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Trains, planes full as holiday U-turn rush peaks

9 Comments

The New Year holiday U-turn rush peaked on Tuesday as thousands of holidaymakers crowded airports, train stations and expressways on their way home.

Airlines reported full load factors on planes arriving at Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Chubu airports. Narita Airport officials said they expect 50,000 people to arrive by Tuesday night, while Haneda airport officials predicted about 24,500 people would arrive from overseas by the end of the day. Kansai airport officials said around 30,000 people would be returning from overseas on Tuesday.

JR companies said reserved seats on Tokyo-bound shinkansen trains from Kyushu, Osaka and the Tohoku region were fully booked, while non-reserved trains heading to Tokyo were at 120% capacity on Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Japan Road Traffic Information Center warned motorists to expect traffic congestion up to 20 kilometers on the Tomei, Kanetsu and Meishin expressways through Tuesday night.

Because the New Year holidays were shorter this year, travel agency officials said closer destinations were more popular, especially Hawaii and Southeast Asia. The increase in budget carriers flying in and out of Japan has made Asian destinations especially attractive.

Most people are expected to return to work on Wednesday, although many department stores and other retailers opened for business on Jan 1.

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9 Comments
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Arghh i love being the barr barr black sheep. Holiday started 24th ends on 9th no mad rush for us, the joys of being semi/self employed.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"Holiday started 24th ends on 9th"

Slacker! Hee hee!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

the joys of being semi/self-employed. i hear you bro, stuck in a 20km traffic jam! frackme id rather crawl through broken glass than sit through that torture! Actually being the ahole I can be at times, I actually like to wave to those stuck in traffic as im going the opposite way, not a car in sight . LOL

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@ Serrano

""Holiday started 24th ends on 9th Slacker! Hee hee!" ;o) Yes how dare i opt for quality time apposed to the prescribed formula.

May 2017 be a grand year for all of us, i just welcomed in my first(after a very very long slog) on my birthday of all days, so im one very very happy chappy. Be kind to a stranger and live in love folks X
-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Wife always booked our reserved seat train tickets in advance so never had an issue at that time of year but I'm usually quite happy to reserve my travel for other times of the year frankly.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I took a holiday from December 15th through January 9th. No Hawaii this year though first class. I decided to stick around Japan and it has been quite nice. Quiet.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I'm taking my family on holiday later this month - I don't like to travel at the same time as everyone else. Looking forward to some warm beaches in January!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Will take another three weeks in the spring before Golden Week.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

MsDelicious... You take too much time off, you'd never be able to work in the company I work for, ha ha

Stranger... You worked over the New Year holiday, or are you taking the extra time off like MsDelicious?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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