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.

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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.

• JR Hokkaido
• JR East
• JR Central
• JR West
• JR Shikoku
• JR Kyushu

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

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with four new articles, namely:

• JR West KiHa 126 series
• JR Kyushu KiHa 200 series
• 800 series bullet train
• Jomo Electric Railway 100 series

This update contains more significant feature: lager fonts for smartphone version. I have been struggling with small letters on my smartphone screen but it took months to redress the issue. Now the website is easier for smartphone users to read (hopefully) with no major trouble

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.

• JR Hokkaido
• JR East
• JR Central
• JR West (overview)
• JR Shikoku (no change will take place)
• JR Kyushu

Silent Retirement

A farewell sticker of Keikyu 2000 series

Railway enthusiasts in Japan have been accused for years of frequently being overexcitable (see also HERE). When overexcited people gather at a small place, things often go spectacularly wrong. As railway operators are fed up with troubles, some of which caused service disruptions, the companies have been taking measures against trainspotters. One of them is NOT having any farewell event when a train is withdrawn. Before the late-2010s, farewell stickers or signboards were often installed on a train when its retirement was imminent, but such a custom seems to have been dwindling.

To prevent stations and nearby streets from getting overcrowded by enthusiasts, the railway operators have stopped disclosing schedules of train retirement. No special decoration nor exact date of the last service contributed to slightly less enthusiasts and troubles. This is what some geeks call "silent retirement". The companies seems to have found that such measures worked very well especially amid social distancing instructions.

JNR 103 series on Nara Line

Several old trains have retired without any official announcement this year as well. For example, 103 series on Nara Line retired in March, but JR West had never mentioned to it until the very end. 205 series on Sagami Line retired in February, and JR East annouced a year before that introducing new trains would be completed by Spring 2022, but very few people could have predicted that the old trains might retire so early. In April, Tokyo Metro took all 7000 series out from Fukutoshin and Yurakucho Lines with no information in advance. According to Toyo Keizai, 5300 series on Toei Asakusa Line is also going to follow the trend.

JNR 415 series on Kagoshima Main Line

However, when old trains are gradually replaced with newer ones, it is not difficult for enthusiasts to predict when they will be withdrawn. This is probably why JR Kyushu took a radical approach when they revised timetables on 23 September 2022.

On a day before that, JR Kyushu withdrew all 415 series (so-called "the white train") at once. There were nearly 20 active units, and there was no information about the withdrawal until a day before the retirement, i.e. 21 September. There were some rumours and speculations about the demise, but not many enthusiasts imagined that as many as 20 units would leave the mainline at the same time. No trouble has been reported so far, and thus JR Kyushu's surprise has been successful.

Raiway companies especially those in major cities are highly likely to continue adopting the "silent retirement" strategy. Therefore, each one of us should be aware at all times that keeping ourselves up-to-date is essential. You can rely on The Red List of Trains in Japan but it is not 100% perfect, so best be well prepared by yourself if possible.

De-electrification

Electrification has always been a major option to make railways faster, more efficient and greener. From steam trains to diesel trains, and then electric trains...the history of railway has always been associated with electricity.

The first electric train in Japan ran in 1890 when National Industrial Exhibition was held in Tokyo, and the first regular service provided by electric trains commenced five years later in Kyoto, which was later called Kyoto City Tram. Commuter rails in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka were mostly electrified by the 1930s, and expanded to the entire country after the Second World War. Today, nearly 68% of the railway network in Japan has been electrified.

However, there are a few regressive trends in the country. In some areas, railway companies decided to de-electrify railways. Generally, the electrification costs so tremendously that it is rare to see operators abandoning facilities. Nevertheless, JR East and JR Kyushu are planning de-electrification. To be specific, Ban-etsu West Line and Nagasaki Main Line.

In 2021, JR East concluded that it should radically change its business in some areas amid decline in demand triggered by COVID-19. The company insisted that some rural lines must be reformed to fit with current demands, meaning that it was necessary to consider removing some facilities. To put it simply, the company decided to replace some electric trains with battery-electric, electric-diesel or hybrid-diesel multiple units and remove redundant facilities, i.e. overhead wires, poles and substations.

E721 series, the current rolling stock on Ban-etsu West Line.

