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Shinkansen breaks down, causes all-day commuter chaos at Tokyo Station

Oona McGee Dec 31, 2018
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Thousands stranded for hours during Japan’s peak holiday travel period.

As we edge closer towards the New Year, roads and public transport systems around Japan are now working at full capacity as people travel back to their hometowns to celebrate the most important holiday of the year with their families.

With so many people travelling at the moment, any breakdown or delay can quickly become a big problem, creating huge crowds and inconveniencing thousands of people in a short period of time.

So when the driver of the Tohoku and Yamagata-bound Yamabiko with Tsubasa 177 Shinkansen bullet train was unable to release the emergency brake at Tokyo Station at 9:50 a.m. on 30 December, the breakdown resulted in crowds like this.

東北新幹線北改札、子供の泣き声とアナウンスでガヤガヤ。一部で押すなの怒号飛び駅員から強い口調で入場規制の誘導。お疲れ様です。。。ホント。東京駅　新幹線乗り換え改札にて pic.twitter.com/2JbrTsGLKK

— 鈴木脩一 (@SHU1_SUZUKI) December 30, 2018

According to reports, the Shinkansen that broke down couldn’t be moved from its position at platform 23 for over an hour-and-a-half, which meant that other bullet trains heading in and out of the station were also affected.

▼ Crowds at the station at 11:00 a.m.

https://twitter.com/niiiiiifaaaaa/status/1079211832190001152

▼ And at the platform at the same time.

すんごい混雑 @ 東京駅😲💦 pic.twitter.com/JrQp8zsRM0

— hilo_fu (@hiro_ldn_) December 30, 2018

▼ The situation still hadn’t changed at 2:00 p.m.

東京駅東北新幹線改札、現在でもこんな感じ。 pic.twitter.com/tjvPgltvqz

— 山内大地 (@O8PKQcQDe7EE7rc) December 30, 2018

By 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon, all trains on the Tohoku, Joetsu, Hokuriku, Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen lines were delayed by more than 90 minutes.

東京駅の東北新幹線のりば付近は
果てしない人ごみで、大変な状態やったわ pic.twitter.com/o4X9h67RUI

— ブルーミン (@246R_Bloomin) December 30, 2018

▼ Staff stepped in to restrict entry in order to control the ever-growing crowd.

東京駅ヤバすぎる
入場規制 pic.twitter.com/SQyCg2yrAs

— トリミー (@torimiwa) December 30, 2018

At 5:30 p.m., the situation still hadn’t improved, with two-hour-plus delays being reported.

東京駅東日本の新幹線、改札で入場規制かかっててヤヴァイ pic.twitter.com/01rzor3hzT

— のんたん (@catnontan) December 30, 2018

▼ It took this passenger 20 minutes just to get to the ticket gate.

東京駅混み過ぎてて20分かけてようやく新幹線の改札までたどり着いた pic.twitter.com/eQcbbGHgs7

— Takuma Kajikawa (@kajitack) December 30, 2018

▼ “More crowded than an amusement park”.

テーマパーク以上の混雑#東京駅 #東北新幹線 pic.twitter.com/SnQJdeZI9O

— Jun (@alohacamera808) December 30, 2018

▼ This passenger had one word for it: “Chaos“.

上越新幹線70分遅れカオスでした。
15分前には改札前にスタンバイした方が良さげすよ。誘導悪いのでゆっくり安全に前へ前へ。#上越新幹線 #東京駅 #新幹線 #遅延 #帰省ラッシュ pic.twitter.com/RrsLwOLpHM

— nobo (@fatt_sharp) December 30, 2018

At 9:30 p.m., trains were still delayed, with many people wondering what time their last train, which usually departs before midnight, would actually depart.

2時間遅れでどうにか新幹線乗った🚅#遅延 #東京駅 pic.twitter.com/CRAPfW7898

— 早坂伸 Shin Hayasaka (@shin_hayasaka) December 30, 2018

At 10:45 p.m, it was clear that the delays weren’t going to get any better before the final train of the day.

東京駅にいるけど、
まだ新幹線のダイヤが
乱れている。
今22:45。 pic.twitter.com/C9BRp3QPtC

— Pacific (@pacific0301) December 30, 2018

According to East Japan Railway Company, which operates the five affected Shinkansen lines, approximately 228,700 passengers were affected by the incident, with delays or suspensions on roughly 376 routes as a result.

With travel set to hit another peak on January 2 and 3, as people return from their hometowns, public transport is set to remain busy until Sunday 6 January, before the working year begins again.

Hopefully there’ll be no future setbacks for passengers during this period, but if there are longer delays than today, it might just create the perfect conditions for another impromptu station platform drinking party.

Source: Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Twitter/@alohangloose

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