Welcome
We start off this month’s Japan Rail Enthusiast Updates with a special offer for our clients & followers. Mobal Japan is giving a 50% discount on its Voice+Data SIMs (card and eSIM). For those of you who avail yourself of this offer (or if you buy the data only SIMs) TS Japan Rail will give you a 10% discount (up to JPY5,000) on most of our services. We also have a number of news items that we hope will be of interest to international rail fans. If you have any particular topic you would like to find out more about, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Two Special Offers
TS Japan Rail is partnering with the Japan SIM and eSIM provider Mobal Japan to bring our clients two special money saving offers!
- 50% off Mobal Japan’s Voice + Data SIM & eSIM!
- For Mobal Japan clients, 10% (up to JPY5,000) off TS Japan Rail services!
For more information on both offers and to buy your Mobal Japan SIM check out the article on our main site (Click on image to go to article)
Mobal Japan’s Voice + Data SIMs not only allow you to use your apps and download data whilst you are in Japan, but also provides you with a Japan telephone number. As WhatApp is not widely used in Japan, and a domestic phone is often required when booking restaurants or taxis, or if you need to contact your hotel or be contactable by family or friends, a Voice+Data SIM can be very useful.
JR Kyushu to raise the prices of the JR Kyushu Pass from 1st April 2025
JR Kyushu has announced that from 1st April 2025 the price of JR Kyushu Passes (All Kyushu, North Kyushu and South Kyushu passes for visitors to Japan) will rise. JR Kyushu will also introduce a JPY1,000 discount if you buy the pass online.
| Pass | Current Price (to 31st March 2025) | New price (from 1st April 2025) | Price if bought on line (From 1st April 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Kyushu Pass – 3 Days | ￥20,000 | ￥15,000 | ￥14,000 |
| All Kyushu Pass – 5 Days | ￥22,500 | ￥17,000 | ￥16,000 |
| All Kyushu Pass – 7 Days | ￥25,000 | ￥22,000 | ￥22,000 |
| North Kyushu Pass – 3 Days | ￥12,000 | ￥24,000 | ￥23,000 |
| North Kyushu Pass – 5 Days | ￥15,000 | ￥26,000 | ￥25,000 |
| South Kyushu Pass – 3 days | ￥10,000 | ￥12,000 | ￥11,000 |
For Children 6~12 years old passes are half price. Passes bought up to 31st March 2025 at the hold prices can be used after the price increase if still valid without extra charge. Passes bought on line from the JR Kyushu Rail Pass web site are also discounted by Y1,000. The dividing line for North Kyushu / South Kyushu passes runs from Kumamoto to Oita (along the Hohi Main Line. For more information see TS Japan Rail’s JR Rail Pass Guide. To purchase use the JR Kyushu Rail Pass website
We have some pictures JR Kyushu Train pictures – Click here
Timetable changes from 15th March
Most railway companies, including all the JR companies, make their seasonal and major changes to their timetable Mid March and Mid October each year. In 2025 the Spring / Summer timetable changes will run from 15th March. For this spring there are no major negative changes and a few positive ones, including some extra trains on busy routes.
Two changes that are likely to help visitors to Japan are:
- Chuo Main Line Limited Express services – more limited express services will start from Tokyo Station (and call at Shinjuku). There will also be an extra Fuji Excursion service on busy days.
- JR Kansai Main Line – the Weekends and holidays Limited Express Mahoroba that has a single return journey between Osaka & Nara, will become a regular everyday service. The trains used on this service will also be subject to a major renewal, improving passenger comfort as well as external restyling. The first renewal train will start operation from 5th April, with the second unit in the autumn of 2025.
Wakasa Railway and its C12 SL
Wakasa Railway (若桜鉄道) is a third sector railway that operates one rural railway line in Tottori. the line runs between Wakasa and Koge, where it connects with the JR Imbi. The distance is 19.2km. Some trains operate through to Tottori on the JR Imbi Line (JR因美線). The line originally belonged to Japan National Railways (JNR) and passed to JR West when JNR was privatized. Shortly after privatization ownership passed from JR West to the newly formed 3rd sector (public – private entity) Wakasa Railway.
Wakasa Railway owns two ex JNR Locomotives. Diesel Locomotive DD16-7, which had been used at the Railway Technical Research Institute site at Kokubunji in Tokyo and Steam Locomotive C12 167. Both locomotives are operational, but their running is confined to Wakasa Station for special events.
