Kyushu Shinkansen

The Kyushu Shinkansen (Japanese九州 新 干线) is a 256.8 km long high-speed line of the Japanese Shinkansen between Fukuoka and Kagoshima on the Kyushu island, parallel to the existing Kagoshima Main Line. The southern part with a length of 127 km since 2004, the northern part with a length of 130 km has been in operation since March 12, 2011. Is operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu ).

History

In spring 1998, the Japanese government decided to build the track.

The section between Kagoshima and Yatsushiro was opened on 13 March 2004. It shortens the travel time between the two cities from 130 minutes to 35 minutes, cutting the journey time between Hakata Station in Fukuoka and Kagoshima from 4 hours to only 2 hours. After removing the entire route travel time between Hakata and Kagoshima is only a little over an hour.

On March 22, 2010, the track of the under construction section was completed. On this occasion, a ceremony was held in Kumamoto Station, where the last coach screws were tightened. Since then, there is a continuous Shinkansen track connection between Tokyo and Kagoshima approximately 1300 km in length.

Like the other Shinkansen routes used the Kyushu Shinkansen standard gauge rails.

After completion, the line is connected to the Hakata station by San'yo Shinkansen. The entire route of the Hakata- Minami Line, with the exception of the station Hakata- Minami used. A line from Shin- Tosu Station to Nagasaki is provisionally approved in planning and, but the exact course of the route is not fixed yet.

Operation

Since March 12, 2011, 137 trains with three Zugbezeichnungen and two Shinkansen vehicles on the Kyushu Shinkansen in operation. Basically, four trains per hour in the section Hakata and Kumamoto, and two trains to Kagoshima - Chūō. Every hour a train passes on to San'yo Shinkansen to Shin- Osaka. The Kyushu Shinkansen has three Zugbezeichnungen; Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame, who are named after the former Express trains on the Tōkaidō, San'yo and Kagoshima main line.

Zugbezeichnungen

• Mizuho (みずほ, dt " fertile ear of rice " ): the fastest trains that connect between the stations at Shin- Osaka on the Shinkansen San'yo and Kagoshima - Chuo on Kyushu Shinkansen with the travel time of 3 hours and 45 minutes. These trains only stop at the stations Shin- Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kokura, Hakata and Kumamoto. The journey time between Hakata and Kumamoto is now 33 minutes instead of the previous 78 minutes and the journey time between Hakata and Kagoshima now 79 minutes before 3 hours and 50 minutes. Four pairs of trains morning and evening the Series N700 ( S-/R-Varianten ) Every day furnishings. The name of Mizuho is after former overnight train, which was operated in the years 1961 to 1994 between Tokyo and Kumamoto, called.
• Sakura (さくら, dt " Cherry Blossom " ): the fast trains that run between the stations Shin- Osaka on the Shinkansen San'yo and Kagoshima - Chuo on Kyushu Shinkansen and not stop at all stations. Basically, take three Sakura trains per hour on the Kyushu Shinkansen; first train between Shin- Osaka and Kagoshima - Chuo ( eleven pairs of trains ), second train between Hakata and Kagoshima - Chuo (fourteen pairs of trains ) and third train between Hakata and Kumamoto ( seven pairs of trains ). Furthermore commute two trains per day to the Shin- Shimonoseki Station on the Shinkansen San'yo. The trains stop at the stations Shin- Kobe, Okayama, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Kokura, Hakata, Kumamoto and Sendai and at least two more stations. The travel time between Shin- Osaka and Kagoshima - Chūō takes at least 4 hours and 10 minutes. Each train that terminates or departs from the Hakata Station, offering a connection to and from San'yo Shinkansen Nozomi with Hikari Rail Star or trains. The passengers can change trains on the same platform at Hakata Station. The trains, which go on to San'yo Shinkansen to Shin- Osaka Station to the be operated only with the Series N700 ( S-/R-Varianten ). Other trains will be put into operation with the N700 and 800 series. In the years 1929-2005 an express train between Tokyo and Shimonoseki was later called a night train between Tokyo and Nagasaki and Sasebo as Sakura.
• Tsubame (つばめ, German " Swallow" ): The trains stop at all stations on the Kyushu Shinkansen and no train continues on the San'yo Shinkansen. During the day, the trains run every hour between only the stations Hakata and Kumamoto. Morning and evening two trains per hour on to Kagoshima - Chūō. They are operated with the 800 series and N700 ( S-/R-Varianten ). The train was named after the former Express train, which ( to Hakata later ) and from 1992 to 2004 continued in the years 1930 to 1975 between Tokyo and Kobe between Hakata and Kagoshima. In the years from March 2004 to March 2011 all trains were called on the Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame and commuted between Shin- Yatsushiro and Kagoshima - Chuo. During construction, the narrow gauge express train Relay Tsubame transported the passengers from Hakata to Shin - Yatsushiro, with connection to the Shinkansen.

Are operated Shinkansen 800 Series with 6 cars and a top speed of 260 km / h The trains are built by Hitachi and based on the 700 series, which is already on the Tōkaidō-/San ' yō Shinkansen in use.

JR West and JR Kyushu Shinkansen have the N700 -7000 series ordered with 8 cars, used since March 2011 between Shin- Osaka and Kagoshima - Chuo. The first Shinkansen was delivered in October 2008 at the Hakata Depot.