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Hikari
Shinkansen 700 Series Hikari Rail Star, May 2008
Service type	Super Express
Operator	JR Central, JR West
Line used	Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Sanyō Shinkansen
Maximum speed	285 km/h
Started	1964 2000 (Rail Star)
Rolling stock	300/700/N700 series

JR West 300 Series on Hikari service, October 2008

Hikari (ひかり, Hikari^?) is one of the train services running on the Japanese Tōkaidō/Sanyō Shinkansen "bullet train" lines. Slower than the Nozomi but faster than the Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen that is covered in the Japan Rail Pass. The word hikari means "light" in Japanese.

[edit] History

Before and during World War II, Hikari was the name of the express train from Busan, Korea to Changchun, Manchuria. In the 1950s, the name was used for express trains from Fukuoka to Kagoshima and Beppu.

When the Shinkansen opened in 1964, Hikari was the fastest train on the line, travelling from Tokyo Station to Shin-Ōsaka Station with only two stops (Nagoya and Kyōto). Hikari service was extended to the Sanyō Shinkansen later, although the Hikari trains were only slightly faster than the Kodama trains, earning them the derisive nickname "Hidama."

As of 2008, JR Central Hikari services, which operate throughout the Tōkaidō/Sanyō corridor, use 16-car 700 Series and 300 Series trains. Most Hikari trains pull over at intermediate stations such as Shizuoka, Maibara or Himeji to allow faster services, mainly Nozomi trains, to pass through at top speed.

In March 2008, the new N700 Series Shinkansen was put into service on a morning Hikari service between Shin-Yokohama and Hiroshima stations, and a late night run between Tokyo and Nagoya. A third N700 Hikari run between Nagoya and Tokyo was added in October 2008.^[1]

[edit] Hikari Rail Star

JR West began operating the Hikari Rail Star service in 2000. This service is limited to the Sanyō Shinkansen, and uses special 8-car 700 Series trains with a distinctive livery and a maximum speed of 285 km/h. JR West introduced the service to provide better competition against airlines on the Osaka-Fukuoka route. The reserved seat cars on Hikari Rail Star trains feature a 2-2 seating arrangement instead of the 3-2 arrangement found on other Hikari. The front row of seats in these cars feature power points for laptop users.

[edit] Hikari Stopping Patterns (as of March 2008)

Key
● All trains stop
▲ Some trains stop
▬ No trains stop/Service does not run here
(###) Train numbers included in/excluded from table

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kawasaki Heavy Industries: Hikari Rail Star description

v • d • e Named trains of Central Japan Railway Company Shinkansen Hikari · Kodama · Nozomi Limited express (daytime) Asagiri · Fujikawa · Inaji · Shinano · Hida · Nanki · Limited express (overnight) Fuji · Hayabusa · Sunrise Izumo · Sunrise Seto Discontinued Ginga · Tōkai (partial list)

v • d • e Named trains of West Japan Railway Company Shinkansen Hikari · Kodama · Nozomi Limited express (daytime) Biwako Express · Hakutaka · Hamakaze · Haruka · Hashidate · Kinoasaki · Kitakinki · Kuroshio · Maizuru · Monju · Ocean Arrow · Ohayō Express · Oyasumi Express · Raichō · Shirasagi · Super Inaba · Super Kuroshio · Super Matsukaze · Super Oki · Tanba · Thunderbird · Yakumo Limited express (overnight) Fuji · Hayabusa · Hokuriku · Sunrise Izumo · Sunrise Seto · Twilight Express Express Kitaguni · Noto · Tsuyama Rapid Marine Liner (partial list) Discontinued Akatsuki · Ginga · Naha (partial list)