From April to November Wakasa Railway will operate the “SL Trolley ride Experience” where people can ride on former open freight cars behind C12-167. The event takes place on the 4th Sunday of each month between 10:00~12:00 and 13:00~15:00. Admission fee is JPY300 and the fee to ride the trolley train is JPY200 (entrance fee and ride fare is free for elementary school children and below). For more information: Wakasa Railway website page (Japanese only)
The Sanin Region is great place for both rail enthusiasts and general tourists who want to see a different side. Being very rural there is a lot of different things to see & experience for both the rail enthusiast and general tourist. TS Japan Rail can help plan your trip.
For Japan Steam Locomotive information see our SL Information Page
Tokaido Shinkansen – Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi services to reduce non reserved cars from 3 to 2.
JR Tokai and JR West, from 15th March 2025, will reduce the number of non reserved seat cars on Nozomi services which operate on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen (Tokyo~Nagoya~Kyoto~Osaka~Hiroshima~Hakata (Fukuoka)) from the current 3 to 2. The formation (and number of non reserved cars) will not change on Mizuho, Hikari, Sakura and Kodama services. Both railway companies will continue their policy of making all seats on Nozomi services all reserved seat on Year end / New year holidays, Golden Week and Oban holidays.
JR Tokai’s 211 series trains coming to the end of the track…(and good news for long distance local line rail enthusiasts!
JR Tokaido will fully retire all of its former JNR 211 series trains by March 2025. Most have already been withdrawn with all services on the Chuo Main Line (West) now operated by the new 315 series units (right). On the Tokaido Main Line almost all have been withdrawn being replaced by 313 and 315 series units. A small number of units remain (mainly used on Minobu and Gotemba Lines) but these will be withdrawn by March 2025. Five 3 car 211 units have been sold to Sangi Tetsudo for use on the Sangi Line, and these are currently being refurbished by Sangi Tetsudo. JR East still operates 211 series trains in its Nagano (Nakano Blue livery) and Takasaki branch (Shonan livery) areas.
many of the services on the JR Tokai section of the Tokaido Main Line did not have toilets, even though some journeys are quite long in duration (2~2 1/2 hours)…now all trains have toilets
Signalling trouble brings JR Yamanote Line to a halt, but fortunately in one area where trains could be diverted…
On the 10th Feb 2025 a Yamanote line inner circle Line train came to stop at 7:30am between Hamamatsucho and Shimbashi stranding 56,000 people for 2.5 hours. Damage to the track was found in the area which is thought to have caused the track circuit to fail. Fortunately in that area the Keihin Tohoku Line runs parallel and at Tamachi and Tabata Yamanote Line and Keihin Tohoku line trains can switch over to each other’s tracks, so Yamanote Line trains were able to operate albeit at reduced frequency.
Contrary to common believe, Japan trains do suffer from delays & disruption from time to time (most small delays are actually caused by passengers or third parties such as trespassers or people getting caught on level crossings and weather), but when delays do occur, particularly in busy urban areas all the rail companies are geared up to resolve issues as quickly as possible
How much freight is carried by rail?
Although Japan has an extensive rail network, only a small amount of freight is actually carried by rail. In fact more freight is moved by inshore shipping than by rail. Road freight makes up for 91% of tonnage carried. The below numbers come from the February edition of the JR Gazette. It is worth noting that 1/3 of rail freight is carried by non JR railway companies, although for relatively short distances after which much is then taken on by JR Freight. The below numbers come from the February edition of the JR Gazette.
See TS Japan Rail’s Freight Trains in Japan Info Page
Oigawa Railway to raise the cost of SL / EL tickets from 20th March 2025
Oigawa Railway has announced that it will raise the price of the special tickets needed to travel on their steam locomotive and electric locomotive hauled services from the current JPY1,000 (child Y500) to JPY1,500 (child JPY750). This is payable on top of basic fare ticket / free pass. For further information (Japanese) see Oigawa Railway’s press release
Despite the price increase, which is necessary because of rising costs, we continue to recommend the Oigawa Railway to both rail enthusiasts and general tourists, particularly those with children. This railway is unique with much of its main line rolling stock being vintage, even for its ordinary services and the Ikawa Line with its Abt rack system (only one operating in Japan) and old stations is also very unique. Read our article below to find out more.
TS Japan Rail Oigawa Railway article
Comments