Showing posts with label 2.2 JR East. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2.2 JR East. Show all posts

23 March, 2024

Tsurumi Line: shabbiness and modernness

Tsurumi line is a commuter rail in Yokohama and Kawasaki cities, roughly 20 km (13 miles) south of Tokyo. The line is just 9.7 km (6 miles) long including two short branch lines, and the lines lie in an industrial district with factories and plants. Not only passenger trains but also freight trains run.


Despite being in large cities with a population of 3.7 million and 1.5 million people respectively, Tsurumi line looks like a railway in a rural town. It is fully electrified (except a few sidings for freight trains), but passenger trains are formed of just three coaches. Trains run every five minutes in the morning but every 20 minutes during off-peak times between Tsurumi and Hama-Kasawaki. There are significantly fewer services on branch lines: every 80 minutes on Umi-Shibaura branch line and just three trains a day on Okawa branch line (weekend). All stations but Tsurumi have been unstaffed since 1971, and some stations are so shabby that look abandoned.


The line had been served by secondhand trains reallocated from other lines for decades, but a brand new E131 series was introduced in December 2023. It is the first "genuine" new train since the line was nationalised in 1943.


Since 16th March 2024, all Tsurumi line services have been driver-only. Thus, there will be no conductor onboard. The new train will make the service even more efficient, environmentally friendly and less costly than before.

06 March, 2024

Bullet train crisis as JR East's negligence worsens

This morning, a bullet train overshot a platform by 500 metres. Tohoku, Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen were closed for more than three hours, causing severe disruptions on the rest of the network. No injuries have been reported so far, but this incident could have resulted in a fatal crash killing tens or even hundreds of people.

It is suggested that it was not a driver's fault but the company's negligence, but an official investigation is still at an early stage. This article summarises the case and past accusations published by a trade union, which might be beneficial to understanding that the Japanese railway is not always perfect and might no longer be as safe as before.


According to NHK, Yamagata Shinkansen service Tsubasa 121 from Tokyo to Shinjo failed to slow down when approaching Koriyama station at around 7:30 am and overshot the platform by approximately 500 metres. The driver found that the train was out of control just before entering the station and made an emergency announcement that the train could not stop. Passengers felt significant shocks amid fears. Fortunately, nobody was injured. They could alight from the train 80 minutes after the overshooting. JR East insists that chunks of snow between wheels and rail or inside the braking system significantly reduced friction and thus air brakes did not work.

It could have been a major disaster. The train passed points faster than speed limits, which could potentially lead to a derailment. Moreover, it could have been hit by another train, either a subsequent service or an opposite one. In fact, a train on the other track was due to arrive at Koriyama a minute later (Yamabiko 206 for Tokyo).

Tohoku region has been well known for a heavy snowfall. Hence, all bullet trains have been equipped with enhanced braking systems and heaters. JR East argues that even with these equipment and devices cannot prevent all abnormalities.


However, this incident could have been avoided easily if JR East had learned from the past. It was revealed last year that E3 series, the rolling stock for Tsubasa with each unit consisted of seven carriages, did not have enough braking power in winter. On 18 December 2022, a similar incident occured precisely at the same location due to snow. At around 10:05 pm, Tsubasa 159 overshot the platform by 160 metres. JR East Transport Service Workers Union urged the company to review its safety procedures in the following month, and the company conceded that all Yamagata Shinkansen trains would face the same problem in winter and promised to do something. Therefore, the company decided to add an empty 10-car E2 series (with more powerful brakes) train to Tsubasa even though only seven out of 17 carriages in total were for passenger use. JR East and the trade union considered that it would have enough power to slow down and stop the train.

Nevertheless, JR East apparently did not take such a measure this winter despite knowing that Tsubasa without a 10-car train would cause the same incident, and it actually happened. Hence, Nature does not justify anything in this case.

As reported in January, JR East has slipped into self-complacency and failed to address safety issues. That is why, it has caused major incidents repeatedly, many of which could have been a fatal accident. Employers and employees of JR East must have been thinking that the series of incidents does not matter as nobody died yet, but they were just lucky. It is reminded that "Disasters don't just happen. They're a chain of critical events".

