When operation started, the trains were operated at the maximum speed of 200 km/s (with operation of the 'Hikari' and that of the 'Kodama trains taking four and five hours, respectively, between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka).
開業当初の営業最高速度は200km/h（東京-新大阪間「ひかり」4時間、「こだま」5時間）。