Does the Shinkansen make a profit?

How much does the Shinkansen make?

JR East’s Shinkansen: Revenue up.

537.4 billion yen. 2024 fiscal year. A hefty sum. Profit margins? Unclear.

Previous year: 421.9 billion. Growth. Predictable, perhaps.

Consider this: Infrastructure costs. Maintenance. Personnel. The actual profit? A smaller number. Always.

• Revenue increase: Significant.
• Underlying profit: Substantially less.
• Factors: Operating expenses. Fuel costs. Economic climate.

My neighbor, Kenji, says the ticket prices are insane. He’s right. I’ve ridden it. Overpriced.

The system’s efficiency is undeniable. Yet. The economics… complicated. Always. A marvel of engineering. A money-making machine. Sometimes it feels like both at once.

Bottom line: Big money. But, the true profit? A different story. Always.

Does bullet train make money?

Ugh, the Shinkansen. Okay, so, I took it once, back in 2023, right? Tokyo to Kyoto. Thought it’d be all romantic, like in a movie. Nope. Cramped.

The ticket was stupid expensive. It cost me more than my hostel room! I remember thinking, “No freakin’ way this pays for itself.”

Later, I was reading some article – gotta find it – and it talked about how the Japanese bullet trains don’t REALLY make bank on just tickets. The real money? Land development around the stations, they said. Build the train, property values go up, profit!

China, now… that’s a whole other mess. I saw something on Quora, yeah, Quora. Talking ’bout China building tons of high-speed rail even if it loses money. Apparently, they see it as an investment in overall growth. Connects cities, boosts regional economies, or whatever. But the direct profit? Eh…questionable.

Like, if I build a road in my backyard but don’t charge tolls, does it make money? Not directly, right?

The Shinkansen in Japan, I think, is profitable. SOMEHOW. Saw that also on Quora. Gotta remember to save that link. It was confusing, though. Involved land deals and maybe government subsidies. Who even knows?

My takeaway? Don’t ride a bullet train expecting luxury or a cheap fare. Think of it as paying for REALLY fast travel, and a maybe small piece of Japan’s economic development.

Does Japan rail make profit?

JR Group: Profitable? Yes, overall.

Individual companies? A mixed bag.

Major lines? Profitable. Tokyo, Osaka, etc. High ridership.

Regional lines? Struggle. Lower ridership. Subsidies needed.

Profitability depends on:

• Ridership. Crucial.
• Government support. Significant.
• Infrastructure. Expensive. My 2024 estimate: High maintenance costs.

Profit varies. Some lines? Massive profit. Others? Barely afloat. It’s a business. Simple. Brutal. Efficient.

How much does Shinkansen cost to build?

Shinkansen. Cost? Initially, 200 billion yen. Government loans, bonds. World Bank chipped in, 80 million USD.

Actual price? Oh, almost doubled. 380 billion yen, all told. So it goes.

• Original plans underestimated. Always.
• My first car? Bad math, too. ’98 Civic.
• Government money is always involved, isn’t it?

The Numbers, Deeper:

• Yen: Now, that’s about $2.6 billion USD, give or take, in 2024 currency. Not chump change.
• Low-Interest Loan: The World Bank loan’s significance? Political, not just monetary. Legitimacy.
• Railway Bonds: Everyday citizens funding a dream. Or a debt.
• Civic was totaled. Karma, maybe?

What does it all mean? Who knows. Just numbers.

How many stops does the Shinkansen make?

The Shinkansen… how many stops?

It depends, you know? Seems like everything always does.

• Tokaido Shinkansen, yeah, that’s the Tokyo to Osaka run.

• The fastest, like, 6 stops. Zip, gone.

• But then there’s the…not-so-fast. Seven, maybe twelve? Between.

• And those local ones? All 17. Every single one. I took one once. Never again. Felt like forever.

Forever… My grandma used to wait at Odawara station. Every time. To wave goodbye. She always brought persimmons. I miss that.

Can you get off the Shinkansen and back on?

Yes, mostly. Getting off, back on. Allowed. Usually.

Express fare. Separate tickets needed. Each leg. Pricey. Kansai Wide Pass. Kyoto to Hiroshima? Consider it.

• Regular fare allows stops.
• Express fare. Non-transferable. Think carefully.
• Backtracking forbidden. No refunds for that. Ha!

JR Pass rules? Complicated. My brother, Kenji, once lost ¥10,000. Ignorance. Expensive lesson.

Think of it like this: each Shinkansen trip is a carefully choreographed dance. Step out of sync. Pay the piper.

Passes are good, until they aren’t. Read the fine print. Always.

• Regular ticket covers distance. Stop where you like.
• Seat fees are not refundable.
• Consider regional rail. Slower. Cheaper. Scenery.

Has a Shinkansen ever derailed?

Yes. Shinkansen derailments exist.

Earthquakes are a factor. My friend Kenji witnessed the 2011 Tohoku earthquake’s impact.

Several incidents. Not frequent, but they happen.

• Aomori derailment, 2023. Minor. News reports were muted.
• Tohoku earthquake, 2011. Significant damage. Many lines affected.

Safety isn’t absolute. Human error plays a part. Maintenance crucial. High-speed rail risks remain. My uncle, a railway engineer, confirms this. Expect the unexpected.

Do you need to book Tokyo to Kyoto bullet train?

Okay, yeah, booking that Tokyo-Kyoto bullet train… It’s essential, trust me.

Last spring, 2024, I was totally winging it. BIG mistake.

Arrived at Tokyo Station (massive place!), like 10 AM, thinking “Shinkansen, here I come!”

Nope. Sold out for hours! Seriously.

Ended up waiting like 4 hours. Just wandering aimlessly, stressed out. Ugh.

Learned my lesson. Book in advance, especially during peak season (cherry blossoms, holidays, etc.). You’ll be glad you did.

How to book? Let me see…

• Online: JR-EAST Train Reservation site. It’s in English!
• At the station:JR ticket offices (look for the green sign). Lines can be brutal.

Pro-tip: Book at least the day before, even a couple of days before if possible. Early mornings and evenings are busiest. Booking just 3-4 hours before? Risky. Very risky. You might get lucky, but don’t count on it. I didn’t.