Turning Points · 1964
Japan's First Bullet Train
Tokyo Station, Tokyo, Japan (the line's Tokyo end)
What happened
By the early 1960s the Tokaido Main Line between Tokyo and Osaka had reached its limit. Japan built a new line just for fast trains, the Shinkansen, which means new mainline. It opened in October 1964, the world's first high-speed rail service, with trains running up to 210 km/h.
Why it matters
The first journey time of 4 hours was a big cut from the 6 hours 30 minutes of the fastest regular train.
What came next
In 1965 the trip was cut to 3 hours 10 minutes, making day trips between Tokyo and Osaka possible. Passengers grew from 11 million in the first year to 118 million.
Did you know?
The line opened just days before the Tokyo Olympic Games, whose opening ceremony was on 10 October 1964.
Timeline
- October 1964The Tokaido Shinkansen opens between Tokyo and Osaka.
- 10 October 1964The Tokyo Olympic Games open.
- 1965The trip is cut to 3 hours 10 minutes.