| San'yō Shinkansen |
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| Native name | 山陽新幹線 |
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| Owner | JR West |
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| Locale | Osaka, Hyōgo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Fukuoka prefectures |
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| Termini | |
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| Stations | 19 |
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| Color on map | Blue |
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| Type | High-speed rail (Shinkansen) |
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| System | Shinkansen |
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| Services | Mizuho, Sakura, Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama |
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| Operator(s) | JR West |
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| Depot(s) | Osaka · Okayama · Hiroshima · Hakata |
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| Rolling stock | |
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| Daily ridership | 110,004 (FY2014) |
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| Opened | 15 March 1972 (1972-03-15) |
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| Line length | 553.7 km (344.1 mi) |
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| Number of tracks | 2 |
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| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
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| Minimum radius | 4,000 m (2.5 mi; 13,000 ft) |
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| Electrification | Overhead line, 25 kV 60 Hz AC |
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| Operating speed | 300 km/h (190 mph) |
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| Signalling | Cab signalling |
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| Train protection system | ATC-NS |
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| Maximum incline | 1.5% |
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The San'yō Shinkansen (Japanese: 山陽新幹線; lit. 'Southern new main line') is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan. Operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), it is a westward continuation of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and also serves other major cities in between on Honshu and Kyushu islands such as Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kitakyushu, through the Shin-Kanmon Tunnel. The Kyushu Shinkansen continues south of Hakata to Kagoshima. The San'yō Shinkansen connects Hakata with Osaka in two and a half hours, with trains operating at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) for most of the journey. Some Nozomi trains operate continuously on San'yō and Tōkaidō Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo and Hakata in five hours.