The JR Yamanote line is one of the most important train lines in Tokyo, looping around the city’s 23 central wards and joining major stations like Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ueno. Since it’s such a commonly used line, scheduled maintenance usually takes place after trains have stopped for the night, but for two days in October, the Yamanote line will be suspended for renovation work.
From October 23 to 24, Yamanote trains running anticlockwise between Ikebukuro and Osaki stations will be suspended. This means that the following stations will be affected:
- Ikebukuro
- Mejiro
- Takadanobaba
- Shin-Okubo
- Shinjuku
- Yoyogi
- Harajuku
- Shibuya
- Ebisu
- Meguro
- Gotanda
- Osaki
You’ll still be able to catch trains going clockwise from these stations, but the number of Yamanote line trains running in both directions will be significantly reduced during those two days, so make sure to take another route if you’re in a hurry.
That shouldn’t be too inconvenient – the Shonan-Shinjuku, Rinkai, Saikyo and Sotetsu lines that run along the same route will still be operating regularly. Plus, there will be a special service running between Shinagawa and Shinjuku stations on the Yamanote freight line.
Shibuya Station's Yamanote line ticket gates are also being permanently relocated, so keep an eye out next time you're passing through. The south (1st floor) and central (3rd floor) ticket gates have recently been moved to the station’s east side, and the central east ticket gate and central ticket gate have been merged.
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