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Anyone who was looking into Japan travel has heard about the world-famous Shinkansen. Although in English the word "Shinkansen" in most cases is used in the sense of "Japanese bullet train", the term also refers to the modern rail lines that are served by the renowned trains.
It all started with Tokaido Shinkansen that began to operate in 1964. Today, when it takes just 2 and a half hours to travel from Tokyo to Osaka, one of the most modern and beloved by tourists Japanese cities, it seems so hard to believe that just 50 years ago Shinkansen lines were introduced to connect the remote regions with the country's capital to help the region's economical growth. Clearly, that turned out well.
But not everybody knows that in the beginning, the idea of bullet trains in Japan faced quite a strong opposition. Which is understandable, it's always scary to be a pioneer, and no other country has built separate train lines meant for high-speed travel at the time. Some very respected public figures had resented Shinkansen and were not shy to voice their concerns. |
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Luckily, Japanese bullet trains proved to be nothing but success on all fronts and became the public's favorites in just a few years. In fact, Japan's Shinkansen was such a big success that it inspired many European countries to implement very similar technology! Thanks to that, France proudly introduced its first high-speed TGV trains in 1981, followed by Germany's Intercity Express 10 years later.
Now the Japanese high-speed rail network is over half a century old, but don't you dare think that it in any way outdated. Over the decades, the system was relentlessly modified and improved. It was never about keeping up-to-date with modern technology. On the contrary, it was always about proudly leading the way into the future. The very first line that started it all, Tokaido Shinkansen, is among the busiest high-speed rail lines in the world, that carried over 5.6 billion passengers since its first day in service. Every day during the rush hour, the line operates 13 trains per hour, each carrying over 20.000 passengers! Impressive, right? |
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As mentioned above, Japan was the first country to build special railway lines dedicated to high-speed travel, designed with 1435 mm / 4 ft 8.5 in gauge in contrast to older lines' narrower gauge of 1067 mm / 3 ft 6 in. It worked wonders, but later another idea occurred. Why not convert part of the existing train tracks to the Shinkansen standard and connect them with the famous railway, thus extending the network even further? This concept of converted lines got the name mini-shinkansen.
But converting the lines was not the only problem. Apart from widening the track gauge, new trains boasting narrower cross-section had to be introduced, as original Shinkansen trains were not able to go through tunnels along the old lines due to their increased width. It took about 5 years to bring this plan to life, but in 1992 the new Yamagata Shinkansen line started to operate. Although the new trains can run at the speed of 320 km/h (about 200 mph) along the Shinkansen tracks, mini-shinkansen allows the maximum speed of only 130 km/h (80 mph), which increases the travel time comparing to what Shinkansen offers. |
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Now, when you know a bit about the history of the Japanese Shinkansen, let's have a close look at the trains that service the high-speed lines and share the name with the renowned railway.
A bullet train, Japan's rail pride, is the fastest and the most comfortable mean of getting around the country. We can talk for hours about the amazing onboard amenities or tell you that the departure schedule of Shinkansen trains can impress even a very seasoned traveler. We can mention that their safety records are spotless, and there were exactly zero accidents involving passenger fatalities over the years. But you know that all already, as the name Shinkansen covers it all, being among the synonyms of first-class travel. |
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But did you know that there is more than one type of train, serving the Shinkansen railway? In fact, there are 6 of them and all boast different speed and make different stops along the way:
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At the moment, Shinkansen railway system consists of 7 high-speed lines, plus 2 more lines make up mini-shinkansen. Together, they spread throughout the whole country, cover all popular tourist destinations (as well as quite a few interesting off-the-beaten-path ones you should definitely check out), and make getting around Japan easier than it seems possible.
Most travelers are interested in traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto, Tokyo to Nagoya, or Kyoto to Osaka, but do you know about other interesting cities to put on your Japan travel bucket list? Here, we've collect everything you need to know about the most popular Shinkansen routes, including the travel times, number of daily departures, and Shinkansen ticket prices. |
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Although Shinkansen trains make stops only at the most significant milestones along the way such as Tokyo Shinkansen Station, the bullet train network in Japan is so well-spread, that the final list of all train stations served by Shinkansen trains is still quite impressive. But regardless of the where you are going to and what is you departure point, you can rest assured that the train station are nothing but excellent. How can it be any other way when we are talking about Japan, the country with one of the most developed railway systems in the world?
On our website, you can find all the important information about the Shinkansen train stations, including their address, brief description highlighting its advantages, and the list of on-site facilities you can take check out while waiting for the departure. |
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Taking a bullet train in Japan is exciting (or anywhere really), there is no point arguing that. It feels special, not like taking a bus does. But reading train tickets when they are not for your local train can be rather tricky, especially in Asian countries that boast a beautifully unique writing system that is pretty impossible to crack for those who don't speak the language at least a tiny bit.
But there is no need to worry, as Shinkansen are among the most popular connections among tourists, so conveniently all the main information is offered in Japanese and English. To make preparing for your trip as easy as possible, we've prepared instructions on how to read train tickets in Japan as well as suggestions on the best way to book them. |
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