San'yō Shinkansen
{{Short description|High-speed railway line between Osaka and Fukuoka, Japan}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width =
| name = San'yō Shinkansen
| native_name = 山陽新幹線
| native_name_lang = ja
| color = {{rcr|JR West|Sanyo Shinkansen}}
| mapcolor = {{rcb|JR West|Sanyo Shinkansen|box}} Blue (#{{rcr|JR West|Sanyo Shinkansen}})
| logo = Shinkansen jrw.svg
| logo_width = 50
| image = Kakogawa-Bridge-N700A.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption = N700A Series Shinkansen between {{STN|Nishi-Akashi|x}} and {{STN|Himeji|x}}, February 2021
| type = High-speed rail (Shinkansen)
| system = Shinkansen
| status =
| routes = Mizuho, Sakura, Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama
| locale = Osaka, Hyōgo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Fukuoka Prefectures
| start = {{STN|Shin-Ōsaka|x}}
| end = {{STN|Hakata|x}}
| stations = 19
| daily_ridership = 110,004 passengers per day (FY2014){{cite web|url= http://www.westjr.co.jp/company/info/issue/data/pdf/data2015_08.pdf|script-title= ja: 区間別平均通過人員および旅客運輸収入（平成26年度）|trans-title= Average passenger figures and revenue by line (Fiscal 2014)|year= 2015|publisher= West Japan Railway Company|location= Japan|page= 58|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160109013320/http://www.westjr.co.jp/company/info/issue/data/pdf/data2015_08.pdf|archive-date= 2016-01-09|access-date= 17 October 2015|url-status= dead}}
| open = {{start date and age|1972|03|15|df=y}}
| close =
| owner = {{ric|JR West|name=y}}
| operator = JR West
| character =
| depot = Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, Hakata
| stock = 500 series
700 series
N700A series
N700S series
| linelength = {{cvt|553.7|km}}
| tracks = Double-track
| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| electrification = {{25 kV 60 Hz|conductor=overhead}}
| maxincline = 1.5%
| minradius = {{cvt|4000|m|mi ft}}
| signalling = Cab signalling
| trainprotection = ATC-NS
| speed = {{cvt|300|km/h|mph|sigfig=3}}
| elevation =
| map = File:Sanyo Shinkansen map.png
| map_state = show
}}
The {{nihongo|San'yō Shinkansen|山陽新幹線}} is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan. Operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), it is a westward continuation of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and also serves other major cities in between on Honshu and Kyushu islands such as Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kitakyushu, through the Shin-Kanmon Tunnel. The Kyushu Shinkansen continues south of Hakata to Kagoshima. The San'yō Shinkansen connects Hakata with Osaka in two and a half hours, with trains operating at a maximum speed of {{convert|300|km/h|mph|abbr=on|0}} for most of the journey.{{cite magazine |script-title = ja:300km/hのトップランナー|trans-title= 300 km/h Top Runners|magazine=Japan Railfan Magazine| volume = 52| issue = 612| page =14| publisher = Kōyūsha Co., Ltd.| location = Japan| date = April 2012}} Some Nozomi trains operate continuously on San'yō and Tōkaidō Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo and Hakata in five hours.
Rolling stock
As of March 2020, the following types are used on San'yō Shinkansen services.
- 500 series (8-Car V Set): Hikari / Kodama services
- 700–7000 series: Hikari / Kodama services
- N700 series: Nozomi / Hikari / Kodama services
- N700-7000/8000 series: Mizuho / Sakura / Kodama services
- N700S series: Nozomi services
File:Shinkansen 500 (8086233447).jpg|JR West 500 series Kodama, August 2010
File:JRW-700-hikari-railstar.jpg|700 series Hikari Rail Star, April 2009
File:JRW N700 series N3.jpg|JR West N700 series, April 2009
File:JRW N700-7000series S1.jpg|A JR West N700-7000 series trainset
=Former rolling stock=
- 0 series: Hikari / Kodama services
- 100 series: Hikari / Kodama services
- 300 series: Nozomi / Hikari / Kodama services
- 500 series (16-Car W Set): Nozomi / Hikari services
- 700-0 series: Nozomi / Hikari / Kodama services
- 700-3000 series: Nozomi / Hikari / Kodama services
File:R61 Kodama 635 Higashi-Hiroshima 20030719.JPG|JR West 0 series Kodama at Higashi-Hiroshima Station, July 2003
File:JRW Shinkansen Series 100 K55.jpg|JR West 100 series on a Kodama service, October 2008
File:JRW Shinkansen Series 300 F6.jpg|JR West 300 series on a Hikari service, October 2008
File:JRW-500-nozomi.jpg|JR West 500 series on a Nozomi service, May 2008
File:JRW Shinkansen Series 700 B9 set.jpg|JR West 700 series on a Nozomi service, March 2010
=Non-revenue earning types=
Current
File:Dr yellow N700 T5.jpg|JR West's Class 923 "Doctor Yellow" set T5 on the Sanyo Shinkansen, December 2009
Former
- 922 (Set T3) (1979 to 2005)
File:Doctor-yellow.jpg|JR West Class 922 "Doctor Yellow" set T3, October 2004
Stations and service patterns
{{GeoGroup|article=Category:Sanyō_Shinkansen}}
All stations on the San'yō Shinkansen are owned and operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), with the exception of Shin-Osaka station, which is run by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Kodama trains stop at all stations; other services have varying stopping patterns. All trains stop at Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura, and Hakata. Foreign tourists traveling with a Japan Rail Pass are required to purchase a special ticket to use Nozomi or Mizuho trains.
