JR East and Seibu Railway have agreed to operate through temporary trains using the connecting track between the JR Musashino Line and the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, and to improve the transfer passage between Shin-Akitsu Station and Akitsu Station in Japan.
Between JR East’s Shin-Akitsu Station and Seibu Railway’s Tokorozawa Station, there is a connecting track that is used when transporting Seibu Railway rolling stock via JR East tracks, for purposes such as bringing in newly built train cars and conducting vehicle inspections for the Seibu Tamagawa Line. Utilizing this connecting track, through operation of temporary trains will begin in fiscal year 2028. This will provide direct, transfer-free connections between areas along Seibu lines, such as the Chichibu area and Belluna Dome, and areas along JR lines, such as the Odawara/Shonan area, the Boso area, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Shinkansen interchange stations. The trains used will be the Seibu Railway Series 10000 “New Red Arrow,” refurbished as a sightseeing limited express for the Shinjuku Line and modified as necessary for operation on JR East lines. In addition to standard seating, the trains will feature a premium onboard environment with semi-private compartments and sofa seats.
Regarding the development of the transfer passage between Shin-Akitsu Station and Akitsu Station, studies are underway with the aim of opening it for use in the early 2030s. The distance between the ticket gates of the two stations is about 400 meters, and the total travel distance from platform to platform is about 600 meters, requiring roughly 8 minutes for a transfer. For many years, it has been an issue that during the morning and evening commuting and school hours, many users travel along roads where pedestrians and vehicles are not separated. The improvement project will secure an all-weather, barrier-free route and enhance convenience and safety.
The two companies have been promoting comprehensive collaboration since December 2020, and this through operation and transfer passage improvement are among the concrete outcomes of that initiative.
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