Seibu Railway has decided to start commercial operation of the “8000 series” that it acquired from Odakyu Electric Railway as an environmentally friendly “sustainable trains” on May 31 (Sat), 2025.
While the company is introducing new energy-efficient vehicles equipped with VVVF inverter control devices on the Ikebukuro Line and Shinjuku Line, branch lines still mainly use older vehicles, including DC motor cars. To replace these, the company will adopt a strategy of accelerating energy conservation and fixed cost reduction by adopting VVVF cars that were used by other companies as sustainable trains.
The first sustainable trains, the 8000 series (6-car train), is equipped with VVVF devices and regenerative brakes and is a former “8000 series” vehicle that was used as the main commuter vehicle for Odakyu. After taking over in May 2024, the safety equipment was updated at the Musashi-gaoka Vehicle Inspection and Repair Center, and the design was changed to an arrangement of a blue and green checkered pattern selected from employee submissions. Currently, running tests, trial runs, and crew training are being conducted on each Seibu line, and commercial operation will begin on the Kokubunji Line from May 31 (Sat).
Prior to that, a paid event for fans will be held on both May 24 (Sat) and May 25 (Sun), where fans can ride both the original Odakyu 8000 series and the reborn Seibu 8000 series. On May 25 (Sun), a limited 2,000 sets of “Sustainable Trains 8000 Series Debut Commemorative Tickets” will be sold at Shin-Tokorozawa Station. In addition, collaboration goods such as clear files and drawstring bags with designs of both Odakyu and Seibu models are also scheduled to be sold.
Seibu has acquired Tokyu Corporation’s 9000 series as another sustainable trains, and has decided to start operating it on the Tamagawa Line, Tamako Line, Sayama Line, and Seibu Chichibu Line from fiscal year 2025. Together with the 8000 series, Seibu plans to introduce about 100 sustainable trains, and together with new vehicles for the main line system, it aims to achieve 100% VVVF conversion of vehicles by fiscal year 2030.