23 January, 2024

A major incident on the high-speed rail in Japan

At around 10 am on Tuesday 23 January, a damage to overhead wires have been detected between Omiya and Ueno stations (near Kita-Yono station on Saikyo line). According to Nikkei, loose electric wires damaged a train to Tokyo. JR East announced that there would be no service on Tohoku Shinkansen (between Tokyo and Sendai), Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen (between Tokyo and Takasaki) today with severe delays on the rest of the network.

What is worse, it is reported that two staff have been sent to hospital as they got a shock and were in flames. One of them is seriously injured while the other suffers from minor injuries. It indicates that power had not been cut during the work, which could be a material breach of safety procedures.

Japanese railway has been hailed everywhere as the safest and the most reliable in the world, but JR East has been accused of ill-management with lack of will to observe safety requirements. As Toyo Keizai reported, there have been many cases which could have been deadly accidents since the 2010s, including a major fire at a substation that halted Takasaki line for three days, a pole collapsing on Yamanote line and a Keihin-Tohoku line train colliding with a maintenance vehicle at Kawasaki station. In all cases, the Transportation Bureau (a part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) concluded that those incidents would not have happened if JR East had exercised normal precautions. Nevertheless, the company has not taken appropriate measures so that it has failed to prevent similar cases. Last year, the Transportation Bureau issued a warning concerning an accident near Ofuna station in which passengers and crew were injured after a train collided with poles. The document starts with "In spite of repeated warnings concerning safety and reliability, the Bureau profoundly regrets that…", which clearly indicates that the authorities have been frustrated with a negligent attitude of the train operator.

Nevertheless, it was revealed that the company is incapable of reviewing safety as managers and executive members seem to be more interested in other businesses than railway. Bunshun reported earlier this year that Yoichi Kise, the vice president of JR East, forced his subordinates to have excessive amount of Shaoxing wine (traditional Chinese wine), ending up in alcohol poisoning which required ambulance service to intervene. It seems that they cannot secure safety even in their "private" life.

Trains in Japan are generally safe, probably one of the safest in the world. There have been no fatal high-speed train accidents involving operation of the trains since its history began in 1964. However, JR East now lacks the capability to keep its staff safe, and this incident is a stark warning to the future of the company. Unless every member of the company recognises the seriousness of the case and take any necessary measures, passengers will surely be in grave danger.

16 December, 2023

2024 Timetable Changes on JR Network

JR companies published details about timetable revision on Saturday 16th March 2024. Unlike the past three years, several lines will provide more services than before, indicating the end of train reduction caused by COVID-19 pandemic. The revision usually takes place once a year, and what happens next time?


Reservation Scheme

Before looking into each company, it is important to note about limited express trains. After the timetable change, limited express services listed below will have reserved seats only.

 Hokkaido: Hokuto, Ozora, Suzuran, Tokachi
 East: Sazanami, Shiosai, Wakashio
 Central: Shirasagi
 West: Thunderbird, Super Hakuto
Super Inaba, Yakumo

According to the companies, introducing the all-reserved scheme will be fair for all passengers as they no longer have to wait for hours at platform to have a seat. Moreover, reserved-seat tickets are a little more expensive than non-reserved tickets so that the companies can expect more revenue. Furthermore, conductors will no longer have to carry out ticket inspection for all passengers onboard, but just have to check a tablet and only ask those sitting on a unreserved seat for ticket.


JR Hokkaido

JR Hokkaido has been declining for years because of financial difficulties, but there is good news. As ridership increased (thanks to foreign travellers), more Rapid Airport services will be provided. There are going to be six trains per hour instead of five between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo at daytime, one of which will be "Special Rapid" calling fewer stations than before (Sapporo, Shin-Sapporo, Mimani-Chitose and the Airport).

On the other hand, five stations on rural lines such as Soya Main Line will be closed. Furthermore, Nemuro Main Line between Furano and Shintoku, most of which has been closed since 2016 due to a devastating typhoon, will be permanently closed on 31st March. The company has been downsizing its network in scarcely populated areas including stations with less than a single user per week. This trend is, as everyone anticipated, continues.


JR East

A brand new E8 series bullet train enters into Yamagata Shinkansen service, replacing E3 series. The new E8 series can run at up to 300 km/h (187 mph), but its maximum speed will be restricted to 275 km/h (171 mph) until all E3 series retire in 2025 or 2026.

Furthermore, ten Yamabiko services on Tohoku Shinkansen at the daytime, which have been reduced since the pandemic began, will be reinstated.


