Japan Railway Plans Automated Operation on Joetsu Shinkansen; Expected to Start from Fiscal 2028

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, September 12, 2024

East Japan Railway Co. plans to introduce automated operation on the Joetsu Shinkansen line trains connecting Tokyo and Niigata from fiscal 2028, the company announced.

The company said automated operation will enable adjusting timetable settings flexibly and according to demand. JR East plans to later introduce it on the Hokuriku and Tohoku Shinkansen lines as well.

Semi-automatic operation will first begin from fiscal 2028 between Nagaoka Station and Niigata railway yard in Niigata Prefecture, with a driver on board to automate speed control and stopping. On a route section between Nagaoka and Niigata stations, this will be carried out on trains with passengers on board.

In fiscal 2029, the highest level of automatic operation will be implemented in some sections of out-of-service trains, where neither a driver nor an attendant will be on board.

JR East aims to introduce automated operation on all trains on the Tokyo-Niigata route by the mid-2030s. While no driver will be on board, an attendant responsible for matters like evacuation guidance will be present.