Trigger to tomorrow

This is what it’ll soon feel like, riding from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, but will it cost the same too?

October 02, 2017 05:51 pm | Updated 05:51 pm IST

  In a flash  A Shinkansen high-speed train runs near Shimbashi Station as it heads for Tokyo Station in Tokyo.

In a flash A Shinkansen high-speed train runs near Shimbashi Station as it heads for Tokyo Station in Tokyo.

There are train journeys and there are train journeys. While some chug through lush countrysides, others are over in the blink of an eye and are still memorable. The bullet train is the latter. It’s a technological marvel that’s soon to be replicated in India. In Japan, riding from Tokyo to Kyoto, 250 km away, I am reminded that this will be the same distance on our own Mumbai to Ahmedabad route.

Plans for the Shinkansen (bullet train) project were being discussed as early as the 1930s and came to fruition with what we see today, in time for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Since then, the technology and infrastructure has evolved and speeds increased from 210 kmph to today’s 320 kmph.

Tokyo’s bullet train is a symbol of national pride and connects the capital to various parts of the island country. Located near the Imperial Palace grounds, Tokyo Station is an impressive, red-bricked styled structure, a hub for all rail travel in Japan servicing local trains, cross-country Shinkansen lines and the subway. With a daily footfall in the millions, the station is super organized.

If you’re going

Navigating the many lines and single-file queues to find the Nozomi, the fastest train service in Japan (300 kmph), may seem daunting, but is a seamless task. Just follow the multitude of signs and directions and you’ll find your way. Dignified escalator etiquette helps. There are plenty of English-speaking railway attendants who will gladly help you. The Nozomi covers the distance between Tokyo and Kyoto cities in an impressive 2 hours and 22 minutes and is always on time.

Watching this engineering wonder pull silently into the station is a treat in itself. The elongated nose eases in slowly and stops precisely where it’s meant to. Driven by the need to be civil, the throngs of locals making the journey each day queue up to wait. A quick clean-up of the compartments by the uniformed crew, and boarding commences. The conductor shows his respect with a quick bow before checking your ticket. Boarding, in a word, is efficient.

Seating is akin to an airplane with multiple classes, roughly translating to economy, business and first. The seats are designed to be ergonomic, spacious and comfortable for the journey with plenty of reclining and leg room. From dining trays and footrests, the trains features all the bells and whistles for a relaxed, speedy journey.

The coaches are quiet with just the low humming of the wind outside and the soft murmur of people speaking in hushed tones. And on the outside, the train generates less than 70 db in residential areas (put in perspective, that is the sound level of a restaurant).

You can buy snacks or meals at the station or from the food/ drinks cart that comes by.

Need for speed

While the tracks are designed for all seasons, including heavy snow, the Shinkansen are also prepared for earthquakes, thanks to the incorporation of the Urgent Earthquake Detection and Alarm System (UrEDAS) introduced in 1992 enabling automatic braking. The most impressive statistic is that in over 50 years of service there have been zero passenger fatalities.

The trains are also environment-friendly producing just about 16% of Co2 as compared to a car journey from Tokyo to Kyoto.

The initial leg of the journey traverses through the city at reasonable speeds before reaching Yokohama station.

Things really begin to speed up from here as the fabled bullet train opens up the throttle and zips down the line at stupendous speed.

The landscape passes by in a blur of images that range from small buildings and countryside with picturesque mountains along the way.

The experience of riding the bullet train is as fascinating as it is fast.

The one-way fare from Tokyo to Kyoto in the regular coach is 14,000 Yen (Rs 8,300) which is rather steep even by Japanese standards.

It will be interesting to see how the fare is formulated when the Shinkansen rides on the Indian tracks.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.