Hokkaidō Shinkansen

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Planned route of Hokkaido Shinkansen

A chart showing proposed journey times between Tokyo and Sapporo as the Hokkaido Shinkansen is extended

The Hokkaidō Shinkansen (北海道新幹線) is a high-speed rail line currently under construction between Aomori (Honshū) and Hokkaidō 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 Hokkaidō).

Tōhoku and Hokkaidō 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 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 Hokkaidō: Sapporo - Asahikawa and Oshamanbe - Sapporo (South Route). There were further plans to connect to Kushiro and Wakkanai. Plans have been indefinitely shelved at the present time.

Stations

¹: The name is tentative.

²: The current name will be changed when the Shinkansen line opens.

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