A chainsaw-equipped railway robot has helped clear vegetation near Nobeyama Station in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, highlighting a new approach to track maintenance. East Japan Railway Company, known as JR East, introduced the human-operated machine in March 2026. The equipment uses mechanical arms to cut and handle branches near railway infrastructure. The work also draws attention
JR East is introducing a major limited-time rail promotion offering discounts of approximately 50% on selected Shinkansen and limited express services for weekday journeys during October and December 2026. The promotion covers eligible weekday travel from October 14 to October 27 and again from December 7 to December 17. It is being offered through JR
JR East and Chiba Prefecture have expanded the seasonal Thank You Chiba Free Pass, giving travellers broader access to railway, bus and ferry services during the 2026 autumn and 2027 early spring travel periods. The ticket, officially promoted in English as the Chiba 2-Day Pass, provides unlimited travel across participating transport networks for two consecutive
