Is Hikari faster than Nozomi?

Slower than the premier Nozomi but faster than the all-stations Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen that can be used with the Japan Rail Pass, which is not valid for travel on the Nozomi or Mizuho trains except through a special supplementary ticket.



No, the Hikari is not faster than the Nozomi; in fact, the Nozomi is the fastest service on Japan’s Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines. While both trains can reach the same top speed of approximately 300 km/h (186 mph), the Nozomi reaches its destination faster because it makes significantly fewer stops. On the popular Tokyo to Osaka route, a Nozomi train takes about 2 hours and 21 minutes, stopping only at major hubs like Nagoya and Kyoto. A Hikari train, conversely, takes about 2 hours and 50 minutes because it serves several intermediate stations. In 2026, the Nozomi remains the "executive" choice for speed, but the Hikari is indispensable for international travelers because it is the fastest service fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass. The "Kodama" remains the slowest tier, acting as the local service that stops at every single station along the route.

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Slower than the premier Nozomi but faster than the all-stations Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen that can be used with the Japan Rail Pass, which is not valid for travel on the Nozomi or Mizuho trains except through a special supplementary ticket.

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Train services Hikari is the fastest train service on the Sanyo and Tokaido Shinkansen lines which is fully covered by the JR Pass. The majority of Hikari trains are formed of 16 cars though some have 8.

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Differences in Fares For example, a reserved seat from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka on a Nozomi train costs 14, 450 yen, while the same seat on a Hikari or Kodama costs 14,140 yen. Please keep in mind that you might not be able to sit down when you buy a non-reserved seat ticket if the train is particularly crowded.

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Completed in 1975, it is the second oldest Japanese Shinkansen line. There are 5 train services that run on this line: Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho, and Sakura. The fastest train is Nozomi which reaches an operating speed of 300 km/h (185 mph).

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Apart from that, the train, on board service and amenities are all the same. So you may ask:“Why is the Nozomi excluded from the JR Pass?” The answer is twofold. One reason is to keep the Nozomi for commuter travel only, and second is to offer the JR Pass at the price it currently is.

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The different types of Nozomi Trains The Nozomi achieves speeds of up to 285 km/h on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line (i.e., Tokyo to Nagoya) and 300 km/h on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line (Nagoya to Hakata). Some typical travel times on the Nozomi: Tokyo to Nagoya: about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

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The Nozomi Shinkansen can reach top speeds of over 300 km/h (186 mph). The fastest travel time between Tokyo – Kyoto is 139 minutes, over a distance of 476.3 KM. That means the average speed is around 205 km/h, the time for stops included.

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The Hikari Shinkansen have bathrooms, including Japanese high tech toilets.

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The travel between Tokyo and Osaka, a one-way ticket costs around 14,500 yen on a Nozomi train or 13,500 yen on a Hikari train.

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Eating and drinking on Japanese trains You should eat on trains only when taking a long-distance train, such as the Shinkansen. These types of trains have a tray and cup holder at every seat, and snacks are sold from a vendor trolley. When taking this type of train, it is also acceptable to bring your own food.

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A one-way trip from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station on a Hikari or Kodama train costs 13,080 yen (unreserved seat) or 13,800 yen (reserved seat), but is completely free with a JR Pass.

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Kodama is the slowest of the three trains which operate on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. This is due to the larger number of stops in comparison to the other two bullet trains on this line. The Kodama train stops at every station and takes almost four hours to reach Shin-Osaka.

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Japan Rail Pass is not valid for “Nozomi” and “Mizuho” trains(including non-reserved seats). To travel on Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen lines, Japan Rail Pass holders have to take “Hikari” trains, “Kodama” trains or “Sakura” trains(see the next page).

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The Green cars, reserved seats in the standard cars and non-reserved seats in standard cars on “NOZOMI” or “MIZUHO” trains can be used only when the ticket is used in combination with a JAPAN RAIL PASS that is valid as of the day of using the train, regardless of the date of exchange or purchase of the JAPAN RAIL PASS.

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The Tokaido Shinkansen (??????, Tokaido Shinkansen) is a shinkansen line that connects Japan's three largest metropolitan areas (Tokyo/Yokohama, Nagoya and Osaka/Kyoto) with each other. It is Japan's best used shinkansen line with departures every few minutes.

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Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen trains Summer is also the time when Mount Fuji can be clearly seen from a Shinkansen train leaving Tokyo towards Nagoya – Osaka – Kyoto. The window view is impressive – make sure to reserve your D or E seat (C or D in Green Cars), which is the right side from Tokyo, left side from Kyoto.

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As mentioned, the JR Pass is valid on the Hikari Shinkansen and Kodama services but not the Nozomi train, so be careful to board the right train.

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Hikari is a swiftly traveling locomotive service running within the Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen lines. This train makes more stops compared to the Nozomi, but it reaches destinations faster than the Kodama shinkansen, which makes even more stops.

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