Some Kyushu Shinkansen line services in southwestern Japan will adopt dynamic pricing for advance tickets after a recent trial eased congestion, the operator said Tuesday, becoming the first bullet trains in the country to use the system.
The change applies to online sales of tickets for journeys starting July 1 that are purchased between a week and a month in advance for travel between Hakata Station in the city of Fukuoka and Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto Prefecture, said Kyushu Railway Co., also known as JR Kyushu, said.
As a result, customers will pay one of three prices -- 4,200 yen ($27), 3,800 yen or 3,400 yen -- for an advance adult one-way ticket including seat reservation on the section of the line.
Dynamic pricing means the amount charged is allowed to go up and down depending on demand and the timing of the purchase. The decision follows a trial of the system that began March 1.
Before the trial began, advance tickets for the same route were set at 3,800 yen for adults. If bought within a week of departure, a standard ticket costs 5,230 yen.
The route is the most popular bullet train service in the southwestern Japan region, and links the cities in as little as 32 minutes.
JR Kyushu said it currently has no plans to introduce dynamic pricing to other parts of the line, or to the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line that currently connects Nagasaki to Takeo-Onsen Station in Saga Prefecture.
