Tokyo launches campaign to ease overcrowding on trains

Always with the "promotions" but never any policy with any teeth....

More trains, maximum capacity limits and actual enforced legislation about working hours else not much will change.

Glad to see this. Even my stodgy company is getting in line with these initiatives - we're doing the July 24th Telework Day as a trial as well. And this 2 week-initiative will help me argue against my department's daily morning meeting. (We have flex-time, but it's hard to use it if everyone is expected to be standing at their desk for chorei at 9:am.) Our current department head doesn't listen to ideas from our overseas HQ but will follow any orders from a Japanese government authority.

How about fixing prefectural economies instead so that not everybody has to move to Tokyo to find good employment...that would certainly reduce crowding... Nah some posters and random prizes is obviously much more effective.

And the rest of the world began this 30 years ago.

Dango.

Many rush-hour carriages are already standing only and have 4 instead of 3 doors per carriage. Few seats but not folded down.

More trains not where I am, you can't even get off the platform before the next train arrives.

Plus, check the timetables rush-hour already has more trains.

Another Olympic initiative that will be forgotten after the Games are over.

You know how London eased Tube congestion for the Games? Londoners were encouraged, if possible, to take annual leave for two weeks. Many did and it worked. So successful was the initiative that many athletes chose to use the Tube rather than official Olympic transport, it was quicker and had a great atmosphere.

That won't work in Tokyo though, seeing people don't really take any proper time off and are penalised if they do.

Tokyo on Tuesday launched a campaign to ease overcrowding on trains during morning rush hour by encouraging staggered commuting.

Just how do they expect to achieve this? Most of the commuters I see are running to catch a train that comes every three minutes. How will they get people to get out of bed earlier?

The only way this would happen is if employers staggered start and finish times for employees. Expecting people to go to work an hour or two earlier and sit in the park waiting for their start time is absurd! People do not have enough family time as it is and they want to decrease it even further? Don't be so flipping stupid!

Good to hear this, the higher capacity express trains are key here

How about flexible working start times? this way people could start 1 hour or half an hour earlier and leave 1 hour earlier? Mind you will the boss still expect you to work even latter? starting earlier has its benefits, if 30% of companies allowed this, just think what impact this could have on the over crowded trains!.

Hard to do much without building more lines. In current climate that's unlikely.

In 15, 20 years, the trains will be much emptier

I quite like that tiered pricing idea reckless, not sure why you're being down voted (oh yeah, this is an anti-capitalist forum..). Western firms actually enforce their flex time and telework initiatives, and those that don't will subsidize the cost. Japanese firms are getting more on board with these initiatives as well, and if they don't enforce them, well, it's really hard to get fired from a Japanese company so just do your thing and don't worry about your stubborn boss.

Plus, check the timetables rush-hour already has more trains.

not enough

Oh boy, this 2 week long yearly campaign is exactly what we need to reduce congestion! Glad to see Koike keeping her promise, now the problem is surely solved!

To be honest though I'm not sure what can be done with it, it seems like the trains run every couple of minutes during rush hour still get packed, I don't know how feasible it will be to just add more. Doing things like double-decker or longer cars would be a tremendous expense in rebuilding all of the lines and is likely impossible. Flextime would help but I think most people would just come in around the same morning time anyway (well, I guess if you work overtime every day anyway you'd probably come at the latest possible time then).

JR must introduce double-decker train cars for to easy over crowded peak hours Train services on some lines as well as women only train car.

how about more trains. and removing the seats for morning only?