Snakes “Damage” Reputation of Shinkansen Travel

Shinkansen passengers often carry pets, such as dogs, cats, or pigeons, but not snakes.

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Tokyo

Delays on fast trains shinkansen in Japan are very rare. So, the 17 minute delay on Tuesday (16/4/2024) for the Nagoya-Tokyo Shinkansen route immediately attracted attention. Apparently a 40 centimeter long snake was found in one of the carriages. It was not clear whether the snake was venomous or how the animal ended up on the train.

Shinkansen passengers often bring pets such as dogs, cats, or pigeons, but not snakes. "It's difficult to imagine how a wild snake could climb onto the train at one of the stations. We have rules about bringing snakes on the shinkansen. However, we don't check passengers' luggage," said a spokesperson for the Central Japan Railway Company.

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Initially, the train was going to be used for the scheduled trip to Osaka. However, the company decided to use another train for that trip. As a result, the trip was delayed for 17 minutes.

AFP/RICHARD A. BROOKS

Passengers wait on the platform as the Kodama high-speed train or shinkansen arrives to transport passengers at the central Tokyo station in Japan on April 17, 2024.

Security continues to be increased to ensure the safety of Shinkansen passengers. Patrols by uniformed officers on board the high-speed train have been added following a fatal stabbing incident in 2018. Additional security measures will be implemented during the 2021 Olympics and at the G7 summit in 2023.

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According to Japan Railways, since its launch in 1964, the shinkansen train network has never had an accident that caused passenger fatalities or injuries. In addition, the train with a speed of up to 285 kilometers per hour only experiences an average travel delay of 0.2 minutes.

Only wild snakes have so far been able to "damage" this extraordinary record. (AFP)