Some E259 series will be reallocated to Limited Express Shiosai (Tokyo – Choshi), replacing all 255 series trains. The Narita Express trains have been repainted since earlier this year, suggesting that they will also be used for other trains.


205 series on Tsurumi Line retires. The commuter train introduced by Japanese National Railways is due to be superseded by brand new E131 series from Christmas Eve, and all old trains will be withdrawn by 16 March.


JR Central

All smoking rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen trains will be closed. Drinking water bottles will be stored in the room and will be provided in case of emergency.

In other news, all services on Chuo Main Line between Nagoya and Nakatsugawa (except Limited Expres Shinano) will be provided by brand new 315 series trains, with maximum speed being raised from 110 to 130 km/h (81 mph).


JR West

Hokuriku Shinkansen, one of the high-speed rails in Japan, will be extended from Kanazawa to Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture. The fastest service between Tokyo and Tsuruga will take 3 hours and 8 minutes, 50 minutes shorter than the current timetables. 14 services run between Tokyo and Tsuruga every day and more during peak seasons.


Limited express services on Hokuriku Main Line will be rearranged as Shinkansen is extended. To put it simply, those trains between Kanazawa and Tsuruga will be replaced with the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Hence, Thunderbird will run between Osaka and Tsuruga, and Shirasagi will run between Nagoya and Tsuruga. Those who travel from Osaka or Nagoya to Kanazawa and vice versa will also benefit from the new high-speed rail in terms of journey time, but not in terms of fares.

681 series is expected to sharply decline as redundant 683 series will be reallocated to Shirasagi.


There will be new Limited Express Raku Raku Yamato between Nara and Shin-Osaka via Kansai Main Line and Osaka Loop Line. It is specifically designed for commuters who want to have a seat. There will be one return journey a day (weekdays only): one for Shin-Osaka in the morning and the other for Nara in the evening. The entire journey takes 66 minutes. The company also extends Limited Express Raku Raku Harima as such services have been successful. Furthermore, seat reservation scheme on Osaka Higashi Line and Yamatoji Line services during rush hours will be expanded.


To ease congestion amid growing number of foreign tourists, there will be more San-in Main Line (Sagano Line) services between Kyoto and Saga-Arashiyama. This line has been infamous for being overcrowded and yet JR West had been reluctant to do something. It seems that the company finally decided to provide more trains.


273 series, the brand new train for Limited Express Yakumo, will enter into service on 6th April (NOT 16 March). 381 series, the 40-year-old iconic train, will retire by June 2024.


JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu

There is no major changes on their timetables, but JR Shikoku will even out schedules of rural lines. For example, regional services on Kotoku Line at the daytime will leave Takamatsu station 42 minutes past the hour. Tokushima Line trains will leave Tokushima station 22 and 52 minutes past the hour. JR companies have long been accused of providing regional trains in rural areas uneven and thus hard to remember, but such improvement will surely be welcomed by local residents.

There is a rumour that 713 series trains in Miyazaki will retire on the day, but JR Kyushu has not mentioned about its fate so far.




There have been sad news about railways in Japan in the last three years, but it is good to hear that there are several positive aspects. Note that abovementioned information is merely a summary of documents published by six JR companies. For detail, check official press release as listed below.

25 March, 2023

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Mar-2023 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with 8 new articles. More importantly, many existing articles have the latest information reflecting the annual timetable revision that took place on Saturday 18th March. For instance:


In Hokkaido, KiHa 283 series has been reinstated as Limited Express Okhotsk and Taisetsu, replacing KiHa 183 series of Japanese National Railways;


JR East 651 series, once known as Super Hitachi and until recently used for Limited Express Akagi and Kusatsu, retired;


JR Central KiHa 85 series was withdrawn from Limited Express Hida;


And the biggest railway project in a decade, Sotetsu and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Lines finally opened and the new through-services to and from Tokyo were launched.

In addition, there were many more minor changes on train allocation and future prospects of certain trains.

Finally, the new eight articles are as follows:

24 December, 2022

A shortcut to Keiyo Line platforms

E233 series on Keiyo Line

Keiyo Line is a commuter rail in Tokyo, owned and operated by JR East. It is 32 miles long and connects Tokyo and Soga in Chiba Prefecture. There are several important places near the line, including Tokyo Disney Resort and Makuhari Messe. Musashino Line trains also run Keiyo Line tracks to Tokyo station.


