[Japan] New high speed line Nishi (West) Kyushu Shinkansen partly opened on 23 September 2022

[Gostav]

Nishi (West) Kyushu Shinkansen （西九州新幹線） partly opened between Nagasaki （長崎）and Takeo-Onsen（武雄温泉） on 23 September 2022. The currently completed section of the line is 66 km long, 5 stations and the top speed is 260 km/h. The travel time between Hakata (博多) and Nagasaki is 1 hour and 20 minutes, shortened by about 30 minutes from 1 hour and 48 minutes before Shinkansen opening. The original line parallel to Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen between Hizen-Hama station（肥前浜駅）and Nagasaki station will be dis-electrificated, express train will be nolonger operate in this section.

Unfortunately, due to discussions with Saga Prefecture have not progressed, the extension of the Nishikyushu Shinkansen to the east of Takeo Onsen Station has not been decided at this time.

Related English news published by The Japan Times

Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line to open on Sept. 23

The 66-kilometer line is the shortest of all shinkansen lines in the nation.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Route map on Wiki

 

[Beebman]

Here's a video from a Japanese railway YouTuber who was able to go on a preview run this week from Takeo Onsen to Nagasaki - it's all in Japanese of course but it does have plenty of interior shots, he boards the train at 17:30 in the video:

Another video of a preview trip but this time with English subtitles:

There were two launch ceremonies at either end of the line. Here's a Japanese TV news report of the one in Nagasaki:

And at Takeo Onsen:

 

[Acfb]

This is great news. I was able to see the construction of this from the Sasebo bound train when I went to Nagasaki five years ago.

A reduction in journey time from around 2 hours from Hakata to Nagasaki to 1hr20 minutes is still excellent even with the required change at Takeo Onsen.