-7000/8000 series: Started in March 2011 on Mizuho and Sakura services, with a top speed of 300 km/h.
• N700S-8000 series: 6-car trains introduced in 2022 on Kamome services, with a top speed of 260 km/h.

• 

  800 series

• 

  N700 series (Kyushu)

• 

  N700S-8000 series (Nishi Kyushu)

Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen Trains

• 200 series: The first type on the Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen in 1982. Retired in April 2013.
• E1 series: Double-decker 12-car trains introduced in 1994. Retired in September 2012.
• E2 series: 8 or 10-car trains in service since 1997, with a top speed of 275 km/h.
• E4 series: Double-decker 8-car trains introduced in 1997. Retired in October 2021.
• E5 series: 10-car trains in service since March 2011, with a top speed of 320 km/h.
• H5 series: A version of the E5 series for cold weather. Started service in March 2016 on the Hokkaido Shinkansen.
• E7 series: 12-car trains on the Hokuriku Shinkansen since March 2014. Also on the Joetsu Shinkansen since 2019.
• W7 series: 12-car trains on the Hokuriku Shinkansen since March 2015.

• 

  200 series

• 

  E1 series

• 

  E2 series

• 

  E4 series

• 

  E5 series

• 

  H5 series

• 

  E7 series

• 

  W7 series

Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen Trains

• 400 series: The first "Mini-shinkansen" type. Introduced in 1992 on Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa services. Retired in April 2010.
• E3 series: Introduced in 1997 on Akita Shinkansen Komachi and Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa services. Now only on the Yamagata Shinkansen.
• E6 series: Introduced in March 2013 on Akita Shinkansen Komachi services. Its speed increased to 320 km/h in March 2014.
• E8 series: Will replace the E3 series for Tsubasa services starting in 2024.

• 

  400 series

• 

  E3 series (Komachi)

• 

  E3 series (Tsubasa)

• 

  E6 series

• 

  E8 series

Experimental and Maintenance Trains

• 

  Class 1000

• 

  Class 951

• 

  Class 961

• 

  WIN350

• 

  STAR21

• 

  300X

• 

  Gauge change train (2nd generation)

• 

  Fastech 360S

• 

  Fastech 360Z

• 

  ALFA-X

• 

  ML100

• 

  ML500

• 

  MLX01

• 

  L0 series

• 

  Doctor Yellow Type 922

• 

  Doctor Yellow Type 923

• 

  Type E926 East-i

• 

  Type 911 locomotive

• 

  Track maintenance vehicles

• 

  Tamping machine

• 

  Ballast cleaner

• 

  Overhead line replacement vehicle

• 

  Loading vehicle

Shinkansen Speed Records

Records on Regular Rail

Speed		Train	Location	Date	Notes
km/h	mph
200 km/h	124 mph	Class 1000 Shinkansen	Kamonomiya test track	October 31, 1962
256 km/h	159 mph	Class 1000 Shinkansen	Kamonomiya test track	March 30, 1963	Former world speed record for EMU trains.
286 km/h	178 mph	Class 951 Shinkansen	San'yō Shinkansen	February 24, 1972	Former world speed record for EMU trains.
319 km/h	198 mph	Class 961 Shinkansen	Oyama test track	December 7, 1979	Former world speed record for EMU trains.
326 km/h	203 mph	300 series	Tōkaidō Shinkansen	February 28, 1991
336 km/h	209 mph	400 series	Jōetsu Shinkansen	March 26, 1991
345 km/h	214 mph	400 series	Jōetsu Shinkansen	September 19, 1991
346 km/h	215 mph	500-900 series "WIN350"	San'yō Shinkansen	August 6, 1992
350 km/h	217 mph	500–900 series "WIN350"	San'yō Shinkansen	August 8, 1992
352 km/h	219 mph	Class 952/953 "STAR21"	Jōetsu Shinkansen	October 30, 1992
425 km/h	264 mph	Class 952/953 "STAR21"	Jōetsu Shinkansen	December 21, 1993
427 km/h	265 mph	Class 955 "300X"	Tōkaidō Shinkansen	July 11, 1996
443 km/h	275 mph	Class 955 "300X"	Tōkaidō Shinkansen	July 26, 1996

Maglev Speed Records

Speed		Train	Location	Date	Notes
km/h	mph
550 km/h	342 mph	MLX01	Chūō Shinkansen (Yamanashi test track)	December 24, 1997	Former world speed record
552 km/h	343 mph			April 14, 1999
581 km/h	361 mph			December 2, 2003
590 km/h	367 mph	L0 series		April 16, 2015
603 km/h	375 mph			April 21, 2015	World speed record

How Reliable and Safe is the Shinkansen?

