Hokkaidō Shinkansen
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The Hokkaidō Shinkansen (北海道新幹線) is a high-speed rail line currently under construction between Aomori (Honshu) and Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel. Construction started in May 2005, and the initial Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate section is projected to open in 2015. There are long-term plans to extend the line to Sapporo. The line will be operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido).)[1]
Tōhoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen services are hoped to be operated at speeds of up to 360 km/h. The proposed journey time from Tokyo to Sapporo is advertised locally as 3 hours, 57 minutes.
At the present time the Seikan Tunnel can only carry narrow-gauge (1,067 mm) traffic (Kaikyō Line), but it will be upgraded to dual gauge, with both standard and narrow-gauge tracks.
In the early 1970s, two other Shinkansen routes were proposed for Hokkaido: Sapporo - Asahikawa (Hokkaido Shinkansen extension) and Oshamambe - Muroran – Sapporo (Hokkaido South Route). There were also further, unofficial plans to connect to Abashiri, Kushiro and Wakkanai. These plans have been indefinitely shelved.
[edit] Stations
| Station name | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under construction, scheduled to open before April 2016 | |||||
| Shin-Aomori | 新青森 | 0.0 | Ōu Main Line, Tōhoku Shinkansen | Aomori | Aomori |
| Oku-Tsugaru[* 1] | 奥津軽 | 38.5 | Tsugaru Line (Tsugaru-Futamata) Kaikyō Line (Tsugaru-Imabetsu[* 2]) |
Imabetsu | |
| (Seikan Tunnel) | |||||
| Kikonai | 木古内 | 113.3 | Esashi Line, Kaikyō Line | Kikonai | Hokkaido |
| Shin-Hakodate[* 1] | 新函館 | 148.9 | Hakodate Main Line (Oshima-Ōno[* 2]) | Hokuto | |
| Planned; scheduled to open before April 2036 | |||||
| Shin-Hakodate | 新函館 | Hokuto | Hokkaido | ||
| Shin-Yakumo[* 1] | 新八雲 | 203.0 | Yakumo | ||
| Oshamambe | 長万部 | 236.1 | Hakodate Main Line, Muroran Main Line | Oshamambe | |
| Kutchan | 倶知安 | 290.2 | Hakodate Main Line | Kutchan | |
| Shin-Otaru[* 1] | 新小樽 | 328.2 | Otaru | ||
| Sapporo | 札幌 | 360.2 | Chitose Line, Hakodate Main Line, Sasshō Line (Gakuen-Toshi Line) Namboku Line, Tōhō Line |
Kita, Sapporo | |
[edit] References
- ^ Kyodo News, "DPJ may OK three new bullet-train sections", Japan Times, 17 December 2011, p. 1.
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