Tobu Railway will implement a schedule revision for the Tobu Urban Park Line on November 21.
To alleviate crowding toward Funabashi Station during the morning rush hour, two additional local trains arriving at Funabashi Station during the 7:00 a.m. hour on weekdays will be added, increasing the number of trains bound for Funabashi during that time from the current 10 to 13. In addition, a new train category called “Section Express” will be introduced for some trains bound for Funabashi Station; these trains will stop at Tsukada Station and Shin-Funabashi Station in addition to the usual express stops.
In terms of train operations, all trains between Kashiwa and Funabashi Stations will be standardized to 5-car trains of the new 80000 series and 60000 series. This will not only enhance convenience by fixing the location of the “Tanoshito” family-friendly seating area but also promote energy conservation and CO2 reduction. However, service between Omiya and Kashiwa Stations will continue to operate with 5-car and 6-car trains.
As a measure to improve transfers at major stations, The departure time of the first train bound for Kashiwa from Iwatsuki Station will be moved up by 2 minutes to 5:15 a.m., allowing it to connect with the up-bound Semi-Express train on the Tobu Skytree Line (departing at 5:27 a.m.) at Kasukabe Station, thereby improving access to Shin-Koshigaya Station and Kita-Senju Station.
In addition, the schedules for upbound express trains departing from Funabashi and arriving at Kashiwa Station during the 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. hours on weekdays will be revised to shorten travel times to the Noda area. Furthermore, the daytime express train schedule will be reorganized to allow passengers to transfer between trains bound for Omiya and those bound for Funabashi at Kashiwa Station.
© Source travel watch