Always on Time

The Shinkansen is very reliable. This is because it is almost completely separate from slower trains. In 2016, JR Central reported that the average delay for a Shinkansen train was only 24 seconds. This includes delays caused by things like natural disasters. In April 2024, a train arriving in Nagoya was delayed by 17 minutes. This was because small snakes were reported to be moving through a passenger car.

Safety Record

The Shinkansen has been running for over 50 years and has carried more than 10 billion passengers. During this time, no passengers have died due to train accidents like derailments or collisions. This is amazing, especially with frequent earthquakes and typhoons in Japan. There have been a few injuries and one death caused by doors closing on passengers or their belongings. Staff members are at platforms to help prevent these kinds of accidents.

There have been two times when Shinkansen trains derailed while carrying passengers. The first happened during an earthquake on October 23, 2004. Eight out of ten cars of the Toki No. 325 train on the Joetsu Shinkansen derailed near Nagaoka. No one among the 154 passengers was hurt.

Another derailment happened on March 2, 2013, on the Akita Shinkansen. The Komachi No. 25 train derailed during a blizzard in Daisen. No passengers were injured in this event.

If an earthquake happens, a special detection system can stop the train very quickly. Newer trains are lighter and have stronger brakes, allowing them to stop faster. A new device to prevent derailments was installed after studying the Joetsu derailment.

On January 23, 2024, a huge power outage affected the Tohoku, Hokuriku, and Joetsu Shinkansen lines. This led to 283 train cancellations and affected about 120,000 passengers. JR East said the outage happened because a Kagayaki train touched an overhead power cable that was hanging down. The metal rod supporting it had broken. This incident damaged the train's power collectors and a window. Two railway workers were hospitalized after an explosion happened during repairs. Most Shinkansen services were back to normal the next morning.

Impact of the Shinkansen

Economic Benefits

The Shinkansen has had a very good impact on Japan's business, economy, society, environment, and culture. It's more than just building and running trains. The time saved by switching from old trains to high-speed trains is estimated to be 400 million hours. The system adds 500 billion yen to the economy each year. This doesn't even include the money saved by not needing to import as much fuel, which also helps Japan's national security. Shinkansen lines, especially in the crowded coastal areas, achieved two main goals:

• Shinkansen trains helped reduce traffic jams on regional transport. They moved more people using less land. This was cheaper than building airports or highways, which are common in less crowded parts of the world.
• Since trains were already the main way people traveled in cities, it was like a "sunk cost" (money already spent). There weren't many drivers to convince to switch to trains. The first Shinkansen lines in big cities made money and paid for themselves. Connecting cities also helped small towns like Kakegawa that were once too far from major cities.

However, when the 1973 plan was introduced, building Shinkansen lines became more about politics. Lines were extended to less populated areas, partly to spread the benefits beyond Tokyo and Osaka. This expansion was very expensive. JNR, the national railway company, was already losing money on rural railways. It also took on so much debt from Shinkansen construction that it owed about 28 trillion yen. This led to it being split up and privatized in 1987. The private JR companies eventually paid 9.2 trillion yen to buy JNR's Shinkansen network.

After privatization, the JR group of companies kept expanding the Shinkansen network to less populated areas. But they had more freedom to get rid of unprofitable lines or cut costs than JNR did. Today, a big reason for continued expansion is Japan's low interest rates. This allows JR to borrow large amounts of money without worrying too much about when to pay it back.

A study by UCLA found that having a Shinkansen line helped make housing more affordable. It made it easier for city workers with lower incomes to live in areas further from the city, where housing is cheaper. This also helps cities "decentralize," which means property prices in the city don't get as high as they could be.

Environmental Benefits

Traveling by the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka creates only about 16% of the carbon dioxide compared to driving a car for the same trip. This saves 15,000 tons of CO2 each year.

Challenges for the Shinkansen

Noise Pollution

Concerns about noise pollution have made it harder to increase train speeds. Japan has a high population density, and people have strongly protested the Shinkansen's noise. Its noise is now limited to less than 70 decibels in residential areas. To reduce noise, engineers have improved the pantograph (the arm that collects power from overhead wires). They have also made cars lighter and built noise barriers. Current research focuses on reducing noise, especially the "tunnel boom" that happens when trains enter tunnels at high speed.

Earthquakes

Because Japan has many earthquakes, the Urgent Earthquake Detection and Alarm System (UrEDAS) was introduced in 1992. This system can automatically stop Shinkansen trains very quickly if a large earthquake is detected.

