Japan has extended the Hokuriku Shinkansen route (Image: Getty)
A stunning train line opened earlier this year in one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations.
An in has dramatically cut trips with commuters and tourists set to benefit.
The new stretch of track running from Kanazawa and Tsuruga became operational in March 2024 of the Hokuriku Shinkansen train line.
Trips from Tokyo to the little-known Fukui prefecture is down from three and a half hours to less than three direct.
The new route has also decreased travel times from Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya to Fukui and Kanazawa by around 15-20 minutes.
The new route will run to the new Fukui prefecture (Image: Getty)
The Fukui district is famous for its Echizen pottery which was founded in the area.
The prefecture is also home to the Buddhist Eiheiji Temple, and the stunning Maruoka Caste, one of the oldest castles in the whole of Japan.
Construction of the new route began in 2019 with test runs on the new section getting underway in September 2023.
Commercial service on the new section opened up to passengers on 16 March 2024 with 14 pairs of direct services between Tokyo and Tsuruga.
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A further 25 pairs of Tsurugi services will also be made available but these will stop at all stations along the route.
Tickets between Tokyo and Tsuruga without a seat reservation in place will cost 15,830JPY (£82.36).
Booking a seat in advance will set passengers back a slightly higher 16.360JPY (£85.12) while a first-class ticket starts at 24,210JPY (£125.99)
The new service is expected to increase passenger numbers with a hefty 6,300 per day expected on the route.
This would be up from previous averages which stood at around 5,300 individuals every 24 hours.
The new route is just part of a much wider expansion for the Hokuriku Shinkansen which could see tracks run to Osaka.
However, the extension could face some setbacks after officials revealed the true cost of the project had ballooned.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism recently admitted that estimated costs for the project had surged to 5.3trillion JPY (£27.5billion).
This would be more than double the initial estimate for the project which was set at 2.1trillion JPY (£10.3billion).