By AKIHITO USUI/ Staff Writer
February 28, 2023 at 07:00 JST
A sample image of cyclists boarding the Cycle Train Ketta (Provided by Kintetsu Railway Co.)
ISE, Mie Prefecture--Kintetsu Railway Co. will start an irregular service allowing cyclists to bring their bicycles on trains heading to the Ise-Shima area, a popular cycling spot.
The Cycle Train Ketta will be operated up to six times from March to May, mainly between Kintetsu-Nagoya or Osaka-Uehonmachi stations and Kashikojima Station in Shima, Mie Prefecture.
The special service will use a three-car Tsudoi sightseeing train originally designed for group tours and other leisure purposes.
The train can carry up to 50 passengers, and one car will be equipped with 23 bicycle racks.
Cyclists can disassemble their bicycles and bring them in bags on the train. But for intact bicycles, users must enter the central ticket gate at Kintetsu-Nagoya Station.
Small and midsized railway operators in local areas have allowed unbagged bicycles on trains. Major railway companies in large cities have followed suit in recent years for express trains.
In September, Kintetsu started allowing passengers to bring bicycles on a car of a regular train running on the Toba and Shima lines and also on the Yamada Line on weekends and holidays.
It carried 114 bicycles in September and 94 in October.
Kintetsu receives subsidies from the Shima city government to operate the Ketta service, which is aimed at attracting cyclists from large cities and increasing passenger numbers.
For more information, visit the company's official website at (https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/).
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