Kodama (train)

Kodama

JR West 8-car 500 Series Shinkansen on a Kodama service at Himeji Station, August 2009
Overview
Service type	Shinkansen (Local)
Status	Operational
First service	1958 (Limited express) 1 October 1964 (Shinkansen)
Current operator(s)	JR Central, JR West
Route
Termini	Tokyo (Tōkaidō Shinkansen) Shin-Osaka (Tokaido Shinkansen and San'yō Shinkansen) Hakata or Hakataminami (San'yō Shinkansen)
Line(s) used	Tokaido Shinkansen San'yō Shinkansen
On-board services
Class(es)	Green/standard
Catering facilities	None
Technical
Rolling stock	500/700/N700 series
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	25 kV AC overhead
Operating speed	285 km/h (175 mph)[1]

Kodama (こだま, "Echo") is one of the three train services running on the Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen lines. Stopping at every station, the Kodama is the slowest Shinkansen service for trips between major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. The Kodama trains are used primarily for travel to and from smaller cities such as Atami. Travelers between major cities generally take the Nozomi or Hikari services, which make fewer stops, although the Nozomi requires paying a supplement under the Japan Rail Pass while the Kodama does not,^[2] making these services an affordable alternative.