How Railway Timetables Showcase Efforts to Speed Up and Increase Passenger Numbers

“The timetable reflects the kind of transportation service you want to provide or the service that fits certain circumstances. For example, if there is a demand of 10,000 people daily, but you only have trains with a capacity for 5,000 people, the transportation volume will be insufficient. Naturally, the approach is to operate trains that match the demand.

Another approach is to stimulate demand. For example, in the past, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen only had trains from Tokyo to Hakata in the morning. Now, there are also trains starting from Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama. For people living west of Tokyo, Shinagawa offers better access than Tokyo Station, and for those near Yokohama, Shin-Yokohama is more advantageous. By setting early morning trains from Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama, allowing people in those areas to reach Osaka faster, the aim is to stimulate new demand.”

Additionally, there are cases where a flagship train with fewer stops is operated to create a slogan like the fastest express train with the shortest travel time.

“A clear example is the Hokkaido Shinkansen, where some trains have fewer stops to increase speed. For instance, the first Hayabusa train in the morning stops at all stations beyond Ninohe, taking over 4 hours and 20 minutes from Tokyo to Hakodate. However, the No. 7 train stops only at Shin-Aomori after Morioka, cutting the time to under 4 hours, specifically 3 hours and 57 minutes. By operating even one train faster, they can claim a travel time of under 4 hours. This is one way to set up schedules.”