Jōetsu Shinkansen

Template:Short description Template:Expand Japanese Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox rail line

The Template:Nihongo is a high-speed shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Despite its name, the line does not pass through the city of Jōetsu or the historical Jōetsu region, which instead are served by the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The name instead originates from the parallel Jōetsu Line, which in turn is named after the two provinces that it connects: Jōshū (an alternate name for Kōzuke Province which comprises today's Gunma Prefecture), and Echigo Province (modern day Niigata Prefecture).

Train servicesEdit

Toki, Tokyo – Niigata (limited-stop/ mostly all-stations since 30 December 2002) (Although it was first introduced as an all-stations service from 1982 to 1997)
Tanigawa, Tokyo – Echigo-Yuzawa/ Gala-Yuzawa (Seasonal) (all-stations / mostly all-stations since 1 October 1997)

Discontinued servicesEdit

Asahi, Tokyo – Niigata (discontinued 30 November 2002)
Max Asahi, Tokyo Niigata (discontinued 30 November 2002)
Max Toki, Tokyo Niigata (discontinued 17 October 2021)
Max Tanigawa, Tokyo – Echigo-Yuzawa/ Gala-Yuzawa (Seasonal) (discontinued 1 October 2021)

StationsEdit

Legend:

●	All trains stop
▲	Some trains stop

Line	Station	Japanese	Distance from Template:STN (km)	Distance from Template:STN (km)	Toki	Tanigawa	Transfers	Location
Tōhoku Shinkansen	Template:STN	lang}}	31.3	0.0	●	●	Template:Plainlist	Chiyoda	Tokyo
Tōhoku Shinkansen	Template:STN	lang}}	27.7	3.6	●	●	Template:Plainlist	Taitō	Tokyo
Jōetsu Shinkansen	Template:STN	lang}}	0.0	31.3	●	●	Template:Plainlist	Ōmiya-ku, Saitama	Saitama
	Template:STN	lang}}	36.6	67.9	▲	●	Template:Plainlist	Kumagaya
	Template:STN	lang}}	57.7	89.0	▲	●		Honjō
	Template:STN	lang}}	77.3	108.6	●	●	Template:Plainlist	Takasaki	Gunma
	Template:STN	lang}}	119.1	150.4	▲	●		Minakami	Gunma
	Template:STN	lang}}	151.4	182.7	▲	●	Template:Plainlist	Yuzawa	Niigata
	Template:STN	lang}}	181.0	212.3	▲		Template:Plainlist	Minamiuonuma
	Template:STN	lang}}	213.8	245.1	▲		Template:Plainlist	Nagaoka
	Template:STN	lang}}	237.4	268.7	▲		Template:Plainlist	Sanjō
	Template:STN	lang}}	269.5	300.8	●		Template:Plainlist	Chūō-ku, Niigata

Template:Reflist

The Gala-Yuzawa Line is a Template:Cvt branch from Echigo-Yuzawa to Gala-Yuzawa Station. It operates in the winter months only, serving the adjoining ski resort.

As of 18 March 2023, the maximum line speed is Template:Cvt between Tokyo and Omiya, and Template:Convert between Omiya and Niigata. The fastest Shinkansen from Tokyo to Niigata is 1 hour and 29 minutes, and 1 hour and 31 minutes from Niigata to Tokyo. Like all Shinkansen lines, the Jōetsu Shinkansen is standard gauge.

Rolling stockEdit

Template:As of the following train types operate on Jōetsu Shinkansen services.

E7 series: Toki / Tanigawa (since 3 March 2019)

Between fiscal 2018 and 2020, eleven 12-car E7 series train sets were introduced on Jōetsu Shinkansen services, replacing the E4 series trains,<ref name="hobidas20170404">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> raising the speed from Template:Convert to Template:Convert.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additional sets were gradually introduced through 2023 for the replacement of E2 series trains.

