Okinawa Monorail Gets New 3-car Trains

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:16 JST, August 26, 2023

NAHA — With tourists returning to Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa Urban Monorail has newly added three-car trains to its line to ease overcrowding.

The monorail, more commonly known as Yuirail, connects Naha Airport with various locations in central Naha and Urasoe. When the company started operations in 2003, the monorail only ran between Naha Airport and Shuri stations to ease traffic congestion in Naha.

The line has become well-known among tourists visiting Okinawa Prefecture.

Fewer passengers used the train during the pandemic, but as demand has rebounded, the existing two-car trains occasionally became overcrowded, leading the company to add a third car. The new three-car train can carry up to 251 passengers, 86 more than the original two-car model.

A ceremony was held at Naha Airport on Aug. 10 to commemorate the launch of the two new three-car trains. The operator plans to increase the number of three-car trains to nine by fiscal 2025.