Photo/Illutration An employee of East Japan Railway Co. demonstrates how to work in the "office car" on a bullet train on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line by using privacy panels surrounding the computer and other devices to the news media on Nov. 22. (Takashi Ogawa)

Shinkansen operators are racing to keep up with the new normal, adding an "office car" for businesspeople who have become accustomed to teleworking amid the coronavirus pandemic since last year.

They are introducing the designated office cars on the Tohoku, Hokkaido, Joetsu and Hokuriku bullet train lines.

East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) unveiled the novel service on a bullet train serving the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line to news outlets on Nov. 22.

“As work and lifestyles increasingly diversify, we want to offer the office car as a new way of experiencing the Shinkansen ride,” said a senior official with JR East’s business creation headquarters.

JR East is utilizing the No. 8 car of each of its bullet trains as an office car, with 100 seats and free internet connection.

Passengers can go back and forth between the car where their original seats are located and the office car, where they can participate in online meetings and calls.

Any passenger who purchased a ticket for their train ride can use the office car at no extra charge.

In an extra service starting in December, they can borrow privacy panels to surround their computers free of charge but they must pay to use the internet router.

The office car will be available only on weekdays, but not during the year-end vacation period.

JR East decided to offer the office car service after officials concluded that they can expect certain demands when they carried out trials in February, June and July.

Central Japan Railway Co. introduced a similar service in October on Nozomi trains in its Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.

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