San'yō Shinkansen
| San'yō Shinkansen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Native name | 山陽新幹線 | ||
| Owner | JR West | ||
| Locale | Osaka, Hyōgo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Fukuoka Prefectures | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 19 | ||
| Color on map | Blue (#24197c) | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | High-speed rail (Shinkansen) | ||
| System | Shinkansen | ||
| Services | Mizuho, Sakura, Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama | ||
| Operator(s) | JR West | ||
| Depot(s) | Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, Hakata | ||
| Rolling stock | 500 series 700 series N700A series N700S series | ||
| Daily ridership | 110,004 passengers per day (FY2014) | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 15 March 1972 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 553.7 km (344.1 mi) | ||
| Number of tracks | Double-track | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Minimum radius | 4,000 m (2.5 mi; 13,000 ft) | ||
| Electrification | Overhead line, 25 kV 60 Hz AC | ||
| Operating speed | 300 km/h (186 mph) | ||
| Signalling | Cab signalling | ||
| Train protection system | ATC-NS | ||
| Maximum incline | 1.5% | ||
| |||
The San'yō Shinkansen (山陽新幹線) is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan. Operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), it is a westward continuation of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and also serves other major cities in between on Honshu and Kyushu islands such as Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kitakyushu, through the Shin-Kanmon Tunnel. The Kyushu Shinkansen continues south of Hakata to Kagoshima. The San'yō Shinkansen connects Hakata with Osaka in two and a half hours, with trains operating at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) for most of the journey. Some Nozomi trains operate continuously on San'yō and Tōkaidō Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo and Hakata in five hours.