An extremely long corridor

Keiyo Line platforms at Tokyo station is notoriously far from other platforms, as if they are different stations. Walking 400 metres (approx. 440 yds) sounds a good exercise but it is surely a nightmare especially when having suitcases. There are lifts, escalators and moving pavements, but it is still a hard work. According to JR East, it takes up to 20 minutes when changing from a Keiyo Line train to other trains and vice versa.

Fortunately, there is a shortcut. Not at Tokyo, but an adjacent station, Yurakucho. Most people do not know that Yurakucho station and Keiyo Line platforms at Tokyo station are very close to each other. In 2016, Toyo Keizai published an English article referring to it. It reads "If your starting point is closer to Yurakucho than Tokyo, you should definitely get off at Yurakucho. Exit this station from the north end called Kyobashi-guchi, and walk across the street heading toward the Tokyo Kokusai (or International) Forum. In about four minutes, you’ll reach the entrance to the Keiyo Line of the JR Tokyo station" (emphasis added)


A "voucher"

This article duly summarised the point, but it lacks the most important fact. You do not have to tap out and tap in at these stations. If you show a ticket or Suica card and tell a station staff at Yurakucho station that you are going to Keiyo Line, the staff gives you a small voucher. If you hand the voucher to another staff at Tokyo station, you can enter without paying extra. To put it simply, both Yurakucho and Tokyo are effectively regarded as one single station. The same applies when going from Tokyo to Yurakucho station.


A Tokyo station entrance inside the International Forum

How long does it take? It is about a five-minute walk. If you go from Yurakucho station, leave the station from Kyobashi exit, cross the road and just go inside the International Forum. There are very few signs, but signboards of Hall C, B and A navigate you. Do not go to any of these halls, but simply go straight, and you will find a staircase. Then, you will find ticket barriers.


This de facto fare exemption is only applicable when you come from or go to a southbound train on Yamanote Line (e.g. Hamamatsucho and Shinagawa, or even beyond). If you are from or going to Tokyo station and beyond, you cannot choose this route and you have to simply change trains at Tokyo station.

It might not look easy, but worth trying it if you use Keiyo Line frequently.

17 December, 2022

2023 Timetable Changes on JR Network

Details about annual timetable changes have been announced by JR Group. The revision will take place on Saturday 18 March 2023. There will be some further service reduction on several lines as the ridership remains lower than pre-pandemic amidst remote-working culture, but services will be reinstated to the original level on several lines. What are other major differences?


New stations

E233 series

Makuharitoyosuna on Keiyo Line (Chiba Prefecture) and Maegata on Tazawako Line (Iwate Prefecture) will open.

Makuharitoyosuna will be located between Shin-Narashino and Kaihimmakuhari stations. The new station is close to a major commercial district that includes Aeon Mall. The station was initially scheduled to open in around 2024, but the construction completed earlier with less expenditures than planned, an extremely rare success in these days. Four trains per hour will call at this station at off-peak times.


701 series

Maegata will be located between Morioka and Okama, and it is next to another Aeon Mall. According to Morioka City, the station usage is expected to be 1,700 a day, the second busiest station on the rural Tazawako Line after Morioka station. 12-16 trains a day should be calling at this station.


Osaka station

New platforms of Osaka station, commonly known as "Umekita", will open. They effectively constitute a new station on Tokaido Main Line (Umeda freight branch line), which has been used for trains from Shin-Osaka to Hanwa Line and vice versa. Limited Express Haruka (Kyoto - Kansai Airport) and Kuroshio (Shin-Osaka - Shingu via Wakayama and Shirahama) will call at Osaka station, one of the most important station in the second largest city of Japan.

According to JR West, it will take 47 minutes from Osaka station to Kansai Airport, 20 minutes shorter than now. The journey time from Osaka to Wakayama will be cut from 90 to 57 minutes.


Trains in Hokkaido

KiHa 141 series

Brand new 737 series trains will be introduced to stopping services on Muroran Main Line, replacing KiHa 141 series. Furthermore, KiHa 183 series, a type of diesel limited express train developed by Japanese National Railways, will retire.


