Riders can expect Tokyo's last trains to depart by about 30 minutes earlier next spring as East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) is planning a major revamp to many of its metropolitan area train line schedules, the company said Thursday.
The move is intended to improve the working environment for employees in charge of maintenance and inspections after daily last train services.
According to sources, the lines subject to the change are likely to include the Yamanote Line, which runs until around 1:30 a.m. on weekdays, and others connecting Tokyo and neighboring prefectures.
The company also plans to schedule later departure times for first trains on some lines.
Maintenance and inspection work on railway tracks is carried out between the last train and first train services. If more work hours are secured by moving up the last train schedules, the number of days required for work will decrease, which will enable workers to take holidays as well as reduce construction costs.
The company's poor earnings are also behind the move amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. JR East fell into the red for the April-June period, posting a loss of more than 100 billion yen. In July, the company also saw the number of passengers on the Yamanote Line drop by about 50% from a year earlier.
JR East is also considering changing its fare system such as by raising ticket prices during rush hours.
Last month, West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) announced that it will move up the last train schedules on major lines in the Kinki region in its timetable review next spring.
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