Services
The Asama trains, named for Mount Asama, an active volcano alongside the line, currently connect Tokyo and Nagano in a minimum of 79 minutes, at a maximum speed of 260 km/h from Takasaki to Nagano. These services are run by JR East E2 series trainsets. There are approximately two services an hour; stopping patterns are varied, with only a few services stopping at all stations. The trains run along the Jōetsu and Tōhoku Shinkansen lines from Tokyo to Takasaki.
The Nagano Shinkansen services replaced the conventional Shinetsu Main Line limited express services, also named Asama, which previously took 2 hours 50 minutes from Tokyo (Ueno Station) to Nagano. Following the opening of the Shinkansen, part of the conventional line was abandoned between Yokokawa and Karuizawa. This section included the steeply-graded Usui Pass which required the use of bank engines on all trains.
A new island platform was constructed at Tokyo Station to coincide with the new services; this increased the number of JR East shinkansen platforms to two (serving four tracks).
Read more about this topic: Nagano Shinkansen
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