The Sanyo Shinkansen

[Zita Lifland]

TheSanyo Shinkansen (RzV, Sanyō Shinkansen) is a shinkansen line that connects Osaka (Shin-Osaka Station) with Fukuoka (Hakata Station) on Kyushu. It was completed in 1975 as the second shinkansen line. Today trains reach speeds of up to 300 km/h.

The Sanyo Shinkansen is operated by the West Japan Railway Company, commonly known as JR West. Some trains along the Sanyo Shinkansen provide through service to the Tokaido Shinkansen to/from Tokyo and to the Kyushu Shinkansen to/from Kagoshima.

Together with the Mizuho, the Nozomi is the only shinkansen train that requires a supplement fee for Japan Rail Pass holders. However, it is fully covered by the JR Sanyo Sanin Area Pass, JR Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass and a few other, regional rail passes.

The Sanyo Shinkansen is another network of swift bullet trains between Shin-Osaka to Hakata (Fukuoka City), which are 2 of the biggest cities in the western areas of Japan. The locomotive services throughout the Sanyo area is controlled by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) excluding the area of Shin-Osaka which is regulated by the JR Central. 5 of the Shinkansens that run throughout the Sanyo line includes the Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama (3 of which also run in the Tokaido areas), Mizuho and Sakura.

The Nozomi is the swiftest train among the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen. Its stopping points are limited to the amplest of train stations between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Nozomi's fastest train edition, the N700 series travels from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka (a distance of 515 km) in roughly 2 hours & 22 minutes, sustaining its rate of movement at 168 mph (270 km/h).

Hikari is a swiftly traveling locomotive service running within the Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen lines. This train makes more stops compared to the Nozomi, but it reaches destinations faster than the Kodama shinkansen, which makes even more stops.

The train name "Kodama" is interpreted as the word meaning "echo". This train comes to a halt at all stations that the Nozomi passes on its route inside the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen. This makes this locomotive service the slowest of all shinkansen and is used mainly to transfer between minor stations such as Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture. Train goers within exclusive towns, such as Tokyo & Osaka popularly travel on the Nozomi or Hikari transportation suppliers, making smaller amounts of stopping points.

Regulated by the JR Kyushu, the Sakura Bullet Train travel within Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chuo. The Sakura route and destination are similar to that of the route the Hikari takes where both of the trains stop in Shin-Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura, Hakata, Kumamoto and Kagoshima etc.

The difference between bullet trains that are valid with the JR Pass (Kodama, Hikari, Sakura) and the invalid trains (Nozomi, Mizuho) is that the valid JR Pass locomotives tend to have more stopping points, which stops at minor stations when compared with the Nozomi or Mizuho services. Although the extent of its maximum speeds is roughly identical, the time towards the destination differs as one group of trains stop less than the other.

Ready to dash across Japan at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour? Central Japan Railway Company has released a brand new official application that finally allows overseas visitors the ability to book high-speed shinkansen (bullet train) tickets along JR's Tokaido Sanyo Line, which follows the massively popular 'Golden Route' of sightseeing hotspots, such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

All that is needed to make a quick and easy ticket purchase is a smartphone with app installed and a credit card. Enjoy the convenience of booking high-speed rail travel outside of the station setting, from the comfort of your hotel or while on the move.

Prior to boarding, customers simply need to collect their tickets with the credit card used for payment at ticket machines located inside Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen stations. These machines are located in all stations along the line and are clearly marked with the smartEX logo. For solo travelers using an IC card such as Suica or PASMO, you can register your IC card with the application and skip the machine entirely.

The fast and frequent service allows riders to travel direct from Tokyo to Kyoto in two hours, while Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture is only another three hours away. Trains run every three minutes during peak hours and carries in excess of 445,000 passengers per day. The annual average delay for any one train service is less than one minute, making this the most reliable and punctual option available for both day trips and long-distance travel in Japan. Meanwhile, the spacious train carriages provide a comfortable and relaxing environment furnished with wide seats. Passengers are not required to wear seat belts and are free to consume food and drinks on the train. Power outlets are also available.

The Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen Reservation App really is a must-have travel tool for leisure and business travelers to Japan. The application currently services overseas users in the USA, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, and is suitable for iOS (9.0 or later) and Android (5.0 or later). Application is not available in conjunction with the Japan Rail Pass.

[UPDATE, Aug 16, 3.20pm] JR announced that it has resumed services for Sanyo Shinkansen running between Hakata (in Fukuoka) and Shin-Osaka, and Tokaido Shinkansen running between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. However, there could still be some disruptions depending on the rain conditions. More updates on the JR website.

[UPDATE, Aug 16, 2.30pm] Sanyo Shinkansen has resumed services between Hakata (in Fukuoka) and Shin-Osaka. Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka is still suspended. More updates on the JR website.

[UPDATE, Aug 16, 11.20am] More shinkansen operations have been suspended due to the heavy rainfall in Shizuoka prefecture. As reported by NHK, Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen services from Hakata to Tokyo stations are suspended for the time being, as well as shinkansen running between Tokyo and Nagoya stations. More updates on the JR website.

[UPDATE, Aug 14] As reported by The Yomiuri Shimbun, all shinkansen operations between Nagoya and Shin-Osaka stations on Tuesday August 15 are cancelled due to the impending typhoon. Additionally, the number of shinkansen trains operating between Tokyo and Nagoya stations will be reduced, with all seats now non-reserved.

Currently, the impending typhoon No. 7 (also known as Typhoon Lan) is developing into a strong force and could impact the island of Honshu over the Obon holidays starting on August 13. As reported by MBS News, JR Tokai has announced that there is a possibility that shinkansen services could be suspended between August 13 to 16, depending on weather conditions.

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