Heavy Snow

The Tokaido Shinkansen often faces heavy snow near Maibara Station from December to February. This forces trains to slow down, which can disrupt the schedule. Systems that spray water to melt snow have been installed. However, delays of 10–20 minutes still happen during snowy weather. Trees falling due to snow have also caused service interruptions. Along the Joetsu Shinkansen route, snow can be very deep (two to three meters). This line has stronger sprinklers and slab tracks to help with the snow. Even with multiple days of delays longer than 30 minutes, the Tohoku Shinkansen is still more reliable than air travel on days with heavy snowfall.

Shinkansen Passengers

Annual Passengers

Annual ridership figures for selected years (in millions of passengers)

	Tokaido	Tohoku	San'yō	Joetsu	Nagano	Kyushu	Hokkaido	Sum*	Total (excl. transfers)
FY2007	151.32	84.83	64.43	38.29	10.13	4.18	-	353.18	315.77
FY2015	162.97	90.45	72.06	42.96	31.84	13.65	**0.10	414.03	365.71
FY2016	167.72	91.09	72.53	43.06	30.75	13.27	2.11	420.53
FY2017	170.09	91.98	74.46	43.80	31.03	14.24	2.19	427.78
FY2018	174.105	93.44	75.92	44.53	31.755	14.6	1.64	436.00

• The sum of passengers for individual lines does not equal the total for the whole system. This is because one person might be counted multiple times if they use several lines. For the system's total, each person is counted only once.

• • This only includes 6 days of operation: March 26, 2016 (opening date) to March 31, 2016 (end of FY2015).

Until 2011, Japan's high-speed rail system had the most passengers worldwide each year. Then, China's high-speed rail network surpassed it.

Total Passengers Over Time

Total high-speed rail passengers (in millions of passengers)

Year	Shinkansen	Asia (other)	Europe	World	Shinkansen share (%)
1964	11.0	0	0	11.0	100%
1980	1,616.3	0	0	1,616.3	100%
1985	2,390.3	0	45.7	2,436.0	98.1%
1990	3,559.1	0	129.9	3,689.0	96.5%
1995	5,018.0	0	461	5,479	91.6%
2000	6,531.7	0	1,103.5	7,635.1	85.5%
2005	8,088.3	52.2	2,014.6	10,155.1	79.6%
2010	9,651.0	965	3,177.0	15,417	70.8%
2012	10,344	2,230	3,715	16,210	64.5%
2014	11,050	3,910	4,300	19,260	57.4%

The Tokaido Shinkansen line alone has carried over 5 billion passengers since October 1964. Japan's entire Shinkansen network has carried over 10 billion passengers. China's share is growing fast. By the end of 2018, China had served almost 9.5 billion passengers. It was expected to pass Japan's total numbers by 2020.

The Future of Shinkansen

Faster Speeds

Tohoku Shinkansen

E5 series trains, which can go up to 320 km/h, started on the Tohoku Shinkansen in March 2011. They were first limited to 300 km/h. On March 16, 2013, they began running at their maximum speed of 320 km/h between Utsunomiya and Morioka. This cut the travel time from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori (a distance of 674 km) to about 3 hours.

Tests with the Fastech 360 trains showed that running at 360 km/h is not yet practical. This is due to problems with noise (especially tunnel boom), wear on the overhead wires, and braking distances. On October 30, 2012, JR East announced it was working on research to increase speeds to 360 km/h on the Tohoku Shinkansen by 2020. The ALFA-X train is currently being tested for this purpose.

Hokkaido Shinkansen

When services started in 2016, the maximum speed on the 82 km section of the Hokkaido Shinkansen (including the Seikan Tunnel) was 140 km/h. This section has two different track widths. By March 2019, the speed increased to 160 km/h. About 50 freight trains use this section every day. So, it's not possible to stop freight trains from running when Shinkansen trains are operating. Because of this and other weather issues, the fastest trip from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto is currently 3 hours and 57 minutes.

During the New Year Holiday in 2020-21, some Shinkansen trains ran at 210 km/h on the dual-gauge section. This was proposed again for the Golden Week Holiday in May 2021, because fewer freight trains were running.

To allow Shinkansen trains to travel at their full speed of 260 km/h through the tunnel, other ideas are being considered. One idea is a system that would automatically slow Shinkansen trains to 200 km/h when passing narrow-gauge trains. Another idea is to load freight trains onto special "Train on Train" standard-gauge trains. These would be built to handle the shock wave from oncoming Shinkansen trains going at full speed. This would cut the travel time from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to 3 hours and 45 minutes, saving 12 minutes.

Hokuriku Line Extension

The Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended from Kanazawa to Tsuruga on March 16, 2024.

