Commuters were forced to line up outside train stations around the city as staff restricted entry due to suspended services.
When Typhoon Trami passed through Japan on Sunday night, heavy rain and fierce winds rocked buildings and windows around Tokyo, keeping many residents awake until the early hours of the morning. As the sun rose a few hours later, it brought clear skies and warm weather with it, but exhausted, bleary-eyed commuters trying to get around the city were in for a tough start to the week, as many train services remained suspended after the storm.
East Japan Railway, which shut down all its trains in the metropolitan area at 8 p.m. on Sunday evening, only partially resumed services by 9 a.m. Monday, meaning that thousands of passengers found themselves stranded during the morning peak hour period.
東京方面入場帰省、解消の気配がないのでバスで京王線目指します#入場規制 pic.twitter.com/vZ4BMd0Vui
— 鳴子(なるこ) (@kyudenpara) September 30, 2018
Making things even more problematic was the fact that at 4:45 a.m. a train on the Keio Line was damaged in Setagaya Ward after coming into contact with a wall that had collapsed close to the track due to the typhoon.
https://twitter.com/sununagi/status/1046587518764765184While there were no injuries, the incident meant that trains on the Keio Line were suspended for approximately four hours, causing stations to became overcrowded as commuters had no other choice but to wait it out.
▼ The queue for the Keio Line at Shinjuku Station.
優雅に午後出勤と思ってたら普通にまだ混雑してた。。#京王線 #新宿 pic.twitter.com/NFSgmOfUKd
— 三十三千力 (@katakanass) October 1, 2018
Due to the service suspensions, rail staff restricted entry at a number of train stations in and around the capital, forcing passengers to queue up outside station buildings. Some of the most congested train stations included:
▼ Mitaka Station
#入場規制
— ゆずパパ (@jpdrone6385) October 1, 2018
JR三鷹駅南口、これと同じ量の人が北口にいると思うと電車に乗るのは数時間後。人も押し寄せる。一旦帰宅と思ったが、電車が動かないから道に車が溢れ大渋滞。既に自宅を出てから2時間経過だよ!お腹もすいたなぁ pic.twitter.com/gdii1phxg7
▼ Koiwa Station
小岩駅入場規制で入れない。#小岩駅 #総武線各駅停車 pic.twitter.com/jKeUfsv4Wv
— chilipeper (@eiji_ihara) September 30, 2018
台風の影響で改札にすら入れません。#小岩駅 #台風24号 #小岩 pic.twitter.com/5YNkau9tM5
— ハッシー (@usukuradesuu) September 30, 2018
▼ Akihabara Station
俺は会社に行くのをやめるぞ!ジョジョー!!!#人やばい#入場規制?#JR秋葉原#台風怖かったね pic.twitter.com/dZWaoHdGHR
— kingst@モンスト (@kingst29469287) September 30, 2018
▼ And Kawasaki Station
https://twitter.com/mako49h/status/1046552625024356353#入場規制
— ミネキチ (@satominekichi) October 1, 2018
JR川崎駅、入場規制中です! pic.twitter.com/lja4UHMRzn
At Kawaguchi Station the queue to enter stretched out on the ground level and on the level above as well.
川口駅も入場規制中〜
— 白くま (@shir0kuma_chan) September 30, 2018
もう台風行ったのに〜
なんでこんなことになるんだい?
全員、駅に入場したい人です。#京浜東北線#入場規制 #川口駅 pic.twitter.com/twO20KZICe
今現在の川口駅の様子です
— ゆ う な ぎ (@WatanabeSWI) September 30, 2018
駅すら入れない…
川口駅にいる方は、国際興業バス、埼玉高速鉄道の振替輸送もご検討の程宜しくお願い致します#京浜東北線 #川口駅#入場規制#台風24号 pic.twitter.com/EuZdoqpdc6
The Joban Line was also suspended, creating long lines outside Tokyo’s Kameari Station and Matsudo Station at Chiba.
https://twitter.com/d3so992hV7zsCg9/status/1046552674546606085Thug Life☠#常磐線 #新京成線 #台風24号 #入場規制 pic.twitter.com/zCaJ65JXZ2
— BLACKMANTA (@hiropon0506) September 30, 2018
Other rail services, like the Chuo Line and Chiyoda Line, were also affected due to debris on the tracks after the storm.
三鷹駅前は、既にこんな状態!
— カブキ@出張民族 (@kabqueen_yuki) September 30, 2018
これはしばらく動きそうにないな。。。
これから移動される方々は、ご注意ください!#中央線 #三鷹駅 #台風24号 #入場規制 pic.twitter.com/NvGFOtn0Xm
Some Shinkansen services on the Tokaido line were disrupted due to fallen bamboo on the tracks.
まだまだ影響は続く。。。#台風 #運転見合わせ pic.twitter.com/tg5bfC9wQI
— 海斗 (@kaito_blue9) October 1, 2018
This commuter complained about the chaotic feeling at Chiba’s Matsudo Station, with nobody knowing exactly where to stand and the constant noise of loud announcements by staff.
#松戸駅#千代田線
— ♡ayumi♡ (@ayuko1202) September 30, 2018
笑える
人やばい
乗れる気がしない
電車来ないし
どこ並んでるのかも謎
カオス#入場規制 かかったらしい
アナウンスがうるさすぎる
そんなに声はらなくても聞こえるから… pic.twitter.com/SAAlBQO9uq
Even when services resumed from 9 a.m., stations and platforms remained crowded as trains slowly filled up with waiting passengers.
▼ This scene was filmed at Shinjuku Station.
新宿駅、あぁ、ダメだこりゃ。#新宿駅 #山手線 #台風 #JR #入場規制 pic.twitter.com/rO9DuPFy7L
— こん たっけ@東京新地図🗼 (@takkedosanko) October 1, 2018
According to news reports, approximately 1,300 regular train services and 10 Shinkansen services were cancelled or delayed on Monday morning, with close to a million people affected.
Typhoon Trami is reported to have killed four people and injured approximately 200 across 20 prefectures, with wind speeds breaking records since they were first kept at over 50 locations.
Source: Twitter/#入場規制
Featured image: Twitter/@eiji_ihara

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