Meitetsu timetable changes January 29

[Prophet of the Way]

Meitetsu (Nagoya Railway) changes its timetables on January 29 2005, in
preparation of the opening of the Central Japan International Airport.

Contents:

1. Airport access trains
2. Station name changes
3. Local service improvements
4. Disclaimer, more info


1. Airport access trains

The Central Japan International Airport (Chubu Nihon Kokusai Kuukou, 'Centrair')
opens on February 17, 2005. Meitetsu Airport Line opens a bit in advance on
January 29. Meitetsu is the only railroad to this airport.

During most hours six trains will depart from the airport. Travel time to
Nagoya is 28 to 46 minutes. Fare is 850 yen between Airport and Nagoya, plus
350 yen for special coach. The fastest trains are completely special coach.
Note that some slower trains do not reach Meitetsu Nagoya directly.

Airport access timetable and fare:
http://www.meitetsu.jp/centrair/access.html (Japanese)


2. Station name changes

(old => new)

Shin-Nagoya => Meitetsu Nagoya
Shin-Ichinomiya => Meitetsu Ichinomiya
Shin-Gifu => Meitetsu Gifu

Nagoya Kyuujou-mae => Sannoh
Minami-Narawa => Aoyama
Kagamihara-Hikoujou => Kagamihara-Shiyakusho
Tokushige => Tokushige-Nagoya-Geidai

Effective January 29.

No changes:
Toyokawa-Inari, adjacent to JR Iida Line Toyakawa will not change name.
Shin-Hashima, adjacent to Shinkansen Gifu-Hashima will not change name.

Meitetsu Nagoya is adjacent to JR Nagoya and Kintetsu Nagoya.
Meitetsu Ichinomiya is adjacent to JR Owari-Ichinomiya.
Meitetsu Gifu is a couple blocks to the northeast of JR Gifu.


3. Local service improvements

3.1 Express classification changes

In a measure to reduce "special" stops, a finer express classification scheme
will be implemented. "Special" or irregular stops will decrease from 1300 a day
to 204.

Current Tokkyuu => Kaisoku-Tokkyuu and Tokkyuu
Current Kyuukou (express) => Kaisoku-kyuukou, kyuukou, and junkyuu

English translations of these not yet known.


3.2 More frequent local trains

Kouwa Line: 21 local trains added between Ohtagawa - Chita-Handa, improving
frequency to once in 15 minutes during day-time.
Nagoya Line: 11 junkyuu trains added between Zengo and Jinguu-mae.
Hashima Line: Local service improved between Hashima-Shiyakusho-mae and
Shin-Hashima to once every 15 minutes day-time.
Toyokawa Line: Local service improved to once every 15 minutes day-time.
Tsushima Line: 8 express, 8 local trains added weekdays,
12 express, 11 local trains added weekends.

Note that the new junkyuu trains on the Nagoya Line are on the east side and do
not get to Kanayama and Nagoya.

3.3 Late night trains added

Toyohashi 23:31 departure express for Narumi (connects to final Shinkansen)
Stops include Higashi-Okazaki, Shin-Anjou & Chiryuu.
Toyahashi 23:08 d. express for Nagoya (Narumi - Nagoya extended)

Sugaguchi 24:07 d. local for Tsushima (board Nagoya 24:00 express for Gifu)


4. Disclaimer

This is a private translation of railroad announcements. Despite my efforts,
there may be errors in this writing. Any tourist should make independent
confirmations, especially when buying a long-distance ticket or using airport
access service. If you notice any error or omission, please let me know.

I plan to write an independent article on airport access services to 'Centrair'.

Meitetsu:
http://meitetsu.co.jp/ (Japanese)

Hitachi Information Systems Hyperdia automatic timetable:
http://www.hyperdia.com/
(Has anybody tried entering the new 'Centrair' station in English with this?)

Central Japan International Airport 'Centrair':
http://www.centrair.jp/index2.html
(not much info here)

Cross-posted to fj.life.in-japan with permission from
soc.culture.japan.moderated moderators.

Bon Voyage,

Douso, The Prophet of the Way

[Ron Hitler Barrassi]

Post by Prophet of the Way
Meitetsu (Nagoya Railway) changes its timetables on January 29 2005, in
preparation of the opening of the Central Japan International Airport.

*

Post by Prophet of the Way
1. Airport access trains
The Central Japan International Airport (Chubu Nihon Kokusai Kuukou, 'Centrair')
opens on February 17, 2005. Meitetsu Airport Line opens a bit in advance on
January 29. Meitetsu is the only railroad to this airport.

Meitetsu is the railway that goes to Shizuka race circuit? If so you can
be sure there will be very little or no English support. The main
station in Nagoya has no fare information in English or more accurately
romaji, all station names are written in kanji - not even hiragana.
During the Grand Prix there is no extra signs or staff to support
foreign tourists.