There are further plans to extend the line from Tsuruga to Osaka. The government chose the Obama-Kyoto route on December 20, 2016.

Construction of the extension beyond Tsuruga is not expected to start before 2030. It is projected to take 15 years to build. On March 6, 2017, the government committee announced that the chosen route from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka will go through Kyotanabe. It will have a station at Matsuiyamate on the Katamachi Line.

Mini-Shinkansen

Mini-shinkansen is the name for routes where old narrow-gauge lines have been changed to standard gauge. This allows Shinkansen trains to travel to cities without the high cost of building full Shinkansen lines.

Two mini-shinkansen routes have been built: the Yamagata Shinkansen and the Akita Shinkansen. Shinkansen trains on these lines travel on the Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo. Then they branch off onto these changed main lines. On both the Yamagata/Shinjo and Akita lines, the narrow-gauge tracks were made wider. This means local trains on these lines also use standard gauge. On the Akita line between Omagari and Akita, one of the two narrow-gauge tracks was widened. A part of the remaining narrow-gauge track has both widths. This allows Shinkansen trains to pass each other without stopping.

The maximum speed on these lines is 130 km/h. However, the total travel time to/from Tokyo is better. Passengers no longer need to change trains at Fukushima and Morioka.

Since the size of the train (loading gauge) was not changed when the tracks were widened, only special Shinkansen trains built for these routes can travel on them. Currently, these are the E3 and E6 series trains.

Some of the E3 series trains on the Yamagata Shinkansen will be retired soon. They will be replaced by the new E8 Series Shinkansen trains starting in Spring 2024. These new trains will have an increased speed of 300 km/h, up from the current 275 km/h of the E3 Series trains.

Shinkansen vs. Air Travel

Compared to air travel, the Shinkansen has several benefits. These include frequent and flexible schedules, on-time operation, comfortable seats, lower carbon emissions, and convenient city-center stations.

Shinkansen fares are usually similar to domestic air fares. For journeys less than 750 km, the Shinkansen carries more passengers than airplanes. For trips between 800–900 km, trains and planes are very competitive. For journeys longer than 1,000 km, air travel has a higher share of passengers.

During snowy weather, the Shinkansen is known to have fewer delays compared to air travel. A study in 2016 found that the Tohoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Aomori had far fewer days with delays longer than 30 minutes compared to air travel.

• Tokyo – Nagoya (342 km), Tokyo – Sendai (325 km), Tokyo – Hanamaki (Morioka) (496 km), Tokyo – Niigata (300 km): Air services between these cities stopped after Shinkansen services began. The Shinkansen travels between these cities in about two hours or less.
• Tokyo – Osaka (515 km): The Shinkansen is very popular here. It's fast (2 hours 22 minutes) and frequent (trains every 10 minutes). However, air travel still has about 20–30% of the market.
• Tokyo – Okayama (676 km), Tokyo – Hiroshima (821 km): The Shinkansen's share of passengers has grown from about 40% to 60% in the last ten years. The Shinkansen takes about three to four hours. There are Nozomi trains every 30 minutes. But airlines might offer cheaper fares, attracting people who want to save money.
• Tokyo – Fukuoka (1,069 km): The fastest Shinkansen takes about five hours. Discount airlines have made air travel much cheaper, so most people choose to fly. Also, the airports in Fukuoka and Haneda (Tokyo) are very convenient, located close to city centers.
• Osaka – Fukuoka (554 km): This is one of the most competitive routes. The Shinkansen takes about two and a half hours. The convenient airport locations also help air travel stay popular here.
• Tokyo – Aomori (675 km): The fastest Shinkansen service between these cities is 3 hours. Airlines have reportedly reduced the size of planes on this route since the Shinkansen extension opened in 2010.
• Tokyo – Hokuriku (345 km): The fastest Shinkansen service between these areas is 2.5 hours. Airlines have reportedly reduced flights from Tokyo to Kanazawa and Toyama since the Shinkansen extension opened in 2015. The share of passengers traveling this route by air has dropped from 40% to 10% in the same period.

Shinkansen Outside Japan

Railway systems using Shinkansen technology are not only found in Japan.

Existing Systems

Taiwan

Taiwan High Speed Rail uses 700T Series trains built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. These 12-car trains are based on the 700 Series Shinkansen. They started service in 2007 and can reach 300 km/h.

China

The China Railway CRH2 trains were built by CSR Sifang Loco & Rolling stocks corporation. They bought the license from a group of Japanese companies including Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hitachi. These trains are based on the E2-1000 series Shinkansen design.

