The Narita Shinkansen (成田新幹線) was a project to connect Narita International Airport to Tokyo Station with a high-speed Shinkansen ("bullet train" line). The project has been abandoned and will be replaced by the Narita Rapid Railway. Narita International Airport ) (IATA: NRT, ICAO: RJAA) is an international airport located in Narita, Chiba, Japan, in the eastern portion of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station Tokyo Station ) is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district. ... 300 (left) and 700 Series Shinkansen at Tokyo Station Shinkansen 500 Series at Kyoto Station, March 2005 The Shinkansen ) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by Japan Railways. ... The Narita Rapid Railway (成田新高速鉄道線 Narita Shin-Kōsoku Tetsudō-sen) is a new rapid rail link under construction between central Tokyo and Narita Airport. ...

History

Planning of the Narita Shinkansen started in 1966 and permission to build was granted in 1972. Construction started 1974, but was significantly hampered due to resistance from local residents protesting against the expropriation of their land for a project that would bring no benefit to them. (Similar issues have afflicted Narita Airport itself.) Construction was frozen in 1983 and the Basic Plan granting construction rights was cancelled by a special law in 1987 — the only Shinkansen line ever to meet this fate. Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Due to the opposition, only a 9-km stretch of track bed and the airport station shell had been constructed before the project was halted. While the Shinkansen link was stalled, the private Keisei Electric Railway had constructed an ordinary rail link to airport. However, Keisei services had to terminate outside airport grounds and transfer passengers by bus, as the station inside the airport and the track connecting to it was owned by (now former) state operator JR. Keisei Headquarters Skyliner, Keiseis express train from Tokyo to Narita Airport The ) is a major private railway in Chiba and Tokyo, Japan. ... Approximate areas that the JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, and JR Kyushu Companies cover. ...

After the passage of the groundbreaking Railway Enterprise Law in 1986, Keisei acquired the rights to operate as a "third type" (第3種) railway company that leases tracks from JR, and starting in 1991 both Keisei and JR have operated direct airport services to the terminal built for the Shinkansen. The culvert connecting to the airport station was also originally designed for Shinkansen use. Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Route

The line was to originate at underground platforms located roughly equidistant from Tokyo Station and Yurakucho Station in central Tokyo. From there, it was to run underground to Etchujima in Koto Ward, then above ground, following the Tozai Line route across the Ara River to Funabashi. In Funabashi, the line was to again run underground, emerging in Shiroi, then following a smooth curve through Chiba New Town and central Narita, and finally running underground again to terminate beneath the passenger terminal at Narita Airport. Originally, the Tokyo-Narita trains were to make no station stops: JNR later added one additional station to the planned line to serve Chiba New Town. Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station Tokyo Station ) is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district. ... YÅ«rakuchō Station (有楽町駅; -eki) is located in Tokyos Chiyoda Ward. ... Kōtō (江東区; -ku) is a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan. ... Tozai Line (Click on image to enlarge. ... Funabashi ) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. ... Shiroi (白井市 Shiroi-shi) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. ...

Much of this right of way is presently used by commuter lines. The area of Tokyo Station earmarked for the Shinkansen platforms and the underground tunnel to Etchujima are now used by the JR Keiyo Line. Much of the above-ground right of way had already been earmarked by the Chiba Prefecture for railway use. The Hokuso Railway uses one segment of this right of way between Komuro and Chiba New Town. Another section between Chiba New Town and the airport is presently being prepared for use as part of the Narita Rapid Railway. Keiyo Line The Keiyō Line ) is a railroad that connects Tokyo Station in Tokyo, Japan and Soga Station in the city of Chiba, in Chiba Prefecture. ... Chiba Prefecture ) is located in the Greater Tokyo Area of Honshu Island, Japan. ... Hokusō 7500 trainset The Hokusō Line ) is a commuter rail line owned by Hokusō Railway Co. ... The Narita Rapid Railway (成田新高速鉄道線 Narita Shin-Kōsoku Tetsudō-sen) is a new rapid rail link under construction between central Tokyo and Narita Airport. ...

Future

While revivals of the Narita Shinkansen are proposed periodically, the cancellation of the basic plan, lack of political will and the construction of the Narita Rapid Railway as a replacement all combine make this unlikely. The Rapid Railway is being built as standard gauge (like the Shinkansen), theoretically leaving a door open for eventual conversion. However, the Rapid Railway's design speed is only 160 km/h and it will — at least initially — terminate at Keisei's part of Ueno Station, not the more central Shinkansen hub of Tokyo Station. As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... Keisei Ueno station entrance Keisei Ueno station concourse Keisei Ueno Station ) is a train station located in Taito, Tokyo Japan. ...

