The main difference here is that the Nozomi stops at the least amount of stations, the Hikari only at the most important stops and the Kodama at each stop along the way. This way business people can travel fast from meeting to meeting, while tourists can get off at their desired stop, like Mt. Fuji!

The primary difference between the Nozomi and Hikari Shinkansen services is the number of stops and total travel time. The Nozomi is the "express" service, stopping only at major hubs like Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka; it completes the journey from Tokyo to Kyoto in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The Hikari is the "semi-express" service, making more intermediate stops (such as at Mishima or Maibara), which adds about 20 to 30 minutes to the trip. In 2026, a critical distinction for tourists is that the JR Rail Pass now allows you to use the Nozomi, but only if you pay a specific "surcharge" fee; the Hikari, however, is fully included in the pass with no extra charge. Both trains use the high-tech N700 series rolling stock, reaching the same top speeds of 285 km/h, so the on-board comfort and amenities are virtually identical. Choosing between them usually comes down to whether you prioritize the fastest possible transit (Nozomi) or whether you are using a JR Pass and want to avoid the extra surcharge (Hikari).