Kyushu Shinkansen to Fully Reopen on September 18

JR Kyushu intends to fully resume service on the Kyushu Shinkansen on September 18, approximately two months following the Kumamoto earthquake that inflicted significant damage to tracks and stations, resulting in the suspension of certain services. JR Kyushu President Yoji Furumiya shared this announcement on August 28, a month post the earthquake's impact in Kumamoto Prefecture.

The company has devised a schedule to restore the remaining sections. President Furumiya declared, "Plans to resume operations commence with the first train on September 18, Friday." The earthquake inflicted substantial harm to railway tracks, stations, and related infrastructure along the Kyushu Shinkansen. Repairs have been ongoing, yet services remain halted between Kumamoto and Shin-Minamata.

JR Kyushu affirmed that expedited restoration efforts now permit the projection of September 18 as the date for the line's full restoration. The traditional Kagoshima Main Line remains closed between Uto and Yatsushiro, with JR Kyushu aiming to reestablish service on this segment by mid-October. Replacement buses are presently functioning on the suspended section.

JR Kyushu intends to augment the number of buses commencing September, as the Kumamoto-Yatsushiro corridor typically attracts a substantial passenger volume, especially during the morning rush, and this demand is anticipated to intensify as high school classes recommence. Two typhoons forecasted to traverse the Pacific are anticipated to deliver powerful waves and gusty winds to Japan's Ogasawara Islands during the three-day weekend spanning October 10 to 12, while swells from the east could influence coastal areas along eastern Japan's Pacific coast, according to the most recent forecast issued at 10 p.m. on October 8.