Tokyo's Busy Trains

[bill937ca]

The peak hour in Tokyo is still a very busy time.  Congestion  figures are published every year, but I haven't seen a translated copy for several years. 

This is for 2011 from the Ministry of Land, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Tourism.

 

Average load factor in transit systems is the total number of riders to the theoretical capacity. In Japan, 100% capacity means that each seat and overhead strap is utilized.

 

A load factor of 100% = all seats and overhead straps taken, equal to 3 passengers in 1 m2 of floor space (Ieda, 1995);

150% = Shoulders come in contact, passengers able to easily read a newspaper;

180% = Bodies come in contact, able to read newspaper;

200% = Sensation of pressure, able to read magazine, equal to 7 passengers in 1 m2;

250% = Unable to move arms, unable to switch position, equal to 9 passengers in 1 m2.

 

(Source: Tokyo Ministry of Land, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Tourism, 2005b).

 

Tokyo 2011

LINE                                                    MOST CROWDED SEGMENT               LOADING  CHANGE  PEAK HOUR

===============================  =================================  ======= 

Sōbu Local Line                              Kinshichō → Ryōgoku                                  201%    (2%)   7:34-8:34

Yamanote Line (clockwise)       Ueno → Okachimachi                                   200%    (1%)   8:00-9:00

Tōkyō Metro Tōzai Line              Kiba → Monzen Nakachō                           199%     3%    7:50-8:50

Saikyō Line                                       Itabashi → Ikebukuro                                  198%    (2%)   7:50-8:50

Yokosuka Line                                Shin-Kawasaki → Shinagawa                    195%     2%    7:40-8:40

Keihin-Tōhoku Line (s/b)           Ueno → Okachimachi                                   194%    (1%)   8:00-9:00

Chūō Rapid Line                             Nakano → Shinjuku                                      193%    (1%)   7:55-8:55

Nambu Line                                     Musashi Nakahara → Musashi Kosugi  193%     2%    7:30-8:30

Takasaki Line                                  Miyahara → Ōmiya                                       191%     0%    7:23-8:23

Musashino Line                              Higashi-Urawa → Minami-Urawa           187%    (2%)   7:26-8:26

Odakyū Odawara Line                 Setagaya Daita → Shimo-Kitazawa         186%    (2%)   7:47-8:49

Tōkaidō Line                                   Kawasaki → Shinagawa                              186%    (2%)   7:39-8:39

Yokohama Line                               Kozukue → Shin-Yokohama                      184%     1%    7:27-8:27

Keihin-Tōhoku Line (nb)            Ōimachi → Shinagawa                                 183%    (2%)   7:30-8:30

Tōkyū Den'en Toshi Line             Ikejiri Ōhashi → Shibuya                           181%    (1%)   7:50-8:50

 

Of course, since 2011 there have been several major extensions (Fukutoshin line, Ueno Tokyo line) but still the early morning would still be very busy.

 

Video by EW233KEI

 

 

Most videos with pushers are older rolling stock, but this is a newer Series 231 or 233 train. Video by Shane Kennedy.

 

 

Toyoko line.  Video by keikyu mania.

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by bill937ca

[Sacto1985]

The JR East Yamanote Line and Keihin-Tōhoku Line between Ueno and Shinagawa Stations used to experience notoriously bad overcrowding, but the opening of the Ueno-Tokyo Line in March 2015 meant E231's, E233's and E531's coming in from the Takasaki Line, Tōhoku Main (Utsunomiya) Line and Jōban Line can go directly to Shinagawa Station (and beyond on the Tokaidō Main Line), which took a lot of passengers off the Yamanote and Keihin-Tōhoku Line sections I mentioned.