Japan Train Company to Increase Fares, Including in Tokyo Metropolitan Area, By Average of 7.1%

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, March 12, 2026

Fares on train lines operated by East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) will increase by an average of 7.1% on Saturday in a bid to boost company revenues.

The move is the first time for JR East to raise fares solely for revenue purposes since the company was established in 1987, when the company was formed after the privatization of the former Japanese National Railways. Previous fare hikes have been introduced to accommodate the introduction of consumption tax and to help improve accessibility at stations.

The revised fares will be implemented on all areas that JR East serves. Regular fares will increase by 7.8%, while normal commuter passes will go up 12%. Rates for students will see a 4.9% hike, but some student commuter passes will remain unchanged in some regional areas to relieve the burden on households.

For paper tickets, base fares will rise by ¥10 from the current ¥150. The largest fare increases will be on routes in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with the Tokyo-Shinjuku route rising from ¥210 to ¥260.

The revised fares will apply to tickets and commuter passes that will be purchased from Saturday. As more passengers are expected to buy commuter passes before the hikes, JR East will extend the business hours of its ticket offices at some stations through Friday.

JR East aims to allocate additional revenues that come from the hikes to improving, maintaining and inspecting its equipment and facilities amid surging costs.

“We will cause a burden on our passengers,” said JR East President Yoichi Kise at a regular press conference on Tuesday. “However, we are determined to provide railroad services that our passengers can use with safety and comfortability.”