Post-earthquake transport updates
#1
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Post-earthquake transport updates
Transport in northern Japan is slowly staggering back to its feet, so I figured it'd be good to have a separate thread for tracking the situation.
Airports
As far as I can tell, all airports except Sendai are operating normally. This includes Fukushima, Iwate-Hanamaki, Yamagata, Odate-Noshiro and Mizawa. Sendai is currently used for relief flights only, no reopening date set yet.
Trains
All major train lines in Tokyo operating, but many running reduced schedules and some special services, notably Narita Express, not operating.
In Tohoku, west coast services are operating normally and local services in the north up to Yonezawa and Ichinoseki will be restored by 3/20. Akita Shinkansen between Akita and Morioka already open, Tohoku Shinkansen from Aomori to Morioka to be restored by 3/23. Map of exact opening schedule, which (based on the URL) will be updated continually:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/pdf/saikaijoukyou.pdf
Still a huge gap in the network between Nasu-Shiobara and Ichinoseki, with eg. every line connected to Sendai entirely out of service. JR East has published a "U-turn route map" showing ways to access many towns with a loop via the west coast, with some gaps covered by bus:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/pdf/ukairoute.pdf
Road
Expressway info from E-NEXCO: http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/
Map view, closed roads in black: http://www.drivetraffic.jp/map.html
Status as of March 18: http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/pressroom/p...ice/h23/0318b/
Map as of March 18: http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/pressroom/p...b/pdfs/112.pdf
Note that many of the sections marked "closed" are, in fact, open to emergency and supply vehicles, and all major towns in Tohoku (incl. Sendai) are accessible by public bus.
Airports
As far as I can tell, all airports except Sendai are operating normally. This includes Fukushima, Iwate-Hanamaki, Yamagata, Odate-Noshiro and Mizawa. Sendai is currently used for relief flights only, no reopening date set yet.
Trains
All major train lines in Tokyo operating, but many running reduced schedules and some special services, notably Narita Express, not operating.
In Tohoku, west coast services are operating normally and local services in the north up to Yonezawa and Ichinoseki will be restored by 3/20. Akita Shinkansen between Akita and Morioka already open, Tohoku Shinkansen from Aomori to Morioka to be restored by 3/23. Map of exact opening schedule, which (based on the URL) will be updated continually:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/pdf/saikaijoukyou.pdf
Still a huge gap in the network between Nasu-Shiobara and Ichinoseki, with eg. every line connected to Sendai entirely out of service. JR East has published a "U-turn route map" showing ways to access many towns with a loop via the west coast, with some gaps covered by bus:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/pdf/ukairoute.pdf
Road
Expressway info from E-NEXCO: http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/
Map view, closed roads in black: http://www.drivetraffic.jp/map.html
Status as of March 18: http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/pressroom/p...ice/h23/0318b/
Map as of March 18: http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/pressroom/p...b/pdfs/112.pdf
Note that many of the sections marked "closed" are, in fact, open to emergency and supply vehicles, and all major towns in Tohoku (incl. Sendai) are accessible by public bus.
#2
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There's a useful set of links on transportation status on the JNTO home page: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/
#3
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Summaries of up-to-date information may be found at:
http://travel.jorudan.co.jp/exit/eq.html (in Japanese - regularly updated)
http://www.jorudan.co.jp/info/english/eq_en.html (in English - not as up-to-date as the Japanese version)
http://eki.jorudan.co.jp/unk/cgi/unk.cgi?pg=1 (live updates by users - in Japanese)
http://travel.jorudan.co.jp/exit/eq.html (in Japanese - regularly updated)
http://www.jorudan.co.jp/info/english/eq_en.html (in English - not as up-to-date as the Japanese version)
http://eki.jorudan.co.jp/unk/cgi/unk.cgi?pg=1 (live updates by users - in Japanese)
#4
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As pointed out in another thread, these folks have been doing a great job of publishing English language transit updates:
http://donotstuck.blogspot.com/
http://donotstuck.blogspot.com/
#5
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As pointed out in another thread, these folks have been doing a great job of publishing English language transit updates:
http://donotstuck.blogspot.com/
http://donotstuck.blogspot.com/
If anyone wants the latest infomation I suggest using Google Translate.
http://translate.google.com/translat...exit%2Feq.html
#6




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There's a useful set of links on transportation status on the JNTO home page: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eq/ferry_eng.pdf
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism also has an overview map of the current status available on their website. Direct URL:
http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/000138153.pdf (this one from 16:00 19th March 2011).
