Kamikochi Line will restart full operation on June – Damaged by the heavy rain in 2021

Alpico Kotsu will resume operation of all lines from June 10, 2022 (Fri) on the Kamikochi Line, which has been disrupted for partial sections due to the heavy rain in August 2021.

By the flooding of the river due to the heavy rain on August 14, 2021, the Tagawa Bridge between Nishi-Matsumoto and Nagisa was damaged by tilting the piers. The current suspended section is between Matsumoto and Nagisa, and the replacement bus service are served on the section (see the transit map below).

Restoration work to construct a new pier is underway at Tagawa Bridge, and they are planning that the train operation will resume for the first time in about 10 months from the first train on June 10, 2022 (Fri). As a result, the operation of the replacement bus will end on June 9 (Thu).

• Alpico Kotsu Kamikochi Line will resume operation on all lines

Although the cost of restoration work is subsidized by the local government, the impact of COVID-19 has been prolonged in addition to the damage caused by heavy rain, and the management of the Kamikochi line is in a difficult situation. Meanwhile, some third party companies launched a support project to support the restoration of the entire Kamikochi line and the continuation of operation in the future.

As one of them, Val Laboratory Corporation (Headquarters: Suginami City, Tokyo), which provides the transit search service “Ekispert”, is implementing the “YELL for Transportation JAPAN” project. If someone shares from the special site to their SNS, the company will donate 5 yen per share to the Kamikochi line.