Technical details

With a design speed of 200 km/h, the Narita Shinkansen was designed to cover the 65-kilometer distance in 35 minutes, including a stop at Chiba New Town. Currently, the Narita Express takes 53 minutes for the same trip (non-stop but along different tracks, making a detour via Chiba), but this should improve to 36 minutes from Narita to Nippori when the Narita Rapid Railway is completed in 2010. Narita Express ), abbreviated as NEX, is a limited express ) train operated by East Japan Railway Company, serving Narita International Airport from various Greater Tokyo Area stations. ... Chiba Hall Mayor {{{Mayor}}} Address 〒260-8722 1-1, Chiba-kou, Chuo-ku, Chiba Phone number 043-245-5111 Official website: Chiba City , Chiba (千葉市 Chiba-shi) is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. ... Nippori station is one of the tarin station in the Taito area of Tokyo. ... The Narita Rapid Railway (成田新高速鉄道線 Narita Shin-Kōsoku Tetsudō-sen) is a new rapid rail link under construction between central Tokyo and Narita Airport. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

External links

• JRTR 19: Air-Rail Links in Japan
• Mirai Tetsudo Database: Narita Shinkansen (in Japanese)

Shinkansen

Lines: Tōkaidō • Sanyō • Tōhoku • Jōetsu • Hokuriku • Kyushu Mini-Shinkansen: Yamagata • Akita • Future lines: Chūō • Hokkaidō • Cancelled lines: Narita 300 (left) and 700 Series Shinkansen at Tokyo Station Shinkansen 500 Series at Kyoto Station, March 2005 The Shinkansen ) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by Japan Railways. ... Shinkansen 0 Series at Fukuyama, April 2002 (not 100 series as previously thought). ... Tokaido Shinkansen route Tōkaidō Shinkansen (東海道新幹線) is the original Shinkansen line that opened in 1964 between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. ... Map of Sanyo Shinkansen route Sanyō Shinkansen ) is one of the lines of Shinkansen high speed rail network in Japan. ... Tōhoku Shinkansen route Tōhoku Shinkansen (東北新幹線) is a high-speed rail line, connecting Tokyo with Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 593 km, Japans longest Shinkansen line. ... Jōetsu Shinkansen route Jōetsu Shinkansen (上越新幹線) is a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company. ... The Hokuriku Shinkansen (北陸新幹線) is a shinkansen rail line which opened in 1997 between Takasaki and Nagano; it is called the Nagano Shinkansen (長野新幹線) in JR East publicity and timetables. ... Kyushu Shinkansen map The Kyushu Shinkansen (九州新幹線) is a 249 km high-speed railway line between the Japanese cities of Fukuoka and Kagoshima, on Kyushu Island, running parallel to the existing Kagoshima Main Line. ... A 400-series shinkansen train enters Utsunomiya station with the Tsubasa 113 service bound for Shinjo. ... Komachi at Omagari station. ... Proposed Chuo Shinkansen route (gray) and existing Tokaido Shinkansen route (gold). ... The Hokkaido Shinkansen (北海道新幹線) is a high-speed rail line currently under construction between Aomori (HonshÅ«) and Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel. ... Trainsets: 0 Series • 100 Series • 200 Series • 300 Series • 400 Series • 500 Series • 700 Series • 800 Series • E1 Series • E2 Series • E3 Series • E4 Series • Export trainsets: 700T Series • CRH2 • Future trainsets: N700 Series • FASTECH 360 Shinkansen 0 Series at Fukuyama Station, April 2002. ... The 100 Series Shinkansen were the second generation Shinkansen design, produced between 1984 and 1991 for the Tokaido Shinkansen and Sanyo Shinkansen lines; the earliest units have now been withdrawn from service, and the series has been retired from the Tokaido Shinkansen line in September 2003. ... The 200 Series Shinkansen trainsets were built for the second generation of Shinkansen dedicated high-speed rail lines in Japan, the Tohoku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shinkansen. ... Shinkansen 300 Series passing through Maibara Station, April 2002 The 300 Series Shinkansen high-speed trainsets for Japans Shinkansen dedicated high-speed railways were introduced in 1992 on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines for use on the fastest Nozomi services, being capable of 270 km/h (168 mph). ... The 400 Series Shinkansen trainsets were introduced in 1992 for Japans newest Shinkansen high_speed rail links at the time, the Tohuku Shinkansen and Yamagata Shinkansen lines, collectively called the mini Shinkansen, since they feature large portions that were not newly purpose built Shinkansen lines but rather existing lines regauged... Shinkansen 500 Series at Kyoto Station, April 2002 The 500 Series Shinkansen are the fastest, most powerful and most expensive Japans Shinkansen high_speed rail network. ... 700 Series as Hikari Railstar at Shin_Osaka Station The 700 Series Shinkansen trainsets for Japans Shinkansen dedicated high-speed rail lines were built between 1997 and 2003, entering service in 1999. ... The 800 Series Shinkansen train was developed by Hitachi for use on the Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail line in Japan. ... The E1 Series Shinkansen, introduced in 1994, were the first double-deck trains built for Japans Shinkansen dedicated high-speed rail lines. ... The E2 Series Shinkansen are new trains (construction started in 1997) for Japans Joetsu, Tohoku and Nagano Shinkansen high-speed dedicated rail lines. ... Akita Shinkansen Komachi The E3 Series Shinkansen are new Japanese Shinkansen high-speed trains built for the opening of the new Akita Shinkansen mini-Shinkansen line, converted from a regular 1,067 mm (36) narrow-gauge line between Morioka and Akita. ... The E4 Series Shinkansen were the second series of bi-level Shinkansen high-speed trainsets to be built in Japan (the other being the E1 Series). ... A THSR 700-T train. ... The CRH2 is one of high speed train models in China, running as China Railway High-speed (CRH). ... The N700 Series Shinkansen is a high-speed train with tilting capacity being developed by JR Central and JR West for use on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen lines. ... A FASTECH 360 S at Sendai station. ...