According to Kahoku Shimpo, JR East plans to de-electrify a part of Ban-etsu West Line in Fukushima Prefecture. The Line between Aizu-Wakamatsu and Kitakata had been served by very few electric trains for more than 50 years (only 2-5 services a day), and all services have been provided by diesel trains since March 2022. Hence, electric facilities in this area are no longer in need.

817 series, one of the most common EMU in Kyushu.

According to Saga Shimbun, JR Kyushu will also de-electrify a part of Nagasaki Main Line. As Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail is scheduled to open on 23 September 2022, services between Hizen-Hama in Saga Prefecture and Isahaya in Nagasaki Prefecture will only be provided by diesel trains. Limited express services using electric trains will be discontinued as the new high-speed rail supersedes. Meanwhile, stopping services are less profitable than those intercity trains so that it was not wise to keep overhead wires etc. just for the stopping services.

BEC 819 series, JR Kyushu's latest battery train.

Some people may argue that such a trend is contrary to carbon-free society and thus hampers desperate efforts to stop global warming. However, not all electric trains are environmentally-friendly. It costs considerably to keep the facilities not only economically but also in terms of burden on the environment. If there are only few services, then the downsizing can be a better choice.

It is also worth noting that unlike old diesel trains with significant fumes, electric-diesel or hybrid-diesel multiple units in these days are very efficient and thus clean. Battery-electric multiple units are getting more common in these days, just like electric vehicles on roads.

De-electrification does not sound good, but it must be borne in mind that reducing the total emission of greenhouse gas is the key to combat the climate change. All we can and have to do now is not just criticising the trend, but accept them as potentially a new way to maintain railways in the coming decades, and closely monitor if those railway companies do really commit to carbon-free objectives.

A new guideline: the fate of rural lines in Japan

Overview

Mimasaka-Kawai station, Imbi Line

On 25th July, an expert committee for rural lines, established by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (hereinafter referred to as the Transport Ministry), published a proposal regarding the fate of significantly unprofitable railways in Japan. The proposal includes a guideline of which JR lines could be subject to replacement with road transportation (i.e. permanent closure of the railway). The committee does not demand nor recommend an immediate closure of these lines, but suggests that local governments and railway operators should hold discussions about what to do with rural lines that meet certain criteria. To put it simply, the committee defines that those with "transport density" of fewer than 1,000 might not be sustainable.

There are many lines with less than that figure, but only few of them are likely to be permanently closed in the near future, as Nikkei suggests.

What is Transport density?

Yamanote Line is the most heavily used railway in Japan

In Japan, the "transport density" means how many passengers per one kilometre used the line daily on average. It is defined as a sum of the distance of each passenger divided by the length of the line or section.

For example: there is a 20 km-long line. There are 100 passengers a day on average, and 60 of them use the whole line, while 40 of them use the half. In this case, a sum of the distance of each passengers is 60 (passengers) times 20 (km) plus 40 (passengers) times 10 (km), which equals 1,600. The length of the line is 20 km. Thus, the transport density is 1600/20 = 80 passengers per km a day.

According to the Transport Ministry, the transport density of Tokaido and San-yo Shinkansen high-speed rail was about 658,000 in 2019. According to JR East, the figure of Yamanote Line was 1.12 million in the same year.

Matsuura Railway, former Matsuura Line of JNR

When Act on Special Measures Concerning Promotion of Reconstruction of Japanese National Railways (also known as the JNR Reconstruction Act) was promulgated in 1980, the Transport Ministry issued an ordinance that rural lines with transport density of less than 4,000 should be closed or transferred to entities established privately or by local governments, and 3,157 km (1,962 miles) were axed accordingly (these lines were often called the "83 unprofitable lines").

4,000 passengers per km a day was the key figure for assessing rural lines in the 1980s, but this criterion has been lowered significantly thanks to innovation (not least new trains compatible with driver-only operation and less energy consumption) and downsizing (removal of redundant facilities). According to NHK, it is estimated that lines above 2,000 could be in stable condition today.

What was Decided This Time?

