Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話 ニュースディスカッション教材
Whether you’re always on the go and need to work while getting there, or want a mobile change of routine, this new service will be of great interest.
On November 22, 2021, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) inaugurated the “Office bullet train” Shinkansen service for passengers who want to work remotely.
The service equips the 8th car on the trains with the space and amenities needed to make phone calls and hold web conferences from their seats. It will be offered at the normal ticket price with no additional charge on the Tohoku, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen trains operated by the company. Full service will start after two trial runs.
As part of the company’s effort to stimulate business travel, which has fallen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is offering new work styles, such as “workation”, working while traveling, and having multiple bases in Tokyo and other prefectures.
On November 22, The press were invited to see how it works by boarding the Hokuriku Shinkansen, a high-speed railway line jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), connecting Tokyo with Kanazawa in northwestern Honshu.
For the November 22 demonstration, Car 8 was marked with an “office vehicle” sticker on the door. Leaflets introducing the new service were placed on each seat. JR East employees also demonstrated how to use headphones to block out ambient noise. Such equipment and small partitions will be available to rent free of charge on some trains on the Tohoku-Hokkaido Line.
ＪＲ東日本は１１月２２日、同社が運行する東北、上越、北陸の各新幹線の全列車で、車内でリモートワークをしたい乗客向けの「オフィス新幹線」のサービスを始めた。８号車限定で座席での通話やウェブ会議が可能。追加料金なしで利用できる。２度の実証実験を経て、本格的な事業として始動した。
新型コロナウイルス禍で落ち込んだ出張需要の喚起を狙い、旅行しながら仕事をする「ワーケーション」や東京と地方で生活拠点を複数持つなど、新しい働き方に対応するために企画した。
２２日は営業運転中の北陸新幹線の車内が報道陣に公開された。８号車の扉には「オフィス車両」と書かれたステッカーが張られ、各座席にサービス内容を紹介するリーフレットが置かれた。ＪＲ東の社員が周囲の雑音を遮断するヘッドホンの使い方などを実演。こうした機器や小型の間仕切りなどを東北新幹線の一部列車で、無料で貸し出す。