United Kingdom

Class 395 EMUs were built by Hitachi using Shinkansen technology. They are used for high-speed commuter services in Britain on the High Speed 1 line.

Class 800 bi-mode trains were built by Hitachi for Great Western Railway and London North Eastern Railway.

Class 801 EMUs were also built by Hitachi for London North Eastern Railway.

Under Contract

India

In December 2015, India and Japan signed an agreement to build India's first high-speed rail link. It will connect Mumbai to Ahmedabad and use E5 Series Shinkansen trains. Japan is providing most of the funding through low-interest loans. The project is expected to cost up to US$18.6 billion and should be ready in about 6 years.

This agreement followed studies by India and Japan on high-speed rail in India.

The Indian Ministry of Railways' Vision 2020 plan, presented in 2009, included building regional high-speed rail projects. These trains would run at 250–350 km/h.

During Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Tokyo in December 2006, Japan promised to help India create a high-speed link between New Delhi and Mumbai. In January 2009, the Railway Minister Lalu Prasad rode a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto.

In December 2013, a Japanese group was chosen to study a 500 km high-speed line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. This study was completed by July 2015. India has 7 high-speed lines in the planning stages. Japanese companies have won contracts to study three of these lines.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) was formed in 2017 to manage all high-speed rail activities in India. A High Speed Rail Training Institute is being built in Vadodara with Japanese help. After the Prime Ministers of India and Japan laid the foundation stone for the Mumbai and Ahmedabad line in September 2017, work began on surveys along the 508 km route. Most of the civil work for the elevated tracks will be done by Indian companies. A Japanese group will handle the 21 km deep-sea tunnel in Mumbai, as well as technical aspects like safety, electrical systems, and trains. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited of India and Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan have agreed to work together to build and assemble the E5 series trains in India. Other joint projects are being explored. The line is expected to be ready by 2026.

In March 2024, reports said the first commercial train run is planned for June-July 2026. A total of 24 trains are planned for purchase. Hitachi and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have started talks with Indian Railways about changing the train designs. For example, they need to modify the air conditioning system to work well in temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius. One goal for Indian Railways is to replace some high-tech features from Japan's trains with local Indian designs, like bio-toilets. Also, the main languages for instructions on how to use the facilities must be Hindi and English.

United States

In 2014, it was announced that Texas Central Railway would build a 300-mile (480 km) line using the N700 series trains. These trains are planned to run at over 320 km/h.

Proposed Projects (Need Funding)

Thailand

Japan will provide Shinkansen technology for a high-speed rail link between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. This was agreed upon with Thailand on May 27, 2015. The total cost is estimated to be over 1 trillion yen ($8.1 billion). However, there are still challenges, like getting the money needed. If this project happens, it would be the fifth time Shinkansen technology is exported.

Australia

A private group called Consolidated Land and Rail Australia is looking into buying Shinkansen technology or SC Maglev trains. This would be for a possible line connecting Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, and Brisbane. A business plan was prepared for the government.

Ireland

As part of Ireland's 2040 infrastructure upgrade plan, a high-speed rail network using Shinkansen technology is being studied. This network would run along the Cork–Dublin–Belfast route, connecting the island from north to south.

United States and Canada

The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration has been talking with several countries about high-speed rail, including Japan. On May 16, 2009, a U.S. official hoped Japan would share its technical knowledge with Canada and the United States. The U.S. Transportation Secretary showed interest in riding the Japanese Shinkansen in 2009.

On June 1, 2009, JR Central Chairman, Yoshiyuki Kasai, announced plans to export both the N700 Series Shinkansen high-speed train system and the SCMaglev to other countries, including the United States and Canada.

Brazil

Japan promoted its Shinkansen technology to the Government of Brazil. This was for a planned high-speed rail line connecting Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Campinas. In November 2008, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed this project. President Lula asked a group of Japanese companies to bid on the project. Prime Minister Aso agreed to help Brazil improve its rail system, including the high-speed line. The Japanese group included the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Toshiba. However, nothing was built.

Vietnam

Vietnam Railways was thinking about using Shinkansen technology for a high-speed rail line. This line would connect the capital Hanoi and the southern city of Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese government had already given basic approval for the Shinkansen system. But it still needed money and official approval from the prime minister. Vietnam rejected a funding proposal in 2010, so the money for the $56 billion project is uncertain. Hanoi was looking for more Japanese funding, as well as money from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The 1560 km line would replace the old colonial-era rail line. Vietnam hoped to launch high-speed trains by 2020. They planned to start by building three sections, including a 90 km part between Da Nang and Huế, which seemed like it could be profitable. Vietnam Railways had sent engineers to Central Japan Railway Company for training.

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