Facing overtourism, Japan offers rail to airport luggage delivery services
Photos of luggage blocking aisles and train doors in Japan have gone viral, sparking debates among online users
Japanese transport operators are expanding luggage delivery services, including between train stations and airports, to address luggage congestion as the country continues to face overtourism in major cities.
In January, the airport and rail operators in Nagoya ran a luggage delivery trial for tourists on certain flights, according to Japan News, the English edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.
Under the trial, tourists would drop off their luggage at the Meitetsu Nagoya railway station. Staff would measure and check the luggage before they were sent to the airport in Nagoya.
Tourists on direct flights to Hong Kong or those transiting via Taipei could then travel around Nagoya without bringing along their luggage and receive them upon returning to their home airports, according to Japan News. The delivery fee under the trial was 3,000 yen (US$20) per item.
A similar service is also available for passengers flying to Tokyo and Osaka from Sapporo at 2,000 yen per item.
For both services, users could track their checked-in luggage through an app in English, Japanese or Chinese.