Japan has some of the best train networks in the world. Shinkansen or Japanese Bullet Train, a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan, is operated by Japan Railways. Since the initial T?kaid? Shinkansen opened in 1964, the network has expanded to link most major cities on the islands of Honsh? and Ky?sh?. Shinkansen or Japanese Bullet Train literally means - New Trunk Line. The quiet and fast trains link the major cities in Japan efficiently. In contrast to older lines, Shinkansen or Japanese Bullet Train is standard gauge, and use tunnels and viaducts to go through and over obstacles, rather than around them.
Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen The Tokaido Shinkansen is the first high speed Shinkansen or Japanese Bullet Train. Inaugurated in the year 1964, Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. In 1964 the trains already run with speeds of about 200 km/h. nowadays they reach speeds of over 300 km/h. The extension of the Tokaido Shinkansen, the Sanyo Shinkansen to Hakata Station in Fukuoka was completed by 1975. The trains operating on the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen are of the following three categories: - Nozomi
- Hikari
- Kodama
- Kyushu Shinkansen Northern Shinkansen The first north bound lines, the Tohoku Shinkansen, were completed in 1982. They run from Tokyo to Morioka and the Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata. Since then the lines that have been taken into service include: - The Yamagata Shinkansen from Fukushima to Yamagata
- The Akita Shinkansen from Morioka to Akita
- The Nagano Shinkansen from Takasaki to Nagano
- The extension of the Tohoku Shinkansen from Morioka to Hachinohe. The further extension of the Tohoku Shinkansen to Aomori and the extension of the Nagano Shinkansen to Kanazawa are currently under construction. The trains operating on the north bound lines are of the following categories: - Hayate (Tohoku Shinkansen
- Yamabiko (Tohoku Shinkansen
- Nasuno (Tohoku Shinkansen
- Komachi (Akita Shinkansen
- Tsubasa (Yamagata Shinkansen
- Toki (Joetsu Shinkansen
- Tanigawa (Joetsu Shinkansen
- Asama (Nagano Shinkansen Shinkansen Routes List of Shinkansen or Japanese Bullet Train lines
- T?kaid? Shinkansen (Tokyo - Shin-Osaka)
- Sany? Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka - Hakata)
- T?hoku Shinkansen (Tokyo - Hachinohe)
- J?etsu Shinkansen (?miya - Niigata)
- Hokuriku Shinkansen or Nagano Shinkansen (Takasaki - Nagano)
- Ky?sh? Shinkansen (Shin-Yatsushiro - Kagoshima-Ch??) Two further lines, known as Mini-Shinkansen, have also been constructed by upgrading existing sections of line: - Yamagata Shinkansen (Fukushima - Shinj?)
- Akita Shinkansen (Morioka - Akita) The 2 standard gauge not technically classified as Shinkansen lines but with Shinkansen services include: - Hakata Minami Line (Hakata - Hakata-Minami)
- Gala-Yuzawa Line - technically a branch of the J?etsu Line - (Echigo-Yuzawa - Gala-Yuzawa) Enjoy a comfortable journey in the high speed Shinkansen or Japanese Bullet Train.
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