As already noted, the current key figure is 1,000. To be specific (according to Nikkei):

• Transport density of fewer than 1,000 passengers per km a day; and
• The number of passengers between each adjacent stations is always below 500

However, there are a few exceptions:

• Passengers per hour in peak direction exceed 500 (i.e. heavily used by commuters and students at peak times); or
• Served by limited express services that connect major cities; or
• Served by freight trains

The committee also recommended that local governments and railway operators decide the future of the line in question within three years. The solution could be:

• New railway business model that attract more tourists; and/or
• Continuing business with considerable support from local governments. This includes not only giving significant amount of cash or tax reduction, but also ownership transfer of facilities to local governments (meaning JR will not pay maintenance costs); or
• Replacing the railway with bus services, either conventional one or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

The proposal has been criticised by many people (such as the Governor of Ehime Prefecture), but it is worth noting that some local residents welcome the permanent closure, as bus services could be more convenient than rail transport. Like the one in Samani Town in southern Hokkaido, where Hidaka Main Line was effectively closed in 2015, buses often provide more flexible services, as bus stops were installed in front of a high school, care homes, hospitals and a shopping centre.

Which Lines could be Affected?

Kazusa-Kameyama station, Kururi Line

According to official documents, lines listed below have fewer than 1,000 passengers per km a day. Note that not all of them are on the verge of closure, as some of them are served by limited express and/or freight trains, or major engineering work was carried out recently. Some lines had more than 1,000 before COVID-19 pandemic, and thus being on the list might be temporary. Shinkansen high-speed rail is not included in the percentage calculation.

Click ▼ to browse in detail.

JR Hokkaido (2020)

Hakodate Main Line

Lines with significantly low ridership amount to 56% of the entire network, the worst percentage among all JR. Even Hakodate Main Line is no exception, as this blog explained before.

List of JR Hokkaido▼

• Hakodate Main Line (Oshamambe - Otaru via Kutchan)
• Hidaka Main Line (entire line)
• Muroran Main Line (Numanohata - Iwamizawa)
• Nemuro Main Line (entire line)
• Rumoi Main Line (entire line)
• Sekihoku Main Line (entire line)
• Senmo Main Line (entire line)
• Soya Main Line(entire line)

JR East (2020)

Kamaishi Line

Approximately 31% of the network falls within the scope, and the total length of nearly 1,900 km (1,200 miles) is by far the worst among all JR group. However, many of them (especially "Main Line") are served by limited express and freight trains. Also note that JR East is the largest railway operator in the country, both in terms of the size of network and sales.

More than 20 out of the 31 lines listed below are in Tohoku region, but there are a few in the Greater Tokyo Area (Agatsuma, Kashima and Kururi Lines). GALA Yuzawa branch line of Joetsu Shinkansen is excluded from the list as it is available only during winter ski season.

List of JR East▼

• Agatsuma Line (Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi - Omae)
• Aterazawa Line (Sagae - Aterazawa)
• Ban-etsu East Line (Iwaki - Ononiimachi)
• Ban-etsu West Line (Kitakata - Gosen)
• Chuo Main Line (Tatsuno - Shiojiri)
• Echigo Line (Kashiwazaki - Yoshida)
• Gono Line (Higashi-Noshiro - Goshogawara)
• Hachinohe Line (Same - Kuji)
• Hanawa Line (entire line)
• Iiyama Line (Iiyama - Echigo-Kawaguchi)
• Ishinomaki Line (entire line)
• Joetsu Line (Minakami - Echigo-Yuzawa)
• Kamaishi Line (entire line)
• Kashima Line (entire line)
• Kesennuma Line (entire line)
• Kitakami Line (entire line)
• Koumi Line (Kobuchizawa - Nakagomi)
• Kururi Line (Kururi - Kazusa-Kameyama)
• Ofunato Line (entire line)
• Oito Line (Shinano-Omachi - Minami-Otari)
• Ominato Line (entire line)
• Ou Main Line (Shinjo - Yuzawa, Odate - Hirosaki)
• Rikuu East Line (Furukawa - Shinjo)
• Rikuu West Line (entire line)
• Suigun Line (Hitachi-Omiya - Asakanagamori)
• Tadami Line (Aizu-Bange - Koide)
• Tsugaru Line (entire line)
• Uetsu Main Line (Murakami - Tsuruoka, Sakata - Ugo-Honjo)
• Yahiko Line (Yahiko - Yoshida)
• Yamada Line (entire line)
• Yonesaka Line (entire line)

JR Central (2016)

A train similar to that on Meisho Line

No official document is available so far, but the Transport Ministry published one instead in 2016. It shows that the entire Meisho Line had 273 passengers per km a day, but others had more than 1,000. Meisho Line amounts to just 3% of the entire JR Central network.

