Route of the Tokaido (东海 道) linked the imperial city of Kyoto (京都) to Edo (江 戸) , the former Tokyo (东京), along the Pacific coast of Japan. This is the most populated because the climate is milder than the slope of the Sea of Japan. The Tokaido Road now connects the three largest cities in the country: the Kanto (关 东), the region of Nagoya (名古屋) and the Kansai (关 西). In the 50s, the need for a mode of modern transportation and high capacity arose. The Japanese have invented while high-speed train. The line is still used today, with a justified reputation for punctuality, speed, frequency of safety and comfort. The Tokaido Shinkansen is without doubt the best high-speed service in the world.
Since the '40s, Japan has felt the need to build new rail tracks on the Tokaido. Japan uses some ways narrower than the French tracks (1067mm gauge), which does not allow a speed as fast as the trains then French. Thus, in the 50s, express Kodama linking Tokyo to Osaka (about 550km) to 6:50 (average 80km / h), while at the same time, the French mistral traveled the 863 miles from Paris to Marseilles in 7:10 (average of 120 km / h). With the economic development of the 50s, the Tokaido was completely saturated as it would also provide freight service on an axis that does not yet have highways.
The national carrier was then thought to double tracks on the old Tokaido line, but it was not easy, because the lines crossed many areas already built, and should have been destroyed buildings along the tracks. The alternative project begun in 1940 and interrupted by the war, was chosen: the construction of dedicated lanes suitable for high speed (1435 mm). These were naturally called Shinkansen (新 干线), or "new section of track." The gigantic project took place between 1959 and 1964. The construction of many bridges and tunnels was necessary. Elevated and underground tracks represent about 80% of the length line. Some tunnels like that of Nihonzaka (日本 坂) Shizuoka (静冈) were recovered from the early work of 1940. Trains demanded extensive research because the electric motors of the era were emitting too much vibration. Technology from aeronautics were then introduced to solve the problem by Tadashi Matsudaira and other naval engineers who joined the railway after the war. With the efficient cooperation of President Shinji Sogo, and his chief engineer Hideo Shima, everything was finished in time for the inauguration in 1964. The journey time between Tokyo and Osaka was reduced to 4 hours in 1964 and 3:10 in 1965. It is currently 2:30.
In the '80s, Japan's privatization of railway lines highly leveraged. The network was split into six companies, and the line was attributed to "JR Tokai (东海), a company that also has classic lines in the Nagoya area. The sale of the very profitable line of Shinkansen allowed to repay the debt of the national airline. Even today, the benefit of the Tokaido Shinkansen is used to finance improvements tract in more rural areas of Japan, and we consider that this represents an extra cost of about 30% for passengers. Since then, the company operates efficiently JR Tokai line. There were no fatalities and no injuries during the 44 years of service on the line. The average delay was 6 seconds in 2003, including delays caused by earthquakes, typhoons, snow and natural disasters.
There are plans to double the line, constructing a shinkansen technology-based 'maglev' along the Chuo Line (中央 线), that is to say the line through the mountains. The company's latest projects include a JR Tokai was commissioned in 2025, and a test line has already been built in Yamanashi Prefecture (山 梨).
3 types of travel service line: the Kodama (こだま) is the local service. There is a train every 20 or 30 kilometers, serving the towns. It is operated between Tokyo and Nagoya, and between Nagoya and Kyoto. The Hikari (ひかり) makes a stop in the city of Hamamatsu (浜 松), Shizuoka, or Atami (热 海), in addition to the main railway stations. The Nozomi (のぞみ) dessert stations principalesde Shinagawa (品 川), Shin-Yokohama (新 横 浜), Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka (新 大阪). In rush hour there until eleven departures per hour.
If the high-speed rail is a high-tech industry, with heavy investment, passenger comfort and amenities resulting mainly from the cabin. Shinkansen cars have rows of 5 seats arranged 2 and 3. The seats are systematically shot in the direction of travel for passenger comfort. It is also possible to create user-friendly configurations of 4 or 6 heads-up seats if the passengers want. The legroom is very important, and allows even taller people to travel comfortably in second class, while the TGV or plane is a nightmare. The interior decoration is sober, with a predominance of white and beige. The car interior is very reminiscent of airplane cabins. A sign above the door provides information: position on the route, weather forecasts and news. In the last trains (N700), passengers have taken to plug in their laptop and wireless Internet access. The car service was arrested in bar 2003, but the hostesses, maintenance deliciously outdated, offer a peddling drinks and sandwiches. There are cars with reservations and car-free investment to take a train at the last minute. It is thus quite possible to reach by subway station in Tokyo at about 11 o'clock in the morning without tickets, and boarding the train from 5 to 10 minutes later.
The price for the 450 miles from Shin-Yokohama to Kyoto (journey in 2 hours) Y12.890 (80 Euros) in second class on a Nozomi with a reserved seat. On a Hikari, reserved seating is Y12590 (78 Euros). A place without reservation is Y12080 (75.5 Euros). Children (up to 11 years) pay half price, but no further reductions. The bill also authorizes Shinkansen to take the commuter train in the city of origin. For comparison, a fully flexible ticket between Paris and Lyon on the TGV costs 81.5 Euros, with a lower quality of service (comfort of trains, frequency and punctuality). There are more cons for reduced rates on the TGV (non-exchangeable tickets for 62.90 Euro for example). It would also be fair to mention that the Shinkansen ticket is used to finance unprofitable lines, and that without this "Tax", the fare would be much lower.
You can continue your reading taking the train to the valley "Oigawa , or by going directly into the center of Tokyo .
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