TOKYO: Fares on train lines operated by East Japan Railway Co (JR East) will increase by an average of 7.1 per cent on Saturday (March 14) 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 privatisation of the former Japanese National Railways.
Previous fare hikes were 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 per cent, while normal commuter passes will go up 12 per cent. Rates for students will see a 4.9 per cent 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 yen from the current 150 yen. The largest fare increases will be on routes in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with the Tokyo-Shinjuku route rising from 210 yen to 260 yen.
The revised fares will apply to tickets and commuter passes that will be purchased from March 14. 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 March 13.
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 March 10. “However, we are determined to provide railroad services that our passengers can use with safety and comfortability.” - The Japan News/ANN
