On March 27th, Fukuoka City’s Nanakuma Subway Line saw a significant expansion, extending its eastern terminus to Hakata Station. This newly established artery now directly connects the city’s terminal station to its southwestern residential and university districts, making travel between the two locations seamless and convenient.
Watch our video of the first subway car leaving Hakata Station here: https://www.youtube.com/live/mbjWhLB26sk?feature=share&t=750
The Nanakuma Line’s expansion project, costing approximately 60 billion yen, has extended the eastern terminus from Tenjin-Minami Station to Hakata Station. A ceremony took place on the morning of the 27th, with Fukuoka City’s Transportation Bureau Manager, Shigemitsu Tomoaki, noting that the expansion would “dramatically improve the regional transportation network” and facilitate smoother transfers to and from the Shinkansen and JR lines at Hakata Station.
Many railway enthusiasts flocked to the platform for the inaugural train journey, with some even forgoing sleep to be among the first passengers. At 5:30 a.m., the train departed Hakata Station on the station master’s signal. A key benefit of this extension is the direct connection between the terminal at Hakata Station and the city’s southwestern residential and university areas, without the need for transfers.
Travel time between stations along the line and Hakata Station has been reduced by 14 minutes, and it is estimated that approximately 82,000 commuters and students will use the service daily. Moreover, the subway’s Airport Line and Nanakuma Line are now connected at a single station, reducing transfer times to a mere three-minute walk and improving accessibility to Fukuoka Airport. Source: NHK
Photo from Fukuoka City Subway official Twitter
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