JR Tokai Seeks More Freedom to Raise Train Fares
Listen to the story
JR Tokai, the Japanese railway company behind the Shinkansen bullet train, says it needs more freedom to raise fares.
The company is currently building the Linear, a new high-speed train that uses maglev technology to float above the tracks.
According to a company official, rising prices across the country are making the Linear project more expensive to complete.
JR Tokai is worried that strict government regulation on fares could slow down or delay the project even further.
A vice president at JR Tokai has asked the government to make fare rules more flexible.
Currently, there are limits on how much the company can raise its prices for passengers.
The company argues that without changes, it may struggle to pay for the Linear's construction costs.
JR Tokai has already raised prices for its Nozomi Shinkansen service, one of its most popular train routes.
The company's president explained the reason for this increase.
He said JR Tokai wants to keep offering services that match the needs of modern customers.
The Nozomi fare increase shows the company trying to balance rising costs with customer expectations.
JR Tokai has reportedly been very profitable, but the company still says it faces financial uncertainty.
This is partly because the Linear project is extremely costly and takes many years to finish.
The outcome of talks with the government could affect how quickly the Linear project moves forward.
Many people in Japan are watching closely to see if fares will rise further in the coming years.
Vocabulary5 words
- Linear
- a new, very fast train being built in Japan
- maglev
- a train system that uses magnets to float above the track
- regulation
- an official rule set by the government
- customers
- people who pay for a service, like train passengers
- profitable
- making a lot of money
📚 Ready to use these words in a real conversation?
Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.
Quiz
Answer key
1. Maglev 2. To make fares more flexible and cover rising costs 3. True
✅ Nice work on the quiz!
Keep the momentum going — book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
JR Tokai, the Japanese railway company behind the Shinkansen bullet train, says it needs more _____ to raise fares.
The company is currently building the Linear, a new high-speed train that uses _____ technology to float above the tracks.
According to a company official, rising _____ across the country are making the Linear project more expensive to complete.
JR Tokai is worried that strict government _____ on fares could slow down or delay the project even further.
A vice president at JR Tokai has asked the government to make fare rules more _____.
Currently, there are _____ on how much the company can raise its prices for passengers.
JR Tokai has already raised prices for its Nozomi Shinkansen _____, one of its most popular train routes.
He said JR Tokai wants to keep offering services that match the needs of modern _____.
JR Tokai has reportedly been very _____, but the company still says it faces financial uncertainty.
This is partly because the Linear project is extremely _____ and takes many years to finish.
Discussion questions
- Why might a successful, profitable company still worry about its financial future?
- Do you think governments should control how much train companies can charge? Why or why not?
- How might rising prices around the world affect big construction projects like the Linear?
- Would you choose to pay more for a faster train? Why or why not?
🎓 Enjoyed this story?
Turn today's reading into real speaking practice with a live Preply tutor.