Legend:
| class="wikitable"
! ● | All trains stop |
| ▲
| Some trains stop |
|---|
| ｜
| All trains pass |
| class=wikitable
!Station !Japanese !Distance from !Distance from !Transfers ! colspan="2" |Location |
| align="center" colspan="12"|↑ Through services towards {{STN|Tokyo|x}} via the Tōkaidō Shinkansen{{refn|Only Nozomi and Hikari services that run in formations of 16 car sets run through to the Tōkaidō Shinkansen.}} ↑ |
| Shin-Ōsaka
|{{lang|ja|新大阪}} |align=center|0.0 |align=center|515.4 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px Tōkaidō Shinkansen (through service) |
| Shin-Kōbe
|{{lang|ja|新神戸}} |align=center|32.6 |align=center|548.0 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |15px Hokushin Line and 15px Seishin-Yamate Line (S02) |rowspan="4" |Hyōgo |
| Nishi-Akashi
|{{lang|ja|西明石}} |align=center|54.8 |align=center|570.2 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px JR Kōbe Line (JR-A74) |
| Himeji
|{{lang|ja|姫路}} |align=center|85.9 |align=center|601.3 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px JR Kōbe Line (JR-A85) |
| Aioi
|{{lang|ja|相生}} |align=center|105.9 |align=center|621.3 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px San'yō Main Line |Aioi |
| Okayama
|{{lang|ja|岡山}} |align=center|160.9 |align=center|676.3 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px 20px San'yō Main Line |rowspan="2" |Okayama |
| Shin-Kurashiki
|{{lang|ja|新倉敷}} |align=center|186.7 |align=center|702.1 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |
| Fukuyama
|{{lang|ja|福山}} |align=center|217.7 |align=center|733.1 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px 20px San'yō Main Line |rowspan="5" |Hiroshima |
| Shin-Onomichi
|{{lang|ja|新尾道}} |align=center|235.1 |align=center|750.5 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● | |
| Mihara
|{{lang|ja|三原}} |align=center|245.6 |align=center|761.0 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |
| Higashi-Hiroshima
|{{lang|ja|東広島}} |align=center|276.5 |align=center|791.9 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● | |
| Hiroshima
|{{lang|ja|広島}} |align=center|305.8 |align=center|821.2 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px 20px San'yō Main Line |
| Shin-Iwakuni
|{{lang|ja|新岩国}} |align=center|350.0 |align=center|865.4 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |Nishikigawa Seiryū Line (Seiryū-Shin-Iwakuni) |rowspan="5" |Yamaguchi |
| Tokuyama
|{{lang|ja|徳山}} |align=center|388.1 |align=center|903.5 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Color|#cB332E|■}} San'yō Main Line |
| Shin-Yamaguchi (formerly Ogori) |{{lang|ja|新山口}} |align=center|429.2 |align=center|944.6 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Color|#cB332E|■}} San'yō Main Line |
| Asa
|{{lang|ja|厚狭}} |align=center|453.3 |align=center|968.7 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Color|#cB332E|■}} San'yō Main Line |
| Shin-Shimonoseki
|{{lang|ja|新下関}} |align=center|477.1 |align=center|992.5 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|▲ |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Color|#cB332E|■}} San'yō Main Line |
| Kokura
|{{lang|ja|小倉}} |align=center|497.8 |align=center|1013.2 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px Kagoshima Main Line (A28) |rowspan="2" |Fukuoka |
| Hakata
|{{lang|ja|博多}} |align=center|553.7 |align=center|1069.1 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |20px Kyushu Shinkansen (through service) |
| align="center" colspan="12"|↓ Through services towards {{STN|Kagoshima-Chūō|x}} via the Kyushu Shinkansen,{{refn|Only Mizuho and Sakura services that run in formations of 8 car sets run through to the Kyushu Shinkansen.}} or to {{STN|Hakataminami|x}} via the Hakataminami Line{{refn|Only Kodama services that run in formations of 8 car sets run through to the Hakataminami Line.}} ↓ |
As of 2012, the maximum line speed is, West-bound {{Convert|285|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} between Shin-Ōsaka and Shin-Kobe, {{Convert|275|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} between Shin-Kobe and Nishi-Akashi, and {{Convert|300|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} between Nishi-Akashi and Hakata. East-bound it is {{Convert|300|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} between Hakata and Himeji, {{Convert|275|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} between Himeji and Shin-Kobe and {{Convert|300|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}} between Shin-Kobe and Shin-Ōsaka.