JR West (2020)

Kishin Line

About 30% of the lines operated by JR West have fewer than 1,000 passengers per km a day, most of which are in Chugoku Region.

List of JR West▼

• Bantan Line (Wadayama - Teramae)
• Etsumi-Hoku Line (entire line)
• Fukuen Line (Fuchu - Shiomachi)
• Geibi Line (Bitchu-Kojiro - Shimo-Fukawa)
• Imbi Line (Higashi-Tsuyama - Chizu)
• Kakogawa Line (entire line)
• Kansai Main Line (Kameyama - Kamo)
• Kisei Main Line (Shingu - Shirahama)
• Kishin Line (entire line)
• Kisuki Line (entire line)
• Mine Line (entire line)
• Obama Line (entire line)
• Oito Line (Minami-Otari - Itoigawa)
• Onoda Line (entire line)
• San'in Main Line (Kinosakionsen - Kogushi)
• San'in Main Line (Senzaki branch line)
• Yamaguchi Line (entire line)

JR Shikoku (2021)

Mugi Line

JR Shikoku is known for facing severe financial difficulties along with JR Hokkaido, but surprisingly, only four lines fall within the scope. Even so, it is equivalent to 23.5% of the network.

List of JR Shikoku▼

• Dosan Line (Susaki - Kubokawa)
• Mugi Line (Anan - Awa-Kainan)
• Yodo Line (entire line)
• Yosan Line (Mukaibara - Iyo-Ozu)

JR Kyushu (2020)

Nichinan Line

22% of the network could be subject to be axed in the future. When Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen opens in September 2022, lines in Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures are likely to be added to the list.

List of JR Kyushu▼

• Chikuhi Line (Imari - Karatsu)
• Chikuho Main Line (Keisen - Haruda, also known as Haruda Line)
• Gotoji Line (entire line)
• Hisatsu Line (entire line)
• Hohi Main Line (Miyaji - Miemachi)
• Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line (Ibusuki - Makurazaki)
• Karatsu Line (Karatsu - Nishi-Karatsu)
• Kitto Line (entire line)
• Misumi Line (entire line)
• Nichinan Line (except towards Miyazaki Airport)
• Nippo Main Line (Saiki - Nobeoka, Miyakonojo - Kokubu)

Conclusion

Falling within the scope of 1,000 passengers per km a day does not necessarily mean that the line should be closed anytime soon. Not a few of them will remain as they have limited express and freight trains. Even without them, many lines are highly likely to be kept open with financial supports by the central and local governments. However, a few lines would be permanently closed in the near future if local residents agree with it.

The proposal applies only to JR lines. Even if not as radical as Beeching Axe, railway networks in Japan are likely to be rearranged in the coming years. In the case of permanent closure, there should be bus services convenient and reliable enough to be used as alternative means of transport by local residents.

Who is responsible for seat removal, JR Kyushu or passengers?

In 2021, some commuters in Fukuoka and Oita areas felt that something was wrong on a train. They found large spaces next to doors, and they wondered if such spaces existed ever before. Then, they realised that there were less seats than before the pandemic began. Many people accuse JR Kyushu of deteriorating service quality, while a few others defend the company.

The controversial seat removal has been taken place on 813 series, the most common train type in northern Kyushu. Local newspaper Nishinippon Shimbun reported the issue earlier this year, which this blog article mainly relies on. According to the newspaper, up to 40% of seats have been removed from a fleet.

Fewer seats simply means less likely to get a seat, but it also provides standing capacity and leads to more efficient operation. To be specific, a carriage with reduced seats gives 20% more capacity in total. In that case, a nine-car train can be shortened to eight or seven coaches while the overall capacity remains unchanged, and it must be an attractive option for JR Kyushu amid a decline in revenue caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

(This is what was supposed to be)

It might satisfy the company, but many commuters and students are discontented with the seat reduction. They mourn that they can no longer take a seat on a stressful journey to and from their workplaces or schools. It is also said that the train has got colder in winter than before, as JR Kyushu removed heaters under the seats. Meanwhile, a few others insist that wheelchair and pram users feel easier to be on a train than before.

Many people condemn the reduction and suspect that JR Kyushu just wants to cut expenditures by reducing the number of carriages. However, the company contends the view, and argues that the seat removal was necessary to allow smoother boarding and alighting especially during rush hours. Unlike commuters and students in other major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, those in Fukuoka have been notorious for behaving badly on a train, as most people always stand in front of doors and never move down inside the train. The sticker above reads "do not sit on a floor", which is very rare outside Kyushu as it is a well-known unwritten norm.

