Токио мен Осака арасындағы жоғары жылдамдықты теміржол желісі

High speed railway line between Tokyo and Osaka

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen (東海道新幹線) is a Japanese high speed rail line that is part of the nationwide Shinkansen network. Along with the Sanyo Shinkansen, it forms a continuous high speed railway through the Taiheiyō Belt, also known as the Tokaido corridor. Opening in 1964, running between Tokyo and Shin Ōsaka, it is the world's first high speed rail line, and it remains one of the world's busiest.

The predecessor for the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines was originally conceived at the end of the 1930s as a standard dangan ressha (bullet train) between Tokyo and Shimonoseki, which would have taken nine hours to cover the nearly distance between the two cities. This project was planned as the first part of an East Asian rail network serving Japan's overseas territories. The beginning of World War II stalled the project in its early planning stages, although three tunnels were dug that were later used in the Shinkansen route. By 1955, the original Tokaido line between Tokyo and Osaka was congested. Even after its electrification the next year, the line was still the busiest in Japan's railway network by a long margin, with demand being around double the then capacity. In 1957, a public forum was organized to discuss “The Possibility of a Three hour Rail Trip Between Tokyo and Osaka.” The opening was timed to coincide with the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which had already brought international attention to the country. Originally, the line was called the New Tokaido Line in English. Just like the original railway line, it is named after the Tokaido road that has been used for centuries. Initially, there were two services: the faster Hikari (also called the Super Express) made the journey between Tokyo and Shin Osaka in four hours, while the slower Kodama (or the limited express) made more stops and took five hours to travel the same route. A test run was conducted August 25, 1964, simulating a Hikari service. The run, which was deemed "very successful" by then JNR president Reisuke Ishida, was also broadcast on television by NHK. On October 1 that same year, the line was officially opened, with the first train, Hikari 1, traveling from Tokyo to Shin Osaka with a top speed of In November 1965, both services had their schedule reworked so that the new timetable listed travel times of three hours for the Hikari and four hours for the Kodama. The 1970s were a difficult time for the JNR as local lines built up deficit. Profits from the Tokaido Shinkansen were used to offset the lines which were running at a loss which resulted in a lack of development and faster service over a 15 year period. Labor issues during that time steered away any attention from JNR executives, further complicating the possibility for research initiatives. Despite the deep financial situation throughout the 1970s, the loan from the World Bank made in 1959 was paid back in 1981. In 1988, one year after the privatization of JNR, the new operating company, JR Central, initiated a project to increase operating speeds through infrastructure improvement and a new train design. This resulted in the debut of the 300 Series and the Nozomi, the line's fastest service which took two and a half hours to traverse the route with a top speed of , on March 14, 1992. New platforms for Shinkansen services at Shinagawa Station opened in October 2003, accompanied by a major timetable change which increased the number of daily Nozomi services, which was now larger than the number of Hikari trains. Initially, certain Nozomi and Hikari services did not stop at the station, with some skipping either Shinagawa or Shin Yokohama, and the plurality of services stopping at both. From March 2008 onward, all services stop at both stations. Another station was planned to open in 2012 to serve Rittō, a city between Maibara and Kyoto. Construction started in May 2006, but the project was canceled the next year due to political opposition from the government of the surrounding Shiga Prefecture and the Supreme Court of Japan ruling the bond that the city had issued to fund construction was illegal and had to be canceled. The next speedup, which raised the top speed to its current through the use of improved braking technology, was announced in 2014 and introduced on March 14, 2015, the 23rd anniversary of the last speed raise. Initially, just one service per hour would run at this new speed. After the replacement of the older, slower 700 series with the N700 series in March 2020, a new timetable taking advantage of the speed increase with more services was planned. However, the COVID 19 pandemic further delayed these plans as service was temporarily cut. An automated operating system is planned to be implemented for the line by 2028, with test runs starting in 2021.

All Tokaido Shinkansen trains feature two classes. Green Cars (First Class) offer 2+2 configured seating in all reserved carriages. Ordinary Car features 2+3 configured seating in both reserved and unreserved carriages. On all Shinkansen services vending machines with a limited offering of snacks and drinks are available in certain carriages and a trolley service, offering a more extensive but still limited selection, passes through each car a number of times on each journey. It is common practice in Japan to purchase food prior to boarding trains. Almost all stations sell bento boxes (complete meals conveniently boxed) for consumption onboard trains. As of 2020, reservations are required to take large pieces of luggage on Tokaido Shinkansen trains.

On board cart sales on Nozomi and Hikari services is set to be discontinued on 31 October 2023, and is set to be replaced by a new mobile order seat service exclusive for Green Car (first class) passengers from 1 November 2023. Passengers must scan the QR code on the back of their seats using their mobile devices to purchase their refreshments. A cabin attendant will then deliver the products to them, where payment can be made. 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 discontinued by Q2 2024.

With the exception of Nozomi services, the Japan Rail Pass is an option for foreign visitors traveling on the Tokaido Shinkansen line in Japan. Japan Rail Pass holders can take Hikari or Kodama services free of charge. A special supplementary ticket is required for Japan Rail Pass passengers to use the Nozomi service. The Hikari services are identical to Nozomi services apart from their stopping patterns. While both operate at the same speed on the mainline, Hikari services stop at additional stations en route, extending journey times.

It was announced in June 2010 that a new shinkansen station in Samukawa, Kanagawa Prefecture was under consideration by JR Central. If constructed, the station would open after the new maglev service begins operations. Shizuoka Prefecture has long lobbied JR Central for the construction of a station at Shizuoka Airport, which the line passes directly beneath. The railway has so far refused, citing the close distance to the neighbouring Kakegawa and Shizuoka stations. If constructed, travel time from the center of Tokyo to the airport would be comparable to that for Tokyo Narita Airport, enabling it to act as a third hub airport for the capital. As the station would be built underneath an active airport, it is expected to open after the new maglev line.