The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has decided to add eight new train lines in the Tokyo metropolitan area to enhance passengers' accessibility and convenience.
The ministry has been seeking ideas for new train projects in the Tokyo area to be completed by 2030 to reinforce the city's competitiveness, Sankei Shimbun reported. As a result, eight train lines have been selected for the projects that will enhance usability for both business and tourism.
The proposed lines include one that will connect Oshiage and Sengakuji stations, shortening the travel time to Narita and Haneda airports; and a line to connect Tamachi and Oimachi stations with Haneda airport. Other lines will improve accessibility between Haneda airport and Shinjuku and cities in Saitama Prefecture by connecting Tokyu Kamata and Keikyu Kamata stations. Elsewhere, the Tsukuba Express will be extended from Akihabara to Tokyo Station.
A new subway will run from central Tokyo to the Tokyo Bay area. There is also a plan to build a subway station under Shinagawa Station which is also the starting station for the maglev (magnetically levitated train) shinkansen that will go into operation in 2027.
© Japan Today
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albaleo
With where? Amagasaki?
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Perhaps should be renamed the Ministry of Tokyo.
patty cake champion
I didn't get the Yurakucho and Fukutoshin Lines' shared track and station arrangement as explained by my train enthusiast Japanese friend at first. "They are separate lines and yet they are not separate." I was as clueless as a teenage boy getting taught about the Schrodinger's cat experiment at school.
JeffLee
Yes, a dedicated airport Express to Haneda -- with space for suitcases! I need to to take crammed 3 commuter trains to get there, and Shinagawa Station-Keikyu line part of the journey is hell on Earth.
Also, more intercity services to provide a more reasonably priced alternative to the Shinkansen.
SenseNotSoCommon
With trains?
More Showa thinking from the baby boomers.
shonanbb
Longer platforms with imminent domain purchases to do so would fix a lot of problems here in Japan.
gokai_wo_maneku
No trains to Chiba. Isn't there a chance that Chiba people don't want more trains? They look at what happened to Shinjuku when all the train lines were extended to there. It is so crowded you can hardly walk along with sidewalk, or get into a restaurant or coffee ship. Chiba is lucky.
igloobuyer
Wow, is there the space above and below ground for more trains in Tokyo!?
shonanbb
How about extending train platforms for all stations instead? Sure could use longer trains. Also, buy out more land and make 4 tracks the normal.
Raymond Chuang
They've been discussing extending the Tsukuba Express all the way to Tokyo Station for many years. It would certainly improve ridership, since Tokyo Station the central hub for Shinkansen trains, a major stop for many JR East commuter trains, and an important stop on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line.
I do agree on more train service to Chiba Prefecture beyond the JR East Keiyo and Sobu Lines and the Keisei service. A HUGE problem for the Keisei Main Line (in my opinion) is that it bypasses the important Kita-Senju Station, a major crossroads station in northeastern Tokyo used by the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, JR East Joban Line, Tsukuba Express and Tobu Skytree Line. If Keisei had routed the Keisei Main Line so it could build a station at Kita-Senju earlier, passengers coming in from various Keisei lines in Chiba Prefecture could easily transfer to get to other parts of Tokyo easily. Instead, the main transfer station for Keisei is at Nippori, which has no connections to either the Tokyo Metro or Toei subway systems.
changamangaliay
Connect Narita Airport and Haneda Airports with Shinkansen lies.
Speed
I agree with sighclops above - eastern Tokyo and Chiba definitely need more lines.
Maybe be too many of the govt money and pencil pushers live in Minato and western Tokyo.
Fuben
Whoah, it must be like a Swiss cheese down there already. How about adding 8(!) more. That must be good for when the earthquake comes...
I am sure adding train lines serve some purpose, but enhancing people's quality of life it sure isn't. There seem to be no thinking in Japan that maybe squeezing a few million people in every day is not such a good idea. Perhaps there are other ideas on how to live well. For all its modern stuff they make, the Japanese thinking when it comes to people and their loves feels very, very old.
kohakuebisu
Ditch the "linear" mag-lev that will cost a fortune and is of extremely limited value and build more day to day commuter lines that people actually need. The best trains in Japan are the unsexy ones, the overcrowded commuter lines running at full capacity, not the Shinkansen (Tokaido line excepted). Imagine if all the people on those commuter lines were on buses or in cars....
sighclops
East Tokyo & Chiba get left out again! Been beyond a joke for years. Seems these additions are purely for visitors...
Speed
How about building one shinkansen line to Shikoku?
Dan Lewis
Gotta have a reason to charge taxes!
gokai_wo_maneku
NO new train lines to Shinjuku please! It is already crowded enough.