TOKYO: The number of people taking shinkansen bullet trains and express trains in Japan during the 10-day year-end and New Year period rose to 13.71 million, with the daily average marking a record high since comparable data became available in 1991, according to train operators.
The tally between Dec. 26 and Jan. 4 marked a 5 per cent increase from the previous period as strong travel demand during the longer New Year holidays this year and additional train services helped lift the numbers, the six Japan Railway companies said, Kyodo News reported.
The Tokaido Shinkansen Line, connecting Tokyo and Osaka, saw 4.42 million passengers, up 7 per cent. Some 516,000 passengers used the line on the last day, marking a record single-day ridership.
The Hokuriku Shinkansen Line, which runs between Tokyo and Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, also saw strong growth of up to 9 per cent.
Many other Shinkansen lines also saw solid increases, with Joetsu covering Niigata Prefecture rising 6 per cent, and Sanyo between Osaka and Fukuoka up 5 per cent. Among the few lines that logged decreases, the Hokkaido Shinkansen Line saw a 6 per cent drop, according to the train operators.
The peak days were Dec. 27 for outbound travel from Tokyo and Jan. 4 for travel toward Tokyo.
Air travellers during the same period also grew, with the number of people taking domestic flights rising 1 per cent to 3.48 million and those taking international flights surging 10 per cent to 720,000, according to airlines.
All Nippon Airways handled 1.5 million domestic flight passengers and 280,000 international flight passengers, and Japan Airlines had 1.1 million and 220,000, respectively, they said. – BERNAMA-KYODO
