Kyushu Shinkansen

Kyushu Shinkansen
Class N700 train on the Kagoshima route of the Kyushu Shinkansen
Route Red solid line: Kyūshū-Shinkansen in operation Red dashed line: Kyūshū-Shinkansen under construction
Gauge :	1067/1435 mm
Kagoshima route
Route length:	256.8 km
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Power system :	25 kV 60 Hz  ~
Minimum radius :	4,000 m
Top speed:	260 km / h
Legend ↓ ↑ JR Kyūshū : Kagoshima main line ↑ JR West : San'yō Shinkansen 0.0 Hakata (博 多 駅) ↓ JR Kyūshū: Kyūshū Shinkansen → JR West: Hakata Minami Line Hakata Minami (博多南 駅) Hakata General Shinkansen Depot Chikushi Tunnel (11,865 m) → JR Kyūshū: Chikuhō main line Haruda (原田 駅) Tosu (鳥 栖 駅) ← JR Kyushu: Nagasaki main line 26.3 Shin-Tosu (新 鳥 栖 駅) Chikugo (river) 32.0 Kurume (久留 米 駅) → JR Kyūshū: Kyūdai main line 47.9 Chikugo-Funagoya (筑 後 船 小屋 駅) 59.8 Shin-Ōmuta (新 大 牟 田 駅) Miike tunnel (5,415m) Tamana Tunnel (6,757m) 76.3 Shin-Tamana (新 玉 名 駅) 98.2 Kumamoto (熊 本 駅) → JR Kyūshū: Hōhi main line Kumamoto Shinkansen Depot Uto (宇 土 駅) ← JR Kyushu: Misumi Line Connection line for Tsubame relay 130.0 Shin-Yatsushiro (新 八 代 駅) ↑ JR Kyūshū: Kagoshima main line Yatsushiro (八 代 駅) → JR Kyushu: Hisatsu line ↓ Hisatsu-Orange Railway Second Imaizumi Tunnel (4,680m) Tagami tunnel (6,991m) Yoshio Tunnel (6,040m) Shin Tsunagi Tunnel (5,160m) 172.8 Shin Minamata (新 水 俣 駅) 188.8 Izumi (出水 駅) Third Shibisan Tunnel (9,987m) ^ Hisatsu-Orange Railroad Sendai River 221.6 Sendai (川 内 駅) ↓ JR Kyūshū: Kagoshima main line Sendai Shinkansen depot Shiozuru Tunnel (4,175 m) 256.8 Kagoshima-Chūō (鹿 児 島 中央 駅) ← JR Kyushu: Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line ↓ JR Kyūshū: Kagoshima main line

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

history

In spring 1998 the Japanese government decided to build the line.

Like the other Shinkansen routes, the Kyūshū-Shinkansen uses standard gauge rails .

After completion, the line was connected to the San'yō Shinkansen at Hakata station . The entire route of the Hakata-Minami Line, with the exception of Hakata-Minami Station , is used. A line from Takeo-Onsen Station to Nagasaki is under construction and is expected to open in 2023.

Kagoshima route

Construction of the Kagoshima Route ( Japanese 児 島 ル ー ト ) began in 1991. The opening of the first section between Kagoshima and Shin-Yatsushiro took place on March 13, 2004. Thanks to this first section, the travel time between Kagoshima and Yatsushiro was shortened from 130 minutes to around 35 minutes; the travel time between Kagoshima and Hakata has been reduced from four to two hours.

On March 22nd, 2010 the track of the section under construction was completed. To mark the occasion, a ceremony was held at Kumamoto Station , during which the last sleeper screws were tightened. Since then, there has been a continuous Shinkansen rail connection between Tokyo and Kagoshima of around 1300 km in length. Operations on the completed Kagoshima route of the Kyūshū Shinkansen began on March 12, 2011, which reduced the travel time between Kagoshima and Hakata to around one hour and 20 minutes.

