Hokkaido Shinkansen to open on March 26 — First-run tickets sold out in 25 seconds!

▲ The Hokkaido Shinkansen will officially open on March 26. (Photo / From Wikimedia Commons)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The Hokkaido Shinkansen will officially open on March 26, with tickets for the opening day going on sale on the 26th. The first train departing from Tokyo and going directly to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto not only sold out in 30 seconds, but the “Hayabusa 10” train departing from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station to Tokyo set a record by selling out in just 25 seconds!

The Hokkaido Shinkansen is an extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen, with each train offering a total of 731 seats across Gran Class, Green Car, and standard reserved seating. Once operational, travelers will be able to travel directly from Tokyo to Hokkaido in just 4 hours and 2 minutes, making it highly anticipated.

In Japan’s transportation industry, there’s a saying called the “4-hour wall,” which means that if a Shinkansen ride takes more than 4 hours, passengers tend to opt for airplanes instead. According to Japanese media reports, JR Hokkaido President Shimada Osamu also stated that efforts are currently underway to shorten the travel time between Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, with the goal of reducing the journey to 3 hours within two years. At the same time, they aim to maintain safety standards. To boost ridership, plans are also in place to introduce more flexible fare discounts for routes north of Sendai, hoping to attract more domestic and international travelers.