Not surprisingly http://www.meitetsu.co.jp/ has no English.

These are similar to maps displayed in the stations.
Loading Image...
No hiragana, no romaji.

[Declan Murphy]

Post by Ron Hitler Barrassi

Post by Prophet of the Way
Meitetsu (Nagoya Railway) changes its timetables on January 29 2005, in
preparation of the opening of the Central Japan International Airport.

*

Post by Prophet of the Way
1. Airport access trains
The Central Japan International Airport (Chubu Nihon Kokusai Kuukou, 'Centrair')
opens on February 17, 2005. Meitetsu Airport Line opens a bit in advance on
January 29. Meitetsu is the only railroad to this airport.

Meitetsu is the railway that goes to Shizuka race circuit? If so you can
be sure there will be very little or no English support. The main
station in Nagoya has no fare information in English or more accurately
romaji, all station names are written in kanji - not even hiragana.

The only trains that go to Suzuka are the Kintetsu company's Suzuka line
(a branch line from Kintetsu's Ise Wakamatsu station on the Kintetsu
Nagoya line) and the "Ise Tetsudo", which I think is part of the JR
grouping. When you went I think it was by Kintetsu.

Meitetsu has had "bilingual" Japanese/Romaji station maps since at least
1992 (when I was commuting from Anjo to Nagoya on the Meitetsu honsen
daily). Last night I went to the Meitetsu Shin-Nagoya station (or
whatever they call it now) and the signage is in Japanese, English,
Korean, Chinese and Portuguese. Then I walked over to the Kintetsu
station and their signage was in Japanese, English, Korean and
Portuguese. Whether its the new airport or the expo or whatever, things
seem to be changing for the better as far as independent travellers and
any illiterate newbies are concerned.

Even the <shitheads>UFJ</shitheads> ATMs now have five languages to
choose from for the interface. The local Okashin bank sticks to a "learn
to read Japanese or bugger off" policy. I love the Okashin's attitude,
its so in your face Okazaki. Maybe they just can't justify the cost of
reprogramming etc.

Post by Ron Hitler Barrassi
Not surprisingly http://www.meitetsu.co.jp/ has no English.

I wonder they don't bother? Perhaps they think the only train any
illiterate foreigners would use will be the airport link, and hope that
whoever is responsible for the crappy http://www.cjiac.co.jp site will
do that for them. New airport opens February 17th - I have to be there
that day so I might take the train back instead of driving. Will have to
completely rewrite that part of Yamasa's website.

Post by Ron Hitler Barrassi
These are similar to maps displayed in the stations.
http://www.meitetsu.jp/t_b/train/rosenzu/imgs/rosen_max.gif
No hiragana, no romaji.

The major ones have romaji, can't recall any furigana. The later would
probably be of more use in Aichi than romaji in some towns. Most
foreigners down here can read kanji better than romaji, except for the
South Americans.

[Prophet of the Way]

Most Japanese rail companies that serve international airports provide
information in at least two languages. Two exceptions:

Nankai Railway to Kansai International Airport:
http://www.nankai.co.jp/ (Japanese only)

Fukuoka City Subway to Fukuoka International Airport:
http://subway.city.fukuoka.jp/index.html (Japanese only)

The Japanese government is promoting a 'Visit Japan Campaign'. It aims to
double the number of incoming tourists from the current level to 10 million by
year 2010. Politicians have concluded that international tourism must be
promoted to save resort districts devastated by the slow economy. The building
spree during the so-called 'Bubble' years resulted in excess capacity and the
strong yen has led Japanese vacationers abroad.


LOOKING TO PROMOTE THE JAPAN EXPERIENCE
Cost, language barrier still keeping tourists away
Japan Times April 20 2004
http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20040420f1.htm

Visit Japan Campaign site:
http://www.vjc.jp/

Post by Ron Hitler Barrassi
Meitetsu is the railway that goes to Shizuka race circuit? If so you can
be sure there will be very little or no English support. The main
station in Nagoya has no fare information in English or more accurately
romaji, all station names are written in kanji - not even hiragana.
During the Grand Prix there is no extra signs or staff to support
foreign tourists.

The railway you use to Suzuka Race Circuit is Kintetsu.

Kinki Nihon Railways (Kintetsu):
http://www.kintetsu.co.jp/ (Japanese text)

Directions to Suzuka Race Circuit:
http://www.suzukacircuit.com/access/index.html (English)

The Kintetsu 'Express' in the above page is actually the Limited Express.
The Express takes more time than listed in this page, and involves a transfer if
coming from Osaka.

Douso, The Prophet of the Way