railway station	Japanese	distance	Transfer options	place
Hakata	博 多	0 km	Fukuoka Subway : Kūkō Line, JR Kyūshū : Fukuhoku-Yutaka Line , Hakata-Minami Line , Kagoshima Main Line , JR West : San'yō-Shinkansen 1	Hakata , Fukuoka	Fukuoka
Shin-Tosu	新 鳥 栖	26.3 km	JR Kyushu: Nagasaki Main Line 2	Tosu	saga
Kurume	久留 米	32.0 km	JR Kyūshū: Kagoshima main line, Kyūdai main line	Kurume	Fukuoka
Chikugo-Funagoya	筑 後 船 小屋	47.9 km	JR Kyūshū: Kagoshima main line	Chikugo
Shin-Ōmuta	新 大 牟 田	59.7 km		Ōmuta
Shin Tamana	新 玉 名	76.3 km		Tamana	Kumamoto
Kumamoto	熊 本	98.2 km	JR Kyūshū: Hōhi Main Line , Kagoshima Main Line Kumamoto City Transportation Office: ■ Route 2; Main Line and Tasaki Line (Kumamoto-Ekimae)	Kumamoto
Shin-Yatsushiro	新 八 代	130.0 km	JR Kyūshū: Kagoshima main line	Yatsushiro
Shin Minamata	新 水 俣	172.8 km	Hisatsu Orange Tetsudō	Minamata
Izumi	出水	188.8 km	Hisatsu Orange Tetsudō	Izumi	Kagoshima
Sendai	川 内	221.6 km	Hisatsu Orange Railway JR Kyushu: Kagoshima main line	Satsuma-sendai
Kagoshima Chūō	鹿 児 島 中央	256.8 km	JR Kyushu: Ibusuki Makurazaki Line , Kagoshima Main Line Kagoshima City Transportation Office : ■ Route 2; Toso Line and Second Construction Phase Line (Kagoshima-Chūō-Ekimae)	Kagoshima

¹ : Passage without changing trains to / from Kyūshū Shinkansen

² : New train station is built.

business

Since March 12, 2011 137 trains with three train names and two Shinkansen vehicles have been operating on the Kyūshū Shinkansen. There are basically four trains per hour in the Hakata and Kumamoto section and two trains to Kagoshima-Chūō. Every hour a train goes through to San'yō-Shinkansen to Shin-Ōsaka. The Kyushu Shinkansen has three train names; Mizuho , Sakura and Tsubame , named after the former express trains on the Tōkaidō, San'yō and Kagoshima main lines.

Train names

• Mizuho ( み ず ほ , dt. "Fertile travel ear"): the fastest trains that connect the train stations Shin-Ōsaka on the San'yō-Shinkansen and Kagoshima-Chūō on the Kyūshū-Shinkansen with a travel time of 3 hours and 45 minutes. These trains only stop at Shin-Kobe , Okayama , Hiroshima , Kokura , Hakata and Kumamoto stations. The travel time between Hakata and Kumamoto is now 33 minutes instead of 78 minutes and the travel time between Hakata and Kagoshima is now 79 minutes, previously 3 hours and 50 minutes. Four pairs of trains are set up every day in the morning and in the evening with the N700 series (S / R variants). Mizuho's name is named after the former night train that operated between Tokyo and Kumamoto from 1961 to 1994 .
• Sakura ( さ く ら , dt. " Cherry Blossom "): the fast trains that run between the stations Shin-Ōsaka on the San'yō-Shinkansen and Kagoshima-Chūō on the Kyūshū-Shinkansen and do not stop at all stations. Basically, three Sakura trains per hour run on the Kyūshū Shinkansen; first train between Shin-Ōsaka and Kagoshima-Chūō (eleven train pairs), second train between Hakata and Kagoshima-Chūō (fourteen train pairs) and third train between Hakata and Kumamoto (seven train pairs). Furthermore, two trains per day commute to Shin-Shimonoseki station on the San'yō-Shinkansen. The trains stop at Shin-Kobe, Okayama, Fukuyama , Hiroshima, Kokura, Hakata, Kumamoto and Sendai stations and at least two more stations. The travel time between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chūō is at least 4 hours and 10 minutes. Every train that ends or departs at Hakata Station provides a connection to and from San'yō Shinkansen on Nozomi or Hikari Rail Star trains. Passengers can transfer on the same platform at Hakata Station. The trains that continue to San'yō-Shinkansen to Shin-Ōsaka station are only operated with the N700 series (S / R variants). Other trains will be put into operation with the N700 and 800 series. In the years from 1929 to 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 , dt. " Swallow "): The trains stop at all stations on the Kyūshū Shinkansen and no train continues on the San'yō Shinkansen. During the day, trains run every hour between Hakata and Kumamoto stations. In the morning and in the evening, two trains per hour continue to Kagoshima-Chūō. They are operated with the 800 and N700 series (S / R variants). The train was named after the former express train that ran between Tokyo and Kobe (later to Hakata) from 1930 to 1975 and between Hakata and Kagoshima from 1992 to 2004 . In the years from March 2004 to March 2011, all trains on the Kyūshū Shinkansen were called Tsubame and commuted between Shin-Yatsushiro and Kagoshima-Chūō. During the construction phase, the narrow-gauge express train Relay Tsubame transported passengers from Hakata to Shin-Yatsushiro, with a connection to the Shinkansen.

