Friday 13 November 2020

The Kanazawa Seaside Line Update: Part 2

Set 33 of the EMU 2000 series travels on the Seaside line backed by the blue ocean

The Kanazawa Seaside line is a rubber-tired automated guideway transit (AGT). There is no driver and conductor on the train. As a result, the driver's seat on the train is vacant except in an emergency case. A passenger can freely sit on it and can enjoy scenic views through the frontal window of the train.

As its line name suggests, one of the beautiful sceneries on the Seaside line is the blue ocean. If you ride on the northbound train at Kanazawa-hakkei terminal, a seascape will suddenly appear in front of you just after leaving the terminal. You can start savoring the resort atmosphere. You will then enjoy the sceneries of beautiful Marine Park, Hakkei-jima Island, Hakkeijima Sea Paradise (an aquarium with an amusement park) and so on. Same as the Yurikamome line in the Tokyo Bay area, the Seaside line is indeed a scenic AGT line in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Incidentally, Kanazawa-hakkei temporary terminal on the Seaside line had been isolated from Keikyu Kanazawa-hakkei station due to a delay in land acquisition around Keikyu Kanazawa-hakkei station. The distance between the temporary terminal on the Seaside line and the Keikyu station was 150 meters. To make matters worse, the passengers changing trains had to cross a wide road, National Route 16. It was inconvenient for passengers to change trains.

On March 31st, 2019, the new Kanazawa-hakkei terminal was finally completed just above the Keikyu Kanazawa-hakkei station. What had been dissatisfying the passengers was eventually removed.

A marina near Kanazawa-hakkei terminal on the Seaside line