#7
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Slightly OT but I was looking at arrival and departure info at NRT and the following airlines appear to be operating European flights to/from NRT with a "technical stop".
AF -ICN (direct flight resumed on 8 April)
AY -NGO (direct flight resumed on 26 March)
AZ - KIX (resuming flights 24 March w/ refueling stop on flights from Italy)
BA -HKG (LHR-HND flights cancelled due to a reduced demand)
KL -KIX
LH -ICN (resuming direct flights on 15 April)
LX -NGO (resuming direct flights on 15 April)
OS -PEK (resuming direct flights on 16 April)
TK (resuming non-stop flights to/from IST)
The following airlines appear to be flying directly to NRT: JL NH VS SK.
AF -
AY -
AZ - KIX (resuming flights 24 March w/ refueling stop on flights from Italy)
BA -
KL -
LH -
LX -
OS -
TK (resuming non-stop flights to/from IST)
The following airlines appear to be flying directly to NRT: JL NH VS SK.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Apr 17, 2011 at 10:39 am Reason: updates
#8
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JR Sendai has published a list of the train lines that are expected to be back in operation by the first week of April or so -- they're making rapid progress and some lines around Sendai will start operating shortly, but Sendai will still remain cut off from the bulk of the network. Also, while the Yamagata Shinkansen will start operating between Yamagata and Fukushima soon, there's still not even an estimated date for resumption of the Tohoku Shinkansen.
http://www.jr-tabi.com/eq.html
More positively, and in fact rather incredibly, all major roads in the Tohoku region, including the worst-hit Sanriku coast are, are now usable and open to the public again (excluding the nuclear plant exclusion zone, that is). Only some expressway sections around Sendai remain reserved for emergency vehicles.
http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/000138153.pdf
http://www.jr-tabi.com/eq.html
More positively, and in fact rather incredibly, all major roads in the Tohoku region, including the worst-hit Sanriku coast are, are now usable and open to the public again (excluding the nuclear plant exclusion zone, that is). Only some expressway sections around Sendai remain reserved for emergency vehicles.
http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/000138153.pdf
#9
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Also, while the N'Ex is still suspended, I am reading that service has been restored on the rapid Airport Narita service that, as I recall, runs about twice an hour. Keisei Skyliner remains available as an excellent alternative.
#11
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#12
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Shinkansen information (north & eastern Japan)
Tokaido Shinkansen : Normal service expected.
Tohoku Shinkansen : Tokyo-Nasushiobara (2 trains per hour), Morioka-Aomori (10 trains per day), no service between Nasushiobara-Morioka
Yamagata Shinkansen : No service
Akita Shinkansen : Reduced service Morioka-Akita (5 trains per day)
Joetsu Shinkansen : Service running except Max Tanigawa 71,75,79,80, Tanigawa 82,84)
Nagano Shinkansen : Normal service except Asama 577
Tohoku Shinkansen : Tokyo-Nasushiobara (2 trains per hour), Morioka-Aomori (10 trains per day), no service between Nasushiobara-Morioka
Yamagata Shinkansen : No service
Akita Shinkansen : Reduced service Morioka-Akita (5 trains per day)
Joetsu Shinkansen : Service running except Max Tanigawa 71,75,79,80, Tanigawa 82,84)
Nagano Shinkansen : Normal service except Asama 577
#13

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Air conditioners on some trains are being turned off to reduce elecrtricity consumption. Unpack your jacket or sweater after arriving in Tokyo.
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Transport to/from Narita Airport as of 28.03.11
Keisei Skyliner/Sky Access : running weekend schedule
Limousine Bus : all services operating with the following exceptions
- Not stopping at the Shangri La Tokyo which is closed temporarily following the earthquake
- Tokyo Disney Resort & Shin-urayasu areas
- Kichijoji station (service will resume on 29 March)
Narita Express : no service
Airport Express (JR to Tokyo, Shinagawa, Yokohama) : normal service
Limousine Bus : all services operating with the following exceptions
- Not stopping at the Shangri La Tokyo which is closed temporarily following the earthquake
- Tokyo Disney Resort & Shin-urayasu areas
- Kichijoji station (service will resume on 29 March)
Narita Express : no service
Airport Express (JR to Tokyo, Shinagawa, Yokohama) : normal service
#15
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Tohoku Shinkansen To Resume Full Service Late April
The operations between Nasu-Shiobara and Morioka stations are currently suspended in the wake of the March 11 earthquake, but JR East will reopen the route step by step after completing repair work and fully resume services around late April.
As for the Yamagata Shinkansen Line, operations between Fukushima and Shinjo stations will be resumed on Thursday...



