JR East has announced plans to launch a smartphone application that will allow customers to track the arrival status of trains, the interior temperature of the cars, and even the level of passenger congestion at any given time.
The "JR East Japan App" is scheduled to launch on March 10, Sankei Shimbun reported. Functions of the app include tracking the location of trains, travel updates and announcements from JR, as well as any delays that might occur. The application will even allow for someone to track the congestion and the internal temperature of one particular train on the Yamanote line in Tokyo.
Furthermore, the app will provide detailed information on the 1,700-plus train stations located in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including both location and availability of storage lockers inside the stations.
The app will be free to consumers (excluding data and texting charges), even as JR East Japan plans to continue expanding the available services in the near future.
© Japan Today
22 Comments
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mitoguitarman
Kanji only, we presume.
cdemackio
and the app will be called...?
Probie
Hey, don't knock it just because you didn't learn the language of the country you live in.
nath
Probably, but you can use this as a motivation to learn the kanji in that app. There will only be a limited number of them, and learning them will benefit your life in other areas as well.
Back in the day when I first came here, the only schedules we had were paper schedules that each station would hand out. I read almost no Japanese at the time, but learned a lot by using these schedules.
Guillaume Varès
What about allowing charging suica by credit card and booking intercity and all Shinkansen trains online?
titaniumdioxide
Good, I bought the famous "Seishun 18 Kippu" . This will help me in my mini Japan adventure.
nath
Guillaume.
You can already recharge your Suica from your CC for years.
nath
Only one credit card though isn't it? Not any credit card.
DaveAllTogether
I learned pretty much the same way. The first Kanji I learned were all place names. Getting around and seeing the country was definitely my motivation for learning the language.
Raymond Chuang
While this app will eventually be great for tracking commuter trains on the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network in the Tokyo area, what about tracking private railways and subways in the same area? Remember, it's possible some commuters will ride a JR East train, then a private railway train and finally a subway train just to get to work from home.
nath
There are other apps (I use Jourdan's app myself) that cover other train lines. This one is put out by JR, so it's not surprising it's JR only.
Guillaume Varès
@Educator60
I am perfectly aware that online reservations are possible with some shinkansen trains and for express trains. However, Eki-net still requires physical collection of train tickets the day before traveling, which in my opinion makes it totally worthless. A proper online booking system lets you book your own ticket or transfer a paperless online ticket on your phone for travel.
Also, credit card recharge is only available if you register the co-branded View card. Ticket machines at stations only accept cash as a mode of payment for recharging Suica.
Disillusioned
I just use the website for train delays. It's sufficient for me.
http://traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/e/kanto.aspx
Simona Stanzani
“JR East Japan App” こと「JR東日本アプリ」です。
mito
"StrangerlandMAR. 08, 2014 - 10:00AM JST Kanji only, we presume.--Probably, but you can use this as a motivation to learn the kanji in that app."
Well, that's not much help for tourists coming for a couple days, eg. my 85 year old mother. It's a bit tough to learn a few thousand kanji for a three day visit.
nath
Does someone on a three day visit really need to know the real-time location of the trains?
Guillaume Varès
@educator60 There was a typo in my message too ;-) I meant, you should be able to print out your own ticket or download it to your phone and be able to travel with it.
nateinjapan
It's nice to see JR is pushing out a helpful app for their passengers. This is the beginning so it might not be perfect from the get-go, but this is good progress for the future. Thanks JR.