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The member companies of Japan Railways are constantly improving rail service for their millions of passengers by introducing new amenities on trains, increasing service, adding new facilities in stations and expanding information for travelers. In addition JR is always working to make the rail system responsive to the ecological and energy needs of a new century. Read below for some of the changes that may make your rail travel in Japan even more convenient and comfortable.
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Past News: July - September 2006
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| Sep
25, 2006 - JR CENTRAL: RENEWAL AND EXTENSION OF MAGLEV TEST
LINE |
 JR
Central's Board of Directors today officially approved
an investment plan for the renewal and extension of the
Yamanashi Maglev Test Line. To implement this project
the company, together with the Railway Technical Research
Institute and the Japan Railway Construction, Transport
and Technology Agency, intends to apply to the Ministry
of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) for the
approval of alterations to the Master Plan for Technological
Development for the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line and the
Construction Plan for the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line
originally approved by the Minister of Transport in June
1990. The MLIT has already acknowledged the practicality
of the test line (March 2005).
Under
the new proposal the existing line (18.4 km) will be
extended along all the remaining sections of its allotted
course (42.8 km). Fourteen new test vehicles will be
introduced and running tests of longer train sets will
be carried out at 500 km/h. Ground coils and electric
facilities will be upgraded for these longer train sets.
A new maintenance system for vehicles and ground facilities
will be implemented. There will also be a mockup version
of a deep underground environment and technical studies
will be conducted in such an environment. Costs for ground
facilities such as tunnels, elevated tracks, electric
facilities and train depots are estimated at 319.0 billion
yen while costs for the introduction of new test vehicles
are projected to be 36.0 billion yen. If approved, construction
will begin in FY 2007 and actual tests would be carried
out for three years beginning FY 2014.
> See
details (JR Central page) |
| Sep
7, 2006 - JR Bulletin Vol.54 Posted |
| Aug
9, 2006 - JR HOKKAIDO: FIRST DMV ( DUAL MODE VEHICLE
) SERVICE TO BEGIN BY APRIL 2007 |
 In
the year 2000, Hokkaido Railway Company (JR
Hokkaido) began developing a prototype DMV (Dual Mode Vehicle) ‘minibus’ that will
carry 25 passengers and can operate as a train, running
on tracks with steel and rubber wheels, as well as a
bus, driving on roads with conventional tires. Now nearing
completion this remarkable hybrid will be able to take
advantage of existing rail track through more developed
areas and then shift to roadways for operation in less-densely
populated areas. Overcoming the main obstacle to this
kind of service it can change from one type of wheels
to the other in 10 to 15 seconds!
The
first DMV service is scheduled to begin by April
of 2007.
Although the ultimate goal of the DMV is transport in
rural areas, the first application will be on a tourist
route traveling round trip from Hamako-Shimizu to Mokoto
along the Senmo Main Line on the northeast coast near
Abashiri. During this trial period the DMV will go one
way on track (11 km) and then return by meandering roads
as a bus (21 km). The success of the DMV will be of great
benefit to both JR Hokkaido and the declining rural population
of the island. At present one third of JR Hokkaido’s
routes are unprofitable, carrying less than 500 passengers
a day. DMV service may save many thousands of residents
from losing their rail transit while providing them with
even more convenient ‘door to door’ service.
And how do you say Dual Mode Vehicle in Japanese? It’s
not too hard: Dyuaru Modo Biikuru! |
| July
15, 2006 - JR KYUSHU: NEW 3-DAY RAIL PASS |
 As
of Saturday, 15 July, Kyushu Railway Company (JR
Kyushu) now offers two versions of the JR Kyushu Rail
Pass: five days and three days. These passes allow you
to explore the southern island of Kyushu, visiting sites
such as romantic Nagasaki, volcanic Mount Aso and the
hot springs of Beppu. The JR Kyushu Pass covers all JR
Kyushu trains (Ordinary Class) including the new Kyushu
Shinkansen ‘bullet trains’. Ordinary car
seat reservations are included in the pass. The passes
cost 16,000 yen for five days or 13,000 yen for the new
three-day pass. Full details on the JR Kyushu Rail Pass
can be accessed via the Rail Pass > Regional
Rail Passes link at the top of our home page.
For
price comparison to see how you can benefit from a Kyushu
Rail Pass, here are some one-way fares, Ordinary reserved
seat, from Hakata (Fukuoka) to some popular destinations:
Hakata
to Nagasaki: 4,910 yen
Hakata to Kumamoto: 3,940 yen
Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo (Central Station): 9,420 yen (including Shinkansen)
Hakata to Beppu: 5,750 yen
Hakata to Miyazaki: 9,960 yen
If
you are flying to Kyushu, Hakata Station is located a
convenient ten minutes from Fukuoka Airport. You can
purchase the JR Kyushu Passes there.
> See
details (JR Kyushu page) |
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