Hiroshima opens new route to railway station

 

The Japanese city of Hiroshima on Honshu operates the country’s largest tramway system with eight lines covering 35.1km; the first standard-gauge line was opened in 1912 and served the city’s railway station (Horoshima Ekimae). However due to the city’s position on the river delta, direct surface level access was not possible due to the position of bridges. Now a four-track elevated tram station has been built within the railway station with a new 1.1km access line to Hijiyamacho junction that provides a more direct link to the city centre and reduces travel time by four or five minutes. The old link closed on 17 July to permit the new one to be connected, and trial running on the new link; passenger service to the new tram station on lines 1, 2, 5 and 6 started on 3 August. 

 

The varied Hiroshima tram fleet still includes three bogie cars dating from 1942 that survived the atomic bomb attack in 1945. However 36% of the 137-strong fleet are low-floor trams delivered since 1999, including 12 Siemens Combino, the only trams purchased new from a foreign manufacturer.