High-speed trains

E7 series

All Joetsu Shinkansen services will be provided by E7 series, replacing E2 series. The maximum speed of the line will be raised from 240 to 275 km/h (150 to 170 mph), and thus the journey time between Tokyo and Niigata will be shortened by up to seven minutes.


Sotetsu & Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Lines

Sotetsu 20000 series

Through-services between Sotetsu lines and Tokyu lines are scheduled to commence in March 2023 as Sotetsu Shin-Yokohama Line is extended and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama open. JR Group is not the party of these new through-services, but there are some indirect effects on them. For example, JR Central sets a Nozomi service from Shin-Yokohama to Shin-Osaka at 6:03 am, which runs on Mondays and Saturdays.


Train fares

Train fares will be raised, especially limited express services during busy seasons. There are currently three levels of limited express ticket fares: peak-season, normal and off-season. The fares calculated mainly based on travel distance, and the price gets 200 yen higher in peak season, whilst 200 yen cheaper in off season. From 1 April 2023, there will be another level called "busiest season (最繁忙期)", which will be 400 yen more expensive than usual. Each JR companies use their own calendars so that, for example, 1 May 2023 is designated by JR East by the busiest whilst JR Central, West, Shikoku and Kyushu do not.

Furthermore, the discount for limited express tickets will be discontinued in some cases. When you purchase a bullet train ticket and a limited express ticket on conventional lines at the same time, the latter ticket is 50% off. This discount is called " transit discount (乗継割引)", but it will not be applied for some limited express services in Chugoku and Shikoku regions from 1 April 2023.


Permanent closure of a rural line

Rumoi Main Line between Ishikari-Numata and Rumoi (35.7 km, 22 miles) will be permanently closed on 1 April 2023, and the rest of the line (14.4 km, 9 miles) will be closed by 31 March 2026. This is a part of downsizing programme carried out by JR Hokkaido, the Government of Hokkaido and other cities and towns nearby.


This article is merely a summary. For more information, see official documents below (written in Japanese). Further detailed timetables are anticipated to be available by February.

14 October, 2022

The Railway in Japan: the 150th Anniversary

On 14th October 1872, the very first railway in Japan opened between Shimbashi and Yokohama, which are now called Shiodome and Sakuragicho, respectively. The railway was supposed to open three days before that, which was 9th September in the lunar calendar, but it was postponed due to a storm. In fact, the line had been in use since 12th June but it was a provisional service, so 14th October is officially set as the birthday of the railway in Japan.

There are several memorials and heritage of the very first railway even today, and this article shows some notable examples that can be found in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.


Japanese railways in the early days were dependent on the British Empire. One of the most influential person was Edmund Morel (1840-71), a young civil engineer. After graduating King's College London, he engaged in railway construction in the British colonies including Australia, New Zealand and North Borneo. He came to Japan in 1870 with his wife, and he arranged the plan that contributed to saving money (especially foreign reserves) and encouraging domestic industrialisation. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 30, a year before the railway was opened. His grave is located in the Foreigners' Cemetery in Yokohama, and it is designated as a National Railway Memorial.


This is a monument near Sakuragicho station, which was called Yokohama station at that time. Sakuragicho station is about a mile away from the current Yokohama station, but Sakuragicho is actually closer to the port and thus the then city centre. The monument is about a three-minute-walk from Sakuragicho station, but it is not necessarily easy to figure out.


The monument is nearly triangular-prism-shaped, and each side has an illustration of the then-Yokohama station, the first timetable and inscription, respectively.

The English inscription reads:
"The first railway in Japan was opened to traffic here May 7, 1872 (lunar calendar). It operated between the Yokohama Station located on this spot and the Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. The far-sighted endeavour of the men who developed this railway typified the spirit of their times. May their tradition continue to inspire future generations."

As noted above, the first railway was imported from the United Kingdom, and probably that is why the inscription is based on British English, while most English documents in Japan are American one.


Neither station buildings remain today. The original buildings of both stations were destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, but JR East reconstructed the Shimbashi station building in 2003, and it is now a small museum called Former Shimbashi Station. The building itself is less than 20 years old, but its design is based on what was used to be. The ruins of platform can be observed in the museum, though no photograph is allowed inside the building.


There is also a small monument behind the museum, consisted of a platform and tracks. They are obviously not original ones, but they tell us that the very first train departed towards Yokohama exactly at this position. The museum is less than a ten-minute walk from Shimbashi station of today.


