Hokuriku Shinkansen
The Hokuriku Shinkansen (Japanese: 北陸新幹線) is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo with Tsuruga in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West).
| Hokuriku Shinkansen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
A JR East E7 series train on the Hokuriku Shinkansen | |||
| Overview | |||
| Native name | 北陸新幹線 | ||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | JRTT | ||
| Locale | Tokyo, Saitama, Gunma, Nagano, Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui Prefectures | ||
| Termini |
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| Stations | 24 | ||
| Color on map |
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| Service | |||
| Type | High-speed rail (Shinkansen) | ||
| System | Shinkansen | ||
| Services | Kagayaki, Hakutaka, Tsurugi, Asama | ||
| Operator(s) | JR East (from Takasaki to Jōetsumyōkō) JR West (from Jōetsumyōkō to Tsuruga) | ||
| Depot(s) | Nagano, Hakusan | ||
| Rolling stock | E7 series, W7 series | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1 October 1997 | ||
| Last extension | 16 March 2024 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 470.6 km (292.4 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 | 25 kV AC, 50/60 Hz (overhead line) | ||
| Operating speed | 260 km/h (162 mph), 275 km/h (171 mph) (Between Omiya and Takasaki Stations) | ||
| Signalling | Cab signalling | ||
| Train protection system | DS-ATC | ||
| Maximum incline | 3.0% | ||
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The first section, between Takasaki and Nagano in Nagano Prefecture, opened on 1 October 1997 in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics, and was originally called the Nagano Shinkansen (長野新幹線). The extension to Toyama in Toyama Prefecture and Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture opened on 14 March 2015. Construction of a further section onward to Fukui and Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, covering 125 kilometers and six stations, commenced in 2012 and opened on 16 March 2024. The route of the final section to Shin-Osaka was decided on 20 December 2016 as the Osaka–Kyoto route, with construction expected to begin in 2030 and take 15 years, after impact assessment procedures for areas along the line are completed.