History
File:Hikari-railstar-osaka-2004-04.jpg
Construction of the San'yō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Okayama was authorized on 9 September 1965, and commenced on March 16, 1967. Construction between Okayama and Hakata commenced on 10 February 1970. The Shin-Ōsaka to Okayama segment opened on March 15, 1972; the remainder of the line opened on March 10, 1975.{{Cite journal |last=Taniguchi |first=Mamoru |date=1993 |title=The Japanese Shinkansen |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23288577 |journal=Built environment |volume=19 |issue=3/4 |page=216 |jstor=23288577 }} The first Hikari trains, using 0 series trains, made the Shin-Ōsaka to Hakata run in 3 hours 44 minutes. This was shortened to 2 hours 59 minutes in 1986 with an increase in maximum speed to {{convert|220|km/h|abbr=on}}. 100 series trains, introduced in 1989, boosted maximum speed to {{convert|230|km/h|abbr=on}} and reduced travel time to 2 hours 49 minutes.
File:19970117 img1622.jpg in Nishinomiya, Hyogo]]
Tokyo to Hakata Nozomi services began on 18 March 1993, using 300 series trains. The Shin-Ōsaka to Hakata run was reduced to 2 hours 32 minutes, at a maximum speed of {{convert|270|km/h|abbr=on}}. On 22 March 1997, the 500 series entered service on Nozomi services between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata, reducing that run to 2 hours 17 minutes at a maximum speed of {{convert|300|km/h|0|abbr=on}}.
The 700 series was introduced on Tokyo-Hakata Nozomi services on 13 March 1999, coinciding with the opening of Asa Station, and on 11 March 2000, 700 series trains were introduced on Hikari Rail Star services.
Ogori Station was renamed Shin-Yamaguchi Station on 1 October 2003.
The N700 series was launched on Nozomi services on 1 July 2007, with a top speed of {{convert|300|km/h|0|abbr=on}} (compared to {{convert|285|km/h|disp=or|abbr=on}} for the 700 series).
From the start of the revised timetable on 12 March 2011, new Mizuho and Sakura inter-running services commenced between Shin-Ōsaka and Kagoshima on the Kyushu Shinkansen using new N700-7000 and N700-8000 series 8-car trainsets. This boosted JR West's market share in the Osaka-Kagoshima passenger market from 13% in March 2011 to 35% in March 2012. JR West began offering discounted advance purchase fares on this route in July 2013 in an effort to compete for market share with new low-cost airlines such as Peach.{{cite news|title=Budget airlines challenge Shinkansen|url=http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000369788|access-date=19 July 2013|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=11 July 2013|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730234116/http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000369788|url-status=live}} With the launch of Mizuho and Sakura services, nearly all of the Hikari services operating solely on the San'yō Shinkansen (mostly Rail Star services) were discontinued as it was deemed redundant.
= Future plans =
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 abolished by Q2 2024.{{Cite web |last=Kinoshita |first=Kenji |date=17 October 2023 |title=東海道・山陽・九州新幹線の車内喫煙ルーム、2024年春にすべて廃止 |trans-title=All smoking rooms on Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen trains will be abolished in spring 2024. |url=https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20231017-2795090/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018011801/https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20231017-2795090/ |archive-date=18 October 2023 |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=MyNavi Corporation}} In addition, all smoking rooms located on station platforms on the Sanyo Shinkansen would also be abolished.
In July 2024 JR West announced that the 500 Series trains would be phased out, and trains on the San'yō Shinkansen standardized to the N700 Series. Four of the existing 500 Series trainsets are expected to be retired by 2026, with the last two retired by 2027.{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUF195CD0Z10C24A7000000/|title=JR西日本、新幹線500系が27年引退へ 車両の共通化進む|date=24 July 2024|publisher=The Nikkei|access-date=24 July 2024|language=ja}}
Ridership
{{Update section|date=January 2025|reason=Ridership Statistics were from almost 20 years ago}}
In fiscal 2005, the Sanyo Shinkansen line ridership was 58 million passengers/year, or about 159,000 daily.{{Cite web |url=http://www.westjr.co.jp/english/english/company/con02/library/annual/2005/c06.html |title=Annual Report 2005 |access-date=2010-12-19 |archive-date=2011-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927045821/http://www.westjr.co.jp/english/english/company/con02/library/annual/2005/c06.html |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Sanyō Shinkansen|San'yō Shinkansen}}
- [http://www.westjr.co.jp/english/global.html JR West website] {{in lang|en}}
{{Shinkansen}}
{{Japan Railways Group}}
{{West Japan Railway Company Lines}}{{Osaka transit}}{{High-speed railway lines}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanyo Shinkansen}}
Category:Lines of West Japan Railway Company
Category:High-speed railway lines in Japan
Category:Railway lines opened in 1972
Category:Standard-gauge railways in Japan