Who owns Shinkansen?

It was originally built and operated by the government-owned Japanese National Railways and has been part of the private Japan Railways Group since 1987. The first section of the original line, a 320-mile (515-km) stretch between Tokyo and Osaka, was opened in 1964.



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In 1961 a loan from the World Bank to the Japanese National Railways helped finance one of the most technically advanced railway projects in the world—the New Tokaido Line (the Shinkansen Project) between Tokyo and Osaka that carried the famous Bullet Trains.

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Since launching in 1964, the bullet trains have proved to be remarkably safe, resilient and lucrative: Not only do many of the lines turn a healthy profit, but Shinkansen technology, including the software that supports the trains' famous punctuality, is a valuable Japanese export.

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Is shinkansen losing money? NAGOYA, Japan -- Central Japan Railway, which operates the shinkansen bullet train connecting Tokyo and Osaka, on Tuesday reported a consolidated net loss of 201.5 billion yen ($1.86 billion) for the year ended March 31 due to the lack of passenger traffic during the coronavirus pandemic.

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For regular fares, it isn't. A regular fare one way ticket on ANA for example between Tokyo and Osaka is about 25,000 yen. A regular shinkansen ticket is about 13,620 yen (adult, unreserved seat). That makes the shinkansen close to half price - a long ways from what you think.

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In the fiscal year 2022, East Japan Railways (JR East) Company's Shinkansen high-speed railway trains generated approximately 422 billion Japanese yen of passenger revenue, increasing from around 258 billion yen in the preceding year.

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Instead, what makes the Shinkansen (and any Ltd. Express train) more expensive then regular trains is a hefty standard surcharge: the supplementary special-express ticket, which covers the premium experience of traveling on the nice fast trains. And yes, you have to pay it even if you have to stand.

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The ATC system prevents high-speed passenger train-on-train collisions and excessive speeds. The advanced ATC system exercises complete control over the entire dedicated track and every operating train, preventing train-on-train collisions and excessive speed.

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JNR also had more than ¥25 trillion in debts due to decades of losing money operating its trains. Along with a few other relatively minor debts, these totaled to ¥32.1 trillion or, in today's dollars, about $550 billion.

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In the fiscal year 2021, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) carried around 84 million passengers on its high-speed Shinkansen trains, increasing from 64 million in the preceding year. Per day, the Tokaido Shinkansen transported approximately 229 thousand passengers.

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Snack and food sales have been a mainstay on the Shinkansen, or bullet train, since it began running in 1964, the year Japan hosted the first Tokyo Olympics, a railway spokesperson said, but it was not clear when the cart services began. Tottori, Japan sand dunes on the Sea of Japan.

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Above all else, the Shinkansen has a remarkable safety record. These Shinkansens have now operated for 50 years, over 18,000 days, without a single passenger casualty.

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The shinkansen train uses superconducting maglev (short for magnetic levitation) to achieve these incredible speeds. As the train leaves the station, it's rolling on wheels. But as it speeds up, the wheels retract, and the power of magnets allows the vehicle to hover four inches above the ground.

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The Maglev train has also exceeded previous Shinkansen world speed records in trials at the Miyazaki Test Track. Most Shinkansen trains operate at speeds of about 500 kilometers per hour (200 to 275 miles per hour).

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