On July 29, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism released the results of its 2024 congestion survey for urban railways. The report tracks how crowded trains are during peak commuting hours, using a congestion rate where 100% means every passenger has room to sit or hold onto a strap or pole comfortably.

Key Congestion Rate Benchmarks:

• 150%: Standing close but not touching others
• 180%: Shoulder-to-shoulder, slight pressure
• 200%: Fully packed, hard to move, especially near doors

How Did COVID-19 Change Tokyo Train Crowding?

The pandemic began in 2020. With five years of data now available, trends show that train congestion dropped sharply during COVID and has since started to climb again, but hasn’t fully returned to pre-COVID levels.

Notable Rail Lines (2019 vs. 2024):

🟦 JR Lines

• Yokosuka Line (Musashi-Kosugi → Nishi-Oi)
  • 2019: 195% (most crowded JR line)
  • 2024: 134% → Down 61 points
• Saikyo Line (Itabashi → Ikebukuro)
  • 2019: 185%
  • 2024: 163% → Still highest among JR lines
• Chuo Local Line (Yoyogi → Sendagaya)
  • 2019: 99%
  • 2024: 91% → Small change (within 10 points)
• Negishi Line (Shin-Sugita → Isogo)
  • 2019: 146%
  • 2024: 73% → Nearly halved

🚇 Subway Lines

• Tokyo Metro Tozai Line (Kiba → Monzen-Nakacho)
  • 2019: 199%
  • 2024: 150% → Still high, but improved
• Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (Minowa → Iriya)
  • 2019: 158%
  • 2024: 163% → Increased slightly, now most crowded subway line
• Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line (Shibuya → Omotesando)
  • 2019: 169%
  • 2024: 103% → Now the least crowded subway line

🚉 Private Railways

• Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line (Ikejiri-Ohashi → Shibuya)
  • 2019: 183%
  • 2024: 133% → Down 50 points
• Tokyu Toyoko Line
  • 2019: 172%
  • 2024: 122%
• Tokyu Meguro Line
  • 2019: 178%
  • 2024: 129%
• Keio Line
  • 2019: 167%
  • 2024: 143%
• Sotetsu Main Line
  • 2019: 139%
  • 2024: 116%
• Keisei Main Line, Odakyu Tama Line → Saw increased congestion
• Tobu Tojo Line, Keisei Oshiage Line, Odakyu Enoshima Line → Slight drop (under 10 points)

Takeaway

While ridership is gradually recovering from the pandemic, train crowding remains lower than before COVID on most lines. Some lines are still very packed (like the Saikyo and Hibiya lines), but others, especially Tokyu lines and the Hanzomon Line, are much less crowded. Transit authorities are adjusting plans accordingly, like pausing platform expansion projects on lines where congestion has eased.