E7 F4 Asama 522 Omiya 20140419.jpg

An E7 series trainset

Non-revenue-earning typesEdit

East i (E926)

Former rolling stockEdit

200 series: Asahi / Toki / Tanigawa (1982 until March 2013)
E1 series: Max Asahi / Max Toki / Max Tanigawa (until September 2012)
E2 series: Toki / Tanigawa (January 2013 until March 2023)<ref name="jreast20121116">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

E3 Series: Genbi Shinkansen excursion set (29 April 2016 until 19 December 2020)<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
E4 series: Max Asahi / Max Toki / Max Tanigawa (until October 2021)

200 K47 Tanigawa 410 Omiya 20110106.jpg

200 series on a Tanigawa service in January 2011
E1 M1 Max Asahi 317 Omiya 20020629.jpg

E1 series on a Max Asahi service in June 2002
E2 J8 Nasuno 272 Omiya 20110206.jpg

E2 series Shinkansen
E3-700 R19 Genbi Shinkansen 20160910.jpg

Set R19 E3-700 series Genbi Shinkansen in September 2016
Series-E4-P20.jpg

An E4 series trainset on a Max Tanigawa service in February 2021

HistoryEdit

The program to build the new line was initiated in 1971 by Niigata-born prime minister Tanaka Kakuei; one popular anecdote is that Tanaka determined the line's routing by drawing it on a map with a red pencil.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Built at a cost of $6.3 billion,<ref>Hayes, Louis D. Introduction to Japanese Politics, p.107.</ref> it was built "to establish closer ties with Tokyo and promote regional development".<ref>Takashima, Shuichi. Railway Operators in Japan 3: Tohoku and Niigata Region Template:Webarchive. Japan Railway & Transport Review No. 29 (pp.40–49)</ref>

Trial runs over the line began in November 1980, and regular service began on 15 November 1982.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite journal</ref> The line was initially planned to terminate at Shinjuku Station, but economic considerations pushed Japanese National Railways (JNR) to merge the line with the existing Tōhoku Shinkansen line at Template:STN.

In September 1991, a 400 Series Shinkansen train set a Japanese rail speed record of Template:Convert on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line, and in December 1993, the STAR21 experimental train recorded Template:Convert. The maximum speed for regular services on the line at the time was Template:Convert except for the section between Jomo-Kogen and Urasa which is Template:Convert for E2 series trains travelling towards Niigata. The urban section between Tokyo and Ueno is Template:Convert, between Ōmiya and Ueno is Template:Convert.<ref name="railfan612">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="railwayjournal">Template:Cite AV media</ref>

The Basic Plan specifies that the Jōetsu Shinkansen should actually start from Shinjuku, which would necessitate building Template:Convert of additional Shinkansen track from Ōmiya. While some land acquisitions along the existing Saikyō Line were made, no construction ever started.Template:Citation needed

The entire line was upgraded to Template:Convert, with construction starting in May 2019, and finished in 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Upgrades included improvements to the soundproofing system.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This marks the first time that an E7 series train has operated commercially at more than Template:Convert, which is the maximum speed of the only other line served by this train, the Hokuriku Shinkansen. As a result of the upgrades, all trainsets on the Jōetsu Shinkansen operate exclusively with E7 series trainsets and the travel time on the line is projected to be reduced by 7 minutes compared to the former E2 and E4 series trainsets.<ref name=":0" /> The end of E2 series trainsets on Jōetsu Shinkansen services took take place on 17 March 2023 with the streamlining of all services to use the E7 series taking place the following day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Future plansEdit

The Niigata prefectural government has proposed building a new multi-modal terminal to directly connect the Shinkansen to the port of Niigata, potentially allowing direct transfers to ferries and cruise ships, and to potentially allow direct access between the Shinkansen and Niigata Airport. However this plan is foreseen to be completed only by the mid-2040s.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Special event train servicesEdit

On 17 November 2012, a special Template:Nihongo service ran as Toki 395 from Omiya to Niigata using 10-car 200 series set K47.<ref name="railfan20121118_200">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Also on 17 November 2012, a special Template:Nihongo service ran from Niigata to Tokyo using E5 series set U8, with a special ceremony at Niigata Station before departure.<ref name="jreast20120912">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="railfan20121118_E5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This was the first revenue-earning service operated on the Joetsu Shinkansen by an E5 series trainset.<ref name="railfan20121118_E5"/>