Uchibo Line reopens between Nagaura and Kisarazu; substitute buses start
In short
JR East resumed train service on the Uchibo Line between Nagaura Station in Chiba Prefecture and Kisarazu Station from the first train on Oct. 5, and substitute buses began running between Anegasaki and Nagaura. Typhoon No. 25 cut the line, with landslides at multiple sites, and JR East has said full restoration of the damaged section will take about three months. Trains run about two per hour in each direction, and the buses have far less capacity, so long waits are expected.
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JR East resumed train service on the Uchibo Line between Nagaura Station in Sodegaura, Chiba Prefecture, and Kisarazu Station from the first train on Oct. 5, after Typhoon No. 25 cut the line, the company said. Substitute bus service also began the same day between Anegasaki Station in Ichihara and Nagaura, so all suspended sections are now covered by substitute transport, Yomiuri reported. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
According to JR East, trains run about two per hour in each direction on the reopened section, with roughly 20 to 30 percent of normal service during morning and evening peaks. The first downbound train leaves Nagaura at 6:28 a.m., and the first upbound train leaves Kisarazu at 5:50 a.m. On the substitute bus section, the first upbound bus leaves Nagaura at 6:10 a.m. and the first downbound bus leaves Anegasaki at 6:30 a.m. The company said the buses have about 10 to 20 percent of the railway's transport capacity and take far longer than trains, and that because their number and seating are limited, passengers may face long waits to board. [ 1 ]
The disruption followed Typhoon No. 25, which sent large amounts of sediment onto the tracks between Anegasaki and Nagaura and caused landslides at multiple locations, according to the reports. JR East had said restoration would take about three months. The section affected has about 54,000 users a day, and securing enough buses had proved difficult; temporary buses run by Kominato Railway Bus and Toei Bus had been operating before full substitute service began. [ 1 , 3 ]
To restart service sooner, JR East installed temporary points at Nagaura, which had no turning facility, so trains could turn back in a section where track equipment was undamaged. Workers carried out the construction around the clock, including at night in heavy rain on Sept. 29, and the company confirmed trains could turn back safely, Nippon TV reported. Yomiuri reported the reopening was achieved by installing branching equipment to enable turnback operation. [ 1 , 3 ]
Yomiuri listed the remaining suspended sections as the Uchibo Line between Anegasaki and Nagaura, the Sobu Line between Yachimata and Naruto, and the Kururi Line between Kururi and Kazusa-Kameyama. [ 3 ]
Passengers used the substitute buses on the first morning. Tokyo Shimbun reported people waiting for the Anegasaki-bound bus in front of JR Nagaura Station. A first-year high school student from Shirako who took the bus from Anegasaki and boarded the train at Nagaura said “remote classes had continued, but I am glad I can finally go to school,” according to Yomiuri. [ 2 , 3 ]
JR East said the detailed timetable for the reopened Nagaura–Kisarazu section would be published on its website on Oct. 4. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The disrupted section has about 54,000 users a day, so the partial reopening restores rail access for commuters and students in the area while the damaged stretch stays closed. Substitute buses have roughly one- to two-tenths of the railway's capacity, meaning disruption to daily travel is expected to continue.
Key facts
- JR East resumed Uchibo Line train service between Nagaura Station and Kisarazu Station from the first train on Oct. 5. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Substitute bus service began the same day between Anegasaki Station and Nagaura Station. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Trains run about two per hour in each direction, with roughly 20 to 30 percent of normal service during morning and evening peaks. [ 1 ]
- JR East said the substitute buses have about 10 to 20 percent of the railway's transport capacity, take much longer than trains and are limited in number and seats. [ 1 ]
- The line was cut by Typhoon No. 25, which caused a large sediment inflow between Anegasaki and Nagaura, and JR East said restoration would take about three months. [ 1 , 3 ]
- JR East installed temporary turnback facilities at Nagaura so trains could run in a section with no damage to track equipment. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The disrupted section has about 54,000 users a day, and securing enough buses had been difficult. [ 1 ]
- A first-year high school student from Shirako said she was glad to finally be able to go to school after remote classes continued. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- JR East resumed Uchibo Line train service between Nagaura and Kisarazu stations in Chiba Prefecture from the first train on Oct. 5, after Typhoon No. 25 cut the line. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Substitute bus service began the same day between Anegasaki and Nagaura, where trains remain suspended. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- JR East had said restoring the damaged section would take about three months. [ 1 , 3 ]
- JR East installed temporary turnback facilities at Nagaura to reopen the undamaged section. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The Uchibo Line was disrupted by Typhoon No. 25. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When the still-suspended Anegasaki–Nagaura section will fully reopen. The documents say JR East expected restoration to take about three months but give no firm date.
- Whether JR East published the detailed timetable for the reopened section on its website on Oct. 4 as it said it would. Only the Oct. 3 announcement states this plan, and later documents do not confirm it.
- The exact extent of the damage, including how many landslide sites there were. Documents describe a large sediment inflow and landslides at multiple locations but give no figures.
- The precise boundary of the section that was out of service before Oct. 5. Nippon TV describes service as halted between Anegasaki and Kisarazu, while Yomiuri lists the remaining suspended section as Anegasaki–Nagaura.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On Oct. 3, JR East announces it will resume trains between Nagaura and Kisarazu from the first service on Oct. 5 and start substitute buses between Anegasaki and Nagaura. [ 1 ]
- The first downbound train of the reopened service leaves Nagaura for Kisarazu on Oct. 5; the first upbound train leaves Kisarazu at 5:50 a.m. [ 1 ]
- Substitute buses begin running, with the first downbound bus leaving Anegasaki for Nagaura; the first upbound bus leaves Nagaura at 6:10 a.m. [ 1 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun reports people waiting for the Anegasaki-bound substitute bus in front of JR Nagaura Station on the morning of Oct. 5. [ 2 ]
- Yomiuri reports that service resumed on the Nagaura–Kisarazu section and that substitute transport now covers all suspended sections. [ 3 ]