The very first locomotive in Japan still exists. It was built in 1871 by Vulcan Foundry, a company in Merseyside (defunct in 1962). The locomotive was initially called "the first locomotive" and renumbered to Class 150 in 1909. The locomotive was used on the line for eight years, then reallocated to Kobe, Nagoya and later Osaka. It was resold in 1911 to Shimabara Railway in Nagasaki Prefecture, where the loco was operational until 1930.

The locomotive had been preserved at Transport Museum in Tokyo since 1936. It was designated as a National Railway Memorial in 1958 and as an Important Cultural Property in 1997. It has been preserved at Railway Museum in Saitama since 2007, and now exhibited near the entrance.


Furthermore, there is another locomotive at a shopping centre CIAL Sakuragicho. This one was built in 1871 by Yorkshire Engine Company (defunct in 1965), and initially called "the tenth locomotive", which was renumbered to Class 110 in 1909. However, Frederick Collier Christy (a locomotive superintendent) soon reported it to Richard Vicars Boyle (an engineer-in-chief) that the No.10 loco was poorly constructed and thus very unreliable. The locomotive was used between Shimbashi and Yokohama for the first eight years, and transferred to Kobe with the No. 1 locomotive, then reallocated to various places including Hokkaido, Nagoya and Toyama. The loco was withdrawn in 1924.

This locomotive had been preserved at Omiya Maintenance Depot until 1962, and moved to Ome Railway Park in the west of Tokyo. As its condition deteriorated, JR East dramatically repaired and restored it to the original style, and installed at its original workplace in 2020.


The above-mentioned memorials are mostly easy to access for tourists. Those visiting Tokyo and Yokohama might be so busy to look around the cities that they have no time to see railway heritage, but they are worth visiting if you like Japanese railways. Most places are open every day and free of charge, but the Railway Museum in Saitama is obviously not. The Foreigners' Cemetery in Yokohama is open on certain Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only, so it is advised to check the calendar online in advance.

08 October, 2022

Shonan-Shinjuku Line and its rivals

Shonan-Shinjuku Line Map (General)

Shonan-Shinjuku Line is a major railway service in Tokyo, operated by JR East. Like Thameslink in London, Shonan-Shinjuku Line offers services from north to south and vice versa, going through the centre of the capital. It was first commenced in late-2001, and soon expanded again and again. Today, it is regarded as one of the most important and successful railway network in Japan.



Shonan-Shinjuku Line Map (Technical)

Technically, Shonan-Shinjuku Line is not registered on an official document. It consists of several existing lines as shown above. Before the Shonan-Shinjuku Line was launched, almost of all services on those lines started or terminated at Tokyo or Ueno, and all passengers had to take another train to continue their journeys. Shonan-Shinjuku Line, which provides direct services between them, made train journeys in the Greater Tokyo Area far more convenient and less troublesome than ever before.


E231 series for Shonan-Shinjuku Line

As JR East launched the Shonan-Shinjuku Line, rivals had to reconsider their strategies. To be specific, Tokyu and Odakyu have been working hard to win the competition against JR East, many of which have also been successful.


5000 series on Tokyu Toyoko Line

Tokyu Toyoko Line competes with Shonan-Shinjuku Line between Yokohama and Shibuya. Toyoko Line had been served by stopping and express services until March 2001, but Tokyu introduced a faster one (limited express). Tokyu has also been in competition with JR East between Yokohama and Shinjuku or even Ikebukuro since 2013, when through-services of Toyoko Line and Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line started. Tables below show their performance. Both Tokyu and JR East offer their fast services every 15 minutes.

Yokohama - Shibuya
Journey timeSingle fare
 JR East 25-28 minutes400 yen
 Tokyu 27 minutes280 yen

Yokohama - Shinjuku*
Journey timeSingle fare
 JR East 30-33 minutes570 yen
 Tokyu 34 minutes450 yen

*Shinjuku station of JR East and Shinjuku-sanchome station of Tokyo Metro.

Yokohama - Ikebukuro
Journey timeSingle fare
 JR East 36-42 minutes650 yen
 Tokyu 41 minutes480 yen

The tables show that fastest services of Shonan-Shinjuku Line are slightly faster than Tokyu's limited express, but fares are quite different. No wonder why many passengers from Yokohama prefer Tokyu to JR East.


