Transportation of Cargo by High-Speed Trains

According to the Japanese press, JR East will commence regular cargo transportation using high-speed trains starting in the financial year of April 2024, as reported by the railway portal Railway Supply.

This move will allow JR East to diversify its sources of income, especially as passenger transportation has only recovered to 80% of pre-pandemic levels due to legislative changes limiting the working hours of truck drivers.

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Accelerated cargo transportation, such as fresh fish and other food products, may become highly demanded. However, a final decision has not been made yet on whether specialized cargo trains will be used or if cargo will be transported on scheduled passenger trains.

It is expected that cargo will be placed in special containers between the seats of passenger cars, avoiding the need to modify the train cars. Loading and unloading operations will be carried out at depots and major stations.

Since the beginning of 2021, JR East has already been conducting cargo shipments in small quantities, utilizing available space within train cars. The cost of transporting one shipment weighing up to 12 kg is 2,190 yen, approximately equivalent to 15 US dollars.

Photo: JR East

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