New Subway Construction and Sustainable Utilization of the Existing Facility

In the Kansai area (Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Wakayama and Osaka) 57 transportation agencies and companies operate railway and bus services to provide urban transportation. Since it is difficult to construct new lines at enormous costs under severe finance conditions in Japan, the Osaka municipal transportation bureau introduced the "stored value card system" called `Surutto-Kansai' in response to the needs of the "cash-free" age. Through this system, the appropriate transit fare is automatically deducted from a prepaid card as it goes through an automated ticket gate. This prepaid card can be used not only for municipal transportation, but also for most private railways for getting on and off trains and buses in the Kansai region. By combining several fare systems into only one card system, passengers can enjoy great conveniences. Also, this is expected to contribute to the sustainability of the public transportation in the Kansai region.