Vacationers started to crowd JR Tokyo Station and Haneda airport Tuesday bound for their hometowns for the New Year's holiday, and the yearend outbound rush will peak today, officials said.

According to the Japan Railways group, all westbound Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen line trains Tuesday morning were full, except for a few seats on the Nozomi super express headed for Shin-Osaka.

Occupancy on the Hikari 101 bound for Hakata Station in Fukuoka at around 6 a.m. Tuesday was more than 110 percent, meaning some passengers had to stand, rail officials said, noting that at one point about 300 passengers were lined up at the Tokyo Station entrances to the northbound Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen lines.