Which Shinkansen is the fastest?

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).



As of 2026, the title for the fastest Shinkansen in commercial operation is shared between the Nozomi service on the Tokaido/Sanyo line and the Hayabusa service on the Tohoku line, though they achieve their "speed" in different ways. The Hayabusa, utilizing the E5 or H5 series trainsets, reaches the highest maximum operating speed in Japan at 320 km/h (approx. 200 mph) between Utsunomiya and Morioka. The Nozomi, while technically capped at a slightly lower top speed of 285 km/h on the Tokaido line and 300 km/h on the Sanyo line, is often considered the "fastest" in terms of total travel time between major hubs like Tokyo and Osaka because it makes the fewest stops. However, the future of Japanese rail speed lies with the L0 Series Maglev, which is currently undergoing testing on the Chuo Shinkansen line. This magnetic levitation train has shattered world records by reaching a staggering 603 km/h (375 mph) in test runs. Once it enters commercial service (expected in the late 2020s or early 2030s), it will cut the travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya to just 40 minutes, significantly outperforming any traditional wheeled bullet train in existence.

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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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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. There are three Green Class cars on the 16-coach Hikari train. The operating speed of the Hikari train is 300 km/h (185 mph).

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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!

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The fastest train is Nozomi which reaches an operating speed of 300 km/h (185 mph).

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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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It's very easy to travel between Kyoto and Osaka. The shinkansen is fastest (14 minutes, Y1420). There's also the private Keihan Line (51 minutes, Y410) and Hankyu Line (44 minutes, Y400).

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Kodama (???, Echo) is one of the three train services running on the Tokaido and San'yo Shinkansen lines. Stopping at every station, the Kodama is the slowest Shinkansen service for trips between major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.

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The Nozomi Shinkansen trains reach speeds of up to 185 mph (300 km/h) making them one of the fastest trains in Japan. Though the actual train models are no different to some other JR trains, the limited number of stops they cover allows them to reach these great speeds and cover great distances in a short time.

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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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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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Use the bullet train Tokaido Shinkansen to travel to Mt. Fuji right from the heart of Tokyo. On the left side, you will see mesmerizing Sagami Bay, and on the right side the symbol of Japan, the highest summit of the country, perfectly symmetrical Mount Fuji.

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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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Japan has been a legend in commuter travel for over half a century. Early Japanese train travel featured decadent luxury, such as on Japan's famous night trains.

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How much luggage can I bring onto the shinkansen? Each passenger is allowed to bring on two pieces of oversized luggage each. Each of these pieces of luggage cannot exceed 250 cm in total dimensions as previously stated. Additionally, each piece of luggage cannot exceed 30 kg (66 lbs) in weight.

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