Sanyō Shinkansen

The nihongo|Sanyō Shinkansen|山陽新幹線|San'yō Shinkansen is one of the lines of the Shinkansen high speed rail network in Japan. It connects Shin-Ōsaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, which are the two largest cities in western Japan. It also serves other major cities in between on Honshū and Kyūshū islands such as Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima and Kita-Kyūshū. It is operated by the West Japan Railway Company and is continuous with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line which runs from Osaka to Tokyo. The Sanyō Shinkansen connects Hakata with Osaka in 2.5 hours, and it provides one of the fastest passenger train services in the world with a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h. Some "Nozomi" trains operate continuously on Sanyō and Tōkaidō Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo and Hakata in five hours.

Hakata is currently the western terminus of the Shinkansen network, but through services over the Kyūshū Shinkansen, now partly operational, are scheduled to start from Hakata to Kagoshima in spring 2011.

History

Construction of the Sanyō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Okayama was authorized on September 91965 and commenced on March 161967. Construction between Okayama and Hakata commenced on February 101970.

The Shin-Ōsaka to Okayama segment opened on March 151972; the remainder of the line opened on March 101975. The first "Hikari" trains, using 0 Series Shinkansen equipment, made the Osaka-Hakata run in 3 hr. 44 min. This was shortened to 2 hr. 59 min. in 1986 with an increase in maximum speed to 220 km/h. 100 Series Shinkansen trains, introduced in 1989, boosted maximum speed to 230 km/h and reduced travel time to 2 hr. 49 min.

Tokyo-Hakata "Nozomi" services began on March 181993, using 300 Series Shinkansen equipment. The Osaka-Hakata run was reduced to 2 hr. 32 min., at a maximum speed of 270 km/h. On March 221997, the 500 Series Shinkansen entered service on "Nozomi" services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, reducing the Osaka-Hakata run to 2 hr. 17 min. at a maximum speed of 300 km/h.

The 700 Series Shinkansen was introduced on Tokyo-Hakata "Nozomi" services on March 131999, coinciding with the opening of Asa Station. On March 112000, the new 700 Series trainsets were introduced on "Hikari Rail Star" services.

Ogori Station was renamed Shin-Yamaguchi Station on October 12003.

The N700 Series Shinkansen was launched on "Nozomi" services on July 1, 2007, with a top speed of 300 km/h (compared to 285 km/h for the 700 series).

Today, the Sanyō Shinkansen accounts for approximately 40% of JR West's transportation revenues—the same proportion as the entire Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe "Urban Network" of commuter train lines. However, the line faces heavy competition from airlines, especially on the Tokyo-Fukuoka and Osaka-Fukuoka routes. As a result, JR West has decreased fares on the route several times over the past decade, and taken other measures to compete with the airlines, such as offering shorter trains (the 8-car "Hikari Rail Star") at higher frequencies.

Trains

Train sets on the line include:

*0 Series "Kodama"
*100 Series "Kodama"
*300 Series "Nozomi" / "Hikari" / "Kodama"
*500 Series "Nozomi" / "Hikari" / "Kodama"
*700 Series "Nozomi" / "Hikari" / "Hikari Rail Star" / "Kodama"
*N700 Series "Nozomi" / "Hikari" / "Kodama"

Stations

All stations on the Sanyō Shinkansen are owned and operated by JR West, with the exception of Shin-Ōsaka which is run by Central Japan Railway Company (JR central).