The incident marks another unusual disruption for the Shinkansen service amidst significant domestic and international travel.
**Snake Disruption Halts Japan's Bullet Train Operations During Peak Season**
**Snake Disruption Halts Japan's Bullet Train Operations During Peak Season**
A snake causes a temporary halt to bullet trains in Japan, affecting travelers during a busy holiday period.
In a peculiar incident causing significant disruption, one of Japan's busiest bullet train services, the Tokaido Shinkansen, was paused after a snake became entangled in a power line. The incident occurred between the Gifu-Hashima and Maibara stations around 5:25 PM JST on Wednesday, with services only resuming around 7 PM, according to the Central Japan Railway Company.
This disruption falls during Japan’s Golden Week, one of the busiest travel times of the year, coinciding with four national holidays compressed into seven days. This year, the travel peak is further amplified by the ongoing World Expo in Osaka, which is set to attract millions of visitors until its conclusion in October.
The suspension specifically impacted Tokyo-bound trains from Shin-Osaka to Nagoya, and Osaka-bound services in the reverse direction, leaving a significant number of passengers waiting at affected stations. Eyewitness accounts describe scenes of commuters gathering around workers while queues built up at ticket machines in the face of service delays.
Satoshi Tagawa, a frequent traveller of the Shinkansen who was returning to Tokyo, remarked that this was his first experience with service delays due to a power outage linked to an animal. Conversely, 26-year-old Kazutoshi Tachi expressed frustration at these repeated disruptions, indicating a desire for more reliable service.
This is not the first time wildlife has interfered with the high-speed rail system; an April 2024 incident reportedly involved a snake causing a 17-minute delay as authorities worked to safely remove it from the tracks, illustrating the ongoing challenges of maintaining operations amidst unexpected natural occurrences.
This disruption falls during Japan’s Golden Week, one of the busiest travel times of the year, coinciding with four national holidays compressed into seven days. This year, the travel peak is further amplified by the ongoing World Expo in Osaka, which is set to attract millions of visitors until its conclusion in October.
The suspension specifically impacted Tokyo-bound trains from Shin-Osaka to Nagoya, and Osaka-bound services in the reverse direction, leaving a significant number of passengers waiting at affected stations. Eyewitness accounts describe scenes of commuters gathering around workers while queues built up at ticket machines in the face of service delays.
Satoshi Tagawa, a frequent traveller of the Shinkansen who was returning to Tokyo, remarked that this was his first experience with service delays due to a power outage linked to an animal. Conversely, 26-year-old Kazutoshi Tachi expressed frustration at these repeated disruptions, indicating a desire for more reliable service.
This is not the first time wildlife has interfered with the high-speed rail system; an April 2024 incident reportedly involved a snake causing a 17-minute delay as authorities worked to safely remove it from the tracks, illustrating the ongoing challenges of maintaining operations amidst unexpected natural occurrences.
