Shinkansen Bullet Train
Japan is well know for the world’s most efficient and convenient rail service, the Shinkansen or Bullet Train is the jewel in Japan’s rail crown, this tightly scheduled, safe, punctual and super fast service is an amazing service and the best way to travel long distance throughout Japan.
JR have been running the Shinkansen for nearly 40 years and in that time they have carried over six billion passengers, that’s the entire population of earth, and they have never had a single serious accident with their trains which travel at speeds in excess of 300 killometres an hour
There are several different models of Shinkansen, and they are currently testing a new generation of vehicle which testing has reached over 500 km per hour
To catch a train, you basically purchase a ticket from the ticket machine, or counter, line up for the train to arrive and get on. It is a quick and very easy process. If you have purchased a reserved seat you will know exactly where to line up on the platform, with such a precise train service the platforms have the carriage numbers marked on them as the shinkasen stops in the exact same spot every single time.
One of the most popular routes is the Tokaido Shinkansen which connects Tokyo with Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, The Nozomi service takes about 2 and a half hours to travel from Tokyo to Osaka, which counting airport transfers and baggage collection is much faster and easier than flying. The Nozomi is the high speed service and only stops at the major stations. There is a cheaper Hikari service which takes about 30 minutes more and has more regular stops. The slowest service is the Kodama which makes frequent stops. You will find trains from Tokyo to Osaka leave about every 5 minutes in daylight hours, which is quite amazing taking into account each train holds around 1600 people.
There are Shinkansen services pretty much all over Japan, and many new services under construction.
Travelling on the train is nothing short of pleasant. There is much more room than in a commercial aircraft. Plenty of leg room and a choice of smoking or non smoking and reserved or the cheaper non reserved seating. Vending machines and toilets are plentiful and a snack service is offered with drinks including liquor and food available.
Tourists have the option of purchasing JR rail passes before they leave for Japan, but check for conditions carefully on JR’s website as some services like the Nozomi service are not available on the pass
for further information contact http://www.japanrail.com/
