First let me start by saying that I’ve always been fascinated with speed. With that said, it was always a goal of mine to ride as many high-speed trains, planes, and other fast accelerating vehicles in my lifetime as long as they are safe.
Japan’s iconic Shinkansen Train often referred to as the “Bullet Train” was a must ride for me as I visited Japan. Although the train was constructed over 50 years ago and is currently not the fastest train built, it still holds a place in the collection of high-speed trains and is the most efficient and effective way to navigate the island of Japan’s major cities.
The engineering of this train system is an absolute marvel. The Shinkansen trains have their own tracks and do not share tracks with the other Japan Rail (JR) systems.
I was recently in Japan during the last week of December 2022 and first week of January 2023 but was only in the country for a week while visiting the north prefecture of Hokkaido first and a few days later in Tokyo.
It was during my days in Tokyo where I boarded my long-awaited experience of the N700 Series Shinkansen (Bullet Train). If Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, David Leitch and others could ride it and make the 2022 movie “Bullet Train”, then I should be able ride it as well…LOL.
In all seriousness, my experience riding the Shinkansen train was very pleasant. The Shinkansen train is a product of the Japan Rail System known as JR. While it is advisable to purchase your ticket in advance via JR (jrailpass.com) especially when taking various train rides across the country or locally on any of the JR trains and not just the Shinkansen train, I did not because I wasn’t sure of my scheduling and rode the JR trains a couple of times in my short stay. Otherwise, I would have purchased my ticket in advance and would have gone all over the country on the JR pass, which I recommend. When I return, I will purchase a JR pass in advance and travel across and see more of Japan.
You can purchase a Japan Rail (JR) pass in increments of 7-, 14- or 21-day selections. IMPORTANT: These options are for consecutives days and not travel days. Therefore, the ticket is based on the consecutive calendar days for travel and you can utilize it as much as possible within those days. Also, be mindful with the Japan Rail (JR) pass also gives you access on the various other JR train systems which is very useful and convenient. The JR pass is definitely a must when spending time in Japan and traveling around the cities locally as well as around the country and its prefectures.
The JR Pass is for visitors only. Currently, you can buy the pass in person at a few Japan Rail stations, but it costs more, and you can only purchase this way until March 2023. After that, you must purchase online, so It’s best to order in advance to alleviate the difference in purchase price and your travel experience.
So, back to my Bullet Train experience. I boarded the train in Tokyo went to Osaka or the Shin-Osaka station. The train ride was approximately 2.5 hours and only had a few stops. The train provided a smooth ride at high speeds topping at 320km or 199 mph. Just shy of 200 miles per hour. The train was easy to walk around even at high speeds and didn’t rock, tilt or sway like some other high-speed trains. There was food cart service for food purchase and a dining car.
A few things that grasped my attention about this train is that it doesn’t show you the speed of the train like many other modern high-speed trains. Another thing that really got my attention was the length of the Shinkansen trains. They carry 16 cars at a length of 1328 ft or 1\4 (0.25) mile long. That’s amazing! The last thing that grasp my attention was the size of the bathroom mainly for handicap priority or changing diapers etc. The bathroom was rather large in comparison to it’s regular bathroom which was not much to boast about in size at all.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my Shinkansen (Bullet Train) experience and plan to utilize this iconic engineering marvel in my future visits to Japan. If you've traveled on the Shinkansen Train, comment regarding your train ride experience.
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