Spotless Stations, Queueing Even During Rush Hours, Dedicated Sections for Women, Maintaining Order on Trains... Unveiling the Surprises of Tokyo's Urban Rail System in the Capital of Japan.
Surprising Insights into Tokyo's Urban Trains
Operating since 1927 and expanded in 1963, Tokyo's urban train system, including underground lines, transports over 8.7 million passengers daily across 318 kilometers of track. Despite the large volume of passengers, visitors are surprised to find smooth operation and orderliness, thanks to efforts from management and passengers themselves, rather than chaos.
1. Immaculately Clean Stations: The platforms shine without any visible trash bins, except for a few recycling bins near vending machines. The stations also feature clean restrooms equipped with high-tech facilities.

2. Queueing Even During Peak Hours: Yellow lines near the platforms indicate where passengers should stand while waiting for trains. People typically queue up neatly, even during peak hours, minimizing crowding and chaos.
3. Women's Reserved Section: Tokyo's urban train system provides a dedicated section for women during peak hours, offering peace of mind for women, elementary school students, and young children. Stations have a separate boarding area for this section, clearly marked with signs.
4. Maintaining Order: You won't have to endure loud conversations because everyone is conscious about maintaining order. The system also suggests passengers switch their phones to silent mode and limit phone conversations.

5. Key Hooks for Pregnant Women and Mothers with Small Children: The system provides special care for the health of mothers and children, even in the early stages of pregnancy when it might not be noticeable to others. Free key hooks with the 'Maternity Mark' symbol are provided to help passengers pay more attention to their safety.
6. Train Station Staff: Station staff are always ready to assist passengers and take their job seriously. They ensure smooth and safe boarding and disembarking during peak hours. A special team of staff is tasked with maximizing train occupancy, but safety remains the top priority.

7. Late Train Evidence Cards: Most train journeys are punctual. Any delays over a minute are announced through the public address system. If you have to wait more than 5 minutes, train staff will distribute 'Late Train Evidence Cards' to passengers to avoid complications at work.
Source: Zing News
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Reference: Travel Handbook by Mytour
MytourNovember 24, 2015