JR Kyushu is going to reduce seats on 153 out of 246 carriages of the 813 series by September 2022. The company will also enhance heater capability to keep the trains warm enough in winter. JR Kyushu has been criticised that their services are getting inconvenient in recent years, and the seat reduction is unpopular among many passengers. However, it must not be forgotten that passengers are partly responsible for it, and they should learn from commuters in Tokyo and Osaka.

The longest train journey in Japan

Disclaimer

This article is about regular services. Timetables show major stations only so that those who seek for detailed information should check official websites.

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British Rail Class 220

"The longest train journey" always sounds attractive for railway enthusiasts, even if there is no daily user that enjoy (or rather, endure) the whole journey. In Britain, the famous Crosscountry's service from Aberdeen to Penzance is the longest one among all trains.

Crosscountry service

Aberdeen	8:20
Edinburgh	11:08
Newcastle	12:42
York	13:44
Leeds	14:11
Birmingham New Street	16:03
Bristol Temple Meads	17:45
Exeter St Davids	18:47
Plymouth	19:44
Penzance	21:39

According to The Guardian, the train runs on Saturdays, though not always because of service alterations caused by planned engineering work and COVID-19. It travels 774 miles (1245.6 km) and takes 13 hours and 19 minutes. Surprisingly, this service is neither a night train nor a high-speed train, but an ordinary intercity train that runs through the main island.

Then, how about Japan? There were so many long-distance services until the 2010s, but they were mostly discontinued and split into several parts, as a lengthy route is always prone to delays and troubles. Furthermore, it is not easy for all parties concerned to adjust tracks, signalling systems and other facilities to be compatible with a specific train. Even so, there are a few such services today.

Nozomi bullet train

N700A series bullet train

The longest train service in Japan in terms of distance is a bullet train Nozomi. It runs on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen high-speed rails between Tokyo and Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture. There are 32 round trips a day (2-4 services per hour), and more on holidays.

Nozomi 64

Hakata	18:59
Hiroshima	20:00
Shin-Osaka	21:20
Nagoya	22:12
Tokyo	23:45

Nozomi 64 is pretty unique. It is the last eastbound service of day to Tokyo, and it is also the fastest service between Hakata and Tokyo, as it runs 1,069 km (664.3 miles) taking 4 hours and 46 minutes. It is usually very crowded as people always rush into this service, otherwise they will have to wait for the first train on the next day.

Sunrise Izumo

JR West 285 series

What about non-high-speed trains? Among them, Limited Express Sunrise Izumo is the longest service in Japan. It is a night train with a round trip everyday (plus one during the peak season).

Sunrise Izumo (Eastbound)

Izumoshi	18:53
Okayama	22:30
Osaka	0:31
Shizuoka	4:38
Tokyo	7:08

Since it runs on "conventional lines", it is way slower than Nozomi. Sunrise Izumo travels 954 km (593 miles) and takes 12 hours and 15 minutes, the longest journey time among all trains. There is a cheap option on this service called "Nobinobi Zaseki" (lit. "unconstrained seat"), but it would be a very hard journey to spend more than 12 hours on a sleeping space without a mattress or a pillow. Those who plan to use this train should consider booking a bedroom.

Nichirin Sea Gaia

JR Kyushu 787 series

The longest non-night train journey in Japan is Limited Express Nichirin Sea Gaia in Kyushu, western Japan. This service is not well known outside the area. However, it is not so long compared to trains in other countries, including in the Continent.

Nichirin Sea Gaia 5

Hakata	7:30
Kokura	8:31
Oita	10:03
Miyazaki	13:07
Miyazaki Airport	13:19

There are many Nichirin services, but only one round trip of them a day runs the entire section. There is no direct road or railway between cities of Fukuoka and Miyazaki so that this train runs longer than the actual distance. It takes 5 hours and 49 minutes to complete a journey of 413 km (256.7 miles).

There are three "longest train journeys" in Japan, but surprisingly, none of them can beat the one in the UK both in terms of distance and journey time. Thus, these services might not always sound attractive for travellers living outside Japan, but probably still worth checking them.

Finally, Crosscountry issues "longest journey certificate" to passengers, but none of the three services in Japan provide such a collectable. Pretty disappointing!