Kyushu Shinkansen
The Kyushu Shinkansen (九州新幹線, Kyūshū Shinkansen) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed railway network. It is an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen from Honshu connecting the city of Fukuoka (Hakata Station) in the north of Japan's Kyushu Island to the city of Kagoshima (Kagoshima-Chuo Station) in the south. The line runs parallel to the existing Kagoshima Main Line and is operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu).
| Kyushu Shinkansen | |||
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800 Series Shinkansen Tsubame at Shin-Minamata Station in November 2004 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Native name | 九州新幹線 | ||
| Owner | JRTT | ||
| Locale | Kyushu (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima Prefectures) | ||
| Termini |
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| Stations |
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| Color on map | Red (#FF0000) | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | High-speed rail | ||
| System | Shinkansen | ||
| Services | Mizuho, Sakura, Tsubame | ||
| Operator(s) | JR Kyushu | ||
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| Rolling stock |
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| History | |||
| Opened |
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| Technical | |||
| Line length | 256.8 km (159.6 mi) | ||
| 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 | 25 kV 60 Hz AC (overhead line) | ||
| Operating speed | 260 km/h (162 mph) | ||
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The southernmost 127 km (79 mi) section of the track was constructed first, opening on 13 March 2004. The dual-track offered a significant improvement in transit time over the equivalent single-track section of the Kagoshima Main Line, despite the need for passengers to change to a Relay Tsubame narrow gauge train at Shin-Yatsushiro, and the remainder of the journey to Hakata Station. The northernmost 130 km (81 mi) section opened on 12 March 2011, enabling through-services to Shin-Osaka (and with an interchange, to Tokyo). However, opening ceremonies were cancelled due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
The Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen route to Nagasaki (from Takeo-Onsen to Nagasaki) opened on 23 September 2022. A cross-platform interchange to a relay service called 'Relay Kamome' at Takeo-Onsen station offers a connection to Hakata.