A local government in Japan wants to build a light rail shuttle to take millions of would-be hikers from the base to the start of walking trails on iconic Mount Fuji, hoping to get most of them to leave their cars behind.
Yamanashi Prefecture is proposing a double-track line paralleling the toll road with two-car trains operating every six minutes. The prefecture’s initial report says it would help reduce vehicle omissions and congestion. Some local residents have opposed previous plans, and added consultations will be needed.
The report estimates construction cost at just under $1 billion, and says that a fare of about $65, for about 3 million passengers a year, would produce a 40-year surplus of $1.22 billion for the prefecture, which would build the line and $2.76 billon for the operator who would be found to run the line. The $65 fare is about 4 times the toll for cars, but the road is closed to private cars during the peak season, and a taxi to the trail costs about $50.
