East Japan Railway Co. said Thursday it will move up the departure times of last trains in the Tokyo metropolitan area by some 30 minutes starting in spring due to the dwindling number of late-night passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The railway operator will change the schedules of most of its lines operating within a 100-kilometer radius of JR Tokyo Station so the last trains of the night will arrive at their final destinations by around 1 a.m. at the latest, company President Yuji Fukasawa told a news conference.
The lines that will see a schedule change include the busy Yamanote loop line as well as the Chuo, Sobu and Keihin Tohoku lines, but shinkansen and limited express services will not be affected.