Vehicle use

Class 800 at Shin-Minamata station

On the Kyūshū Shinkansen vehicles of the Shinkansen series 800 and the series N700-7000 are used. The 800 series six-car trains are mainly used as tsubame connections at a top speed of 260 km / h . The eight-car trains of the N700-7000 series have been in use between Shin-Ōsaka and Kagoshima-Chūō as Mizuho and Sakura connections since March 2011 .

West Kyushu Route (Nagasaki Route)

In the Nationwide Shinkansen Railway Development Act (English translation of Zenkoku shinkansen tetsudō seibi-hō ) from 1973, the Nagasaki Shinkansen from Fukuoka to Nagasaki was provided. It was later renamed the Nagasaki Route ( Japanese 長崎 ル ー ト ) and most recently it was named West Kyushu Route ( Japanese 西 九州 ル ー ト ). However, the planning process was repeatedly interrupted because the need for a Shinkansen line parallel to the existing Cape Gauge Nagasaki main line and Sasebo line between Tosu and Takeno-Onsen was called into question. There was also resistance to the construction of the Shinkansen in Nagasaki City.

Construction of the first 45.7 km long section between Takeno-Onsen and Isahaya began on April 28, 2008. The discussion about the remaining approximately 21 km from Isahaya to Nagasaki dragged on for a few years until the construction was approved in July 2012. Completion is scheduled for 2023.

The construction of the remaining 45 km long section between Takeo-Onsen and Shin-Tosu, where the connection to the Kagoshima route would be made, has currently been postponed. The original plan was to temporarily close this gap in the network by using vehicles with re-gauging chassis on the Cape-lane Sasebo line. For this purpose, the third test train of the Kikan Kahen Densha was tested from 2014 . However, significant technical problems with the vehicle led to this plan being abandoned in 2017. Since then, alternatives have been discussed, e.g. B. a shuttle service adapted to the Shinkansen timetable on the Sasebo line.

railway station	Japanese	distance	Transfer options	place
Construction currently postponed
Shin-Tosu	新 鳥 栖			Tosu	saga
saga	佐賀		JR Kyushu: Karatsu Line , Nagasaki Main Line, Sasebo Line	saga
Under construction, opening in 2023
Takeo onsen	武雄 温泉	0 km	JR Kyushu: Sasebo Line	Takeo	saga
Ureshino Onsen  3	嬉 野 温泉	10.9 km		Ureshino
Shin-Ōmura  3	新 大村	32.2 km		Ōmura	Nagasaki
Isahaya	諫 早	44.8 km	JR Kyushu: Nagasaki main line, Ōmura line, Shimabara-Tetsudō line	Isahaya
Nagasaki	長崎	66.0 km	JR Kyūshū: Nagasaki Main Line, Ōmura Line Nagasaki Tram : Routes ■ 1, □ 2 and ■ 3; Main line and Sakuramachi branch line (Nagasaki-Ekimae)	Nagasaki	Nagasaki

³ : Planning name

Web links

Commons : Kyūshū Shinkansen  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Kyūshū Shinkansen WEB (Japanese / English)
• JR Kyushi Shinkansen (Japanese)
• Tsubame of JR Kyushu (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} 九州 新 幹線 西 九州 ル ー ト 武雄 温泉 ・ 諫 早間 建設 工事 jrtt.go.jp (PDF; 329 kB) JRTT, press release of April 3, 2008
2. ^ Construction plan of the Kyūshū Shinkansen (section Nishi-Kyūshū) . Nagasaki Prefecture Website (Japanese)
3. ↑ Kyushu Shinkansen open all lines ( Memento of the original from April 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . JR Kyusyu website 
4. ↑ Shinkansen network is growing . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , Issue 5, 1998, p. 206
5. ↑ 鹿 児 島 ル ー ト が １ 本 に レ ー ル 締結 、 九州 新 幹線 ( Memento of the original from October 26, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Sankei News, March 22, 2010 
6. ↑ 九州 新 幹線 の 線路 工事 完了 ＝ 東京 - 鹿 児 島 間 1 本 に - 熊 本 ( Memento from March 26, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Yahoo News, March 22, 2010
7. ↑ ^{a b c d} timetable change in spring 2011 . ( Memento of the original from December 20, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. JR Kyūshū, press release December 17, 2010 (Japanese) 
8. ↑ Train names from JNR and JR, Mizuho . Website of the Kotsu-Shinbun-Sya (Japanese).
9. ↑ Train names by JNR and JR, Sakura . Website of the Kotsu-Shinbun-Sya (Japanese).
10. ^ History of Tsubame Train . ( Memento of the original from September 17, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. JR Kyusyu website (Japanese). 
11. ↑ 山陽 ・ 九州 新 幹線 直通 用車 両 量 産 先行 車. In: Japan Railfan Magazine , December 2008, pp. 64-67
12. ^ Three Shinkansen Extensions Approved . In: Railway Gazette , July 12, 2012 (English).