You may remember when I introduced you to the test run of Green Cars on the JR East Chuo Rapid line three years ago. What happened this project after that?
Let me quickly review the Chuo Rapid line and the Green Cars project. The Chuo Rapid line is one of the busiest railways in the metropolitan area. 10-car trains are operated every two minutes during the rush hour, but still very crowded. JR East can't keep their arms crossed. To reduce congestion, they made a plan to increase two cars per train-set. These two cars will not be standard cars, but Green Cars (first-class cars). Why? That's because many passengers request to get seats on the train on the way to and from work, even if they pay extra. It's favorable to the railway company as well to increase their sales. That’s a win-win solution, isn’t it?
Let’s head to the main topic. On October 13th, 2024, JR East started to operate trains connecting Green Cars. Surprisingly, there is no Green Car charge! The gimmick is as follows. It’s a campaign to attract future Green Cars passengers. For that purpose, all Green Cars on the Chuo Rapid line will be free of charge until March 14th, 2025. Many passengers currently enjoy luxury Green Cars for free. I’m one of them. In the Green Car, I’m just relaxed and enjoy reading or listening music, while having a soft drink. Green Cars on the Chuo Rapid line… it’s a “Petit-zeitaku” (small luxury and gratification) for Tokyoites, isn’t it?
