Tokyo's bustling Shibuya Station is going through yet another change: Starting Saturday, the Tokyu Toyoko Line and the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line will be directly connected, enabling passengers to travel between Saitama and Yokohama without changing trains.
"There will be a main artery (connecting Saitama and Yokohama) running through the Tokyo metropolitan area. This will be a huge benefit for consumers," said Masayuki Yanagisawa, a spokesman for Tokyu Corp., the Toyoko Line's operator.
The Toyoko Line connects Shibuya and Yokohama, while the Fukutoshin Line runs between Shibuya and Wakoshi in Saitama. The Fukutoshin also shares stations between Ikebukuro and Wakoshi with the Yurakucho Line. In addition, the Fukutoshin connects passengers directly to the Tobu Tojo and Seibu Ikebukuro lines, which run to other parts of Saitama Prefecture, including the cities of Kawagoe and Hanno.