Odakyu 3000 series

Odakyu also competes with Shonan-Shinjuku Line between Fujisawa and Shinjuku as well as Odawara and Shinjuku. Odakyu has been providing Romancecar services, which are even faster but expensive. Thus, the company introduced Shonan Express between Fujisawa and Shinjuku in 2002, which does not require any additional ticket. It was rearranged to Rapid Express in 2004, and most people prefer Odakyu to JR East.

Fujisawa - Shinjuku
Journey timeSingle fareFrequency
 JR East 49 minutes 900 yen2 per hour
 Odakyu 57 minutes600 yen3 per hour

Odawara - Shinjuku
Journey timeSingle fareFrequency
 JR East 77 minutes1,520 yen1 per hour
 Odakyu 89 minutes900 yen3 per hour

It is even clearer than the JR-Tokyu competition that Odakyu takes longer but way cheaper than Shonan-Shinjuku Line. A return journey between Odawara and Shinjuku via Odakyu saves more than 1,200 yen, enough to have a wonderful lunch at a restaurant in Tokyo.


Tokyu and Odakyu provide cheaper services, but it does not mean at all that Shonan-Shinjuku Line is useless, as not all passengers can use an alternative option to JR East. In addition, if there had been no Shonan-Shinjuku Line, neither private railways would have changed their timetables with fast and reasonable train services. It might be a rare example of successful competition that is beneficial for railway users.

01 October, 2022

Green Car, Free of Charge

185 series repainted like a train in the early-60s.

In Japan, some JR trains have first class coaches called Green Car(s). The reason why first class is called as such is because the coaches had a pale green stripe to distinguish themselves from standard class coaches together with a clover mark that is still in use. Japanese National Railways adopted such a livery in 1960, and first class tickets were also green. Since 1969, first class coach has been called Green Car, and JNR removed the pale stripe in 1978.


211 series Green Cars in 2012

In the Greater Tokyo Area, JR East provides Green Car services on its suburban trains. To be specific, Takasaki, Tokaido Main and Utsunomiya Lines (also known as Shonan-Shinjuku or Ueno Tokyo Lines), Sobu Rapid and Yokosuka Lines (including services towards Narita Airport and other relevant lines in Chiba Prefecture) and Joban Line. Green Cars of suburban trains on these lines are now all double-decker.


Needless to say, you have to purchase a Green Car ticket in addition to an ordinary fare ticket. As of 2022, a Green Car ticket for suburban trains in the Greater Tokyo Area costs 580-1,260 yen. The price is cheaper when you purchase at the weekend and before getting on a train.

However, you can take a seat on a Green Car without paying extra in very limited cases, as described below.


Coaches nos. 4 and 5 of E531 series are Green Cars as well

In rare instances, a very few Joban Line trains between Tsuchiura and Iwaki provide de facto free Green Car service. Such a service is never announced in advance. It is said that not a few local residents attempt to be on a "precious" seat, though no light refreshments are available and seats are often set backwards.


E501 series has standard class seating only

Why is there such a case? The reason is simple: because the train is not supposed to have Green Car coaches. Stopping services in this area are provided mainly by E531 series, but some of them are E501 series. Each 10-car E531 series unit has two Green Cars, but no E501 series unit does. When there is a lack of the E501 series, an E531 series train is used instead. Hence, there are free Green Cars.


E231 series on Shonan-Shinjuku Line

There were a few other cases in the past. Some E231 series on Takasaki and Utsunomiya Lines had free Green Cars from 1 Jul to 16 Oct 2004. Furthermore, several E531 series trains on Joban Line had ones as well from 6 Jan to 17 Mar 2007. They were temporary as Green Cars were gradually inserted to all units at that time. Presumably, staffs of JR East considered it would be wise to make them free for a while as they would attract potential passengers paying extra after Green Car service was duly launched.


E233 series on Chuo Line

A similar temporary scheme will possibly be adopted again in Tokyo soon. JR East is preparing for Green Car service on Chuo Line (Rapid), which is scheduled to be launched in March 2025. Since it will take at least several months for all units to have first class coaches, they could be treated as de facto free Green Cars for a while. There is no relevant official announcement from the company so far, but based on precedents, the temporary measure is likely to be adopted in January 2025 – unless JR East is mean enough to shut all doors.