Calls for multilingual alert systems grow in Japan as visitors crowd mass transport
As the continuing tourism boom packs public transportation systems nationwide, developing multilingual emergency alerts is becoming a top priority. In public transport emergencies, there are often no emergency announcements in English or other languages, leaving both foreign passengers and the Japanese staff in charge of ...
Rail car mover, used to carry bricks in Gifu, to be restored 40 years after retirement
Efforts are underway to restore an abandoned freight car mover that was used until some 40 years ago to carry firebricks at a brick factory in the major ceramics production town of Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture. Kobei Kato, 72, the seventh-generation master of local pottery Kobei-gama ...
Britain's plan to again nationalize key rail line sparks new row over ownership
The British government is renationalizing the rail route between London and Edinburgh, taking back the line from a private company after it over-estimated profits, in a step likely to reignite a debate over public ownership of the U.K.'s railways. The government said on Wednesday it ...
A shinkansen featuring a design inspired by the popular Japanese animation series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" made its final run on Sunday, drawing throngs of fans to witness the last journey. Around 1,200 people, including anime fans and train enthusiasts, gathered on a platform at Shin-Osaka ...
First batch of Japan-made mass rapid transit trains arrive in Jakarta
A cargo of 12 Japanese-made train cars has arrived in Jakarta as the first batch of rolling stock for a government-run mass rapid railway project partly financed by the Japanese government. The carriages — constituting two Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta trains, manufactured by Nippon Sharyo ...
Millions of French commuters suffered a second day of travel chaos on Wednesday as striking rail workers locked horns with President Emmanuel Macron's government in a dispute over reforming the state-owned SNCF railways. Commuters in and around Paris pushed their way onto the few trains ...
Japanese railway operators are making the most of local sightseeing spots along their routes to attract more foreign tourists, with social media proving an excellent promotional tool. At Gotokuji Temple, located along Tokyu Corp.'s Setagaya Line in Tokyo, foreign tourists snapped shots of a cluster ...
Myanmar taps Japanese ODA to upgrade Yangon's circular railway
Myanmar has begun upgrading the six-decade-old railway loop in its former capital Yangon with official development assistance from Japan. Tokyo will provide $207 million for the $301 million project, which is designed to shorten the round-trip travel time to two hours from three. More commuters ...
Japan's trains always on time? Report highlights frequency of rush-hour delays in Tokyo
Japan's railway system is well-known globally for its punctuality, but a recently released transport ministry report points to frequent delays during Tokyo's rush hour. The Railway Bureau of the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry published a report on Dec. 22 about train delays in ...
Crew on bullet train with cracked undercarriage reported no abnormalities when handing over duties
Even though maintenance staff said earlier the train should be checked more closely, the crew of a shinkansen with a 16-centimeter crack in its undercarriage reported no abnormalities to the next crew.
Fukuoka railway firm to develop condo complexes in Indonesia
Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., a Fukuoka-based railway operator diversifying into retail and property development, is planning to build condominiums in Indonesia in partnership with a local firm, aiming to cater to growing housing demand east of Jakarta. The company, operating in northern Kyushu, has agreed with ...
Men-only train carriages Commuting to work in Tokyo on crowded trains can be a tortuous affair, made worse by groping incidents that occur with a surprising degree of frequency. In an attempt to alleviate the problem, a number of rail operators have designated particular carriages ...
