JR East to hike train fares avg. 7% in March 2026
The company, better known as JR East, says it needs to raise funds to maintain and improve safety and services.
The rail operator says the government has approved the move, which will see starting fares for tickets rise 10 yen to 160 yen. The new price is the equivalent of a dollar and 9 cents.
Bigger fare increases are planned for services in the Tokyo area, including the Yamanote train line that loops around the capital.
The blanket hike is the first since JR East was formed in 1987 from the privatization of Japan National Railways, with the exception of consumption tax adjustments.
JR East says it needs more than 400 billion yen, or about 2.7 billion dollars, to invest in safety and services. It says the price increases are needed because inflation and higher labor costs are weighing on its bottom line.
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