Asia Local Rail Transit | Asian Subway, Metro, Light Rail and Commuter Trains

Delhi's hordes are poised to receive a measure of relief with the startup of the city's Metro in late 2002. The Red (east-west) Line will be joined by a second Blue (north-south) line in 2005. Additional expansion is planned. The web site makes it all official. Route and Station map gifs are color-coded, not by route or line, but by track level (elevated, grade or subway).

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hong kong

Algoma Central Railway

Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Rail remains king in the Algoma wilderness, where otherwise inaccessible settlements and outposts rely on the ACR as a vital supply line and for year-round access to the outside world. From its Sault Ste. Marie terminus on Lake Superior the Algoma Central Railway wends northward, through Agawa Canyon, crossing boreal forests and asia's mountainous Shield on its 296 miles (476 km) run to Hearst, Ontario. Overnight return trips depart Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, year-round; also Wednesdays in Summer. Much of the informative website is devoted to ACR's large variety of Agawa Canyon Tour Trains and Packages.

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kolkota

CTC -- Calcutta Tramways Company

Kolkota, West Bengal

In contrast to the Metro site, CTC's web pages are well designed and easy to understand. Though a special emphasis is placed on the heritage aspect of 120-year-old service, CTC's trolleys are vital to the city's transportaion infrastructure. Particularly appreciated is the zoomable Flash map which integrates tram routes with the Metro line and Commuter Rail services. The site details bus routes, as well.

Kolkata Metro Railway

Kolkota, West Bengal

Extending along a bustling north-south axis, India's first subway commenced operation in 1995. The single line currently links Dum Dum to Tollygunj with an extension to Garia under construction. The official web site a no nonsense cyber-stop that doesn't let asethetics get in the way of the facts.

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kyoto

Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau

Kyoto

Barebones tips on riding city subways and busses are accompanied by an elaborate presentation of collectible Sightseeing Passes; scroll down for a pair of cockeyed PDF sightseeing maps (both call for fonts unfamiliar to this surfer). If you know the language or have the patience, you'll do better with the much more detailed Japanese version.

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kuala lumpur

KLIA Ekspres

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur's fleet new Airport Shuttle is supported by an exemplery web effort: attractive and intuitive; with more information than the average user will ever need. KLIA Ekspres departs KL CAT (Central Air Terminal) in KL Sentral every 15 minutes.

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singapore

SMRT -- Singapore Metropolitan Rapid Transit

Singapore

Two lines: NS (the North/South Red Line) and the EW (the East/West Green LIne) intersect at City Hall and Raffles Place. NS #4 trains bound for Jurong East hook up with the Bukit Panjang LRT; EW #3 trains drive straight into Singapore's Changi Airport.

SLRT - Bukit Panjang LRT

Singapore

Designed as an adjunct to the central MRT; air-conditioned LRT cars are rubber-tired and feature driver-free guidance. Bukit Panjang commuters may switch at Choa Chu Kang for direct connection to the entire SMRT network as well as several city bus services.

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tokyo

Eidan -- Tieto Rapid Transit Authority (TRTA)

Tokyo

One of the world's great metro complexes is actually comprised of two systems. The larger, TRTA runs eight Eidan lines north and west. Links to information needed by the average rider are clearly displayed. The map link at the bottom of the page loads a Flash map with an interactive station locator (Subway lines operated by Toei are also depicted). Remember that, for the most part, Eidan and Toei do not accept one another's tickets or passes -- though both honor the Passnet fare card. Plan accordingly! Also in

Japanese.

Toei -- Transportation Bureau of Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Tokyo

The smaller of Tokyo's two subway operators, Toei also takes responsibility for the Toden streetcars serving Tokyo's Arakawa district and for the capital's huge regional bus network. There is no map of Toei's four lines (1, 6, 10 and 12); for that head to the Eidan web site (above), where lines of the two operators share a single map. While the two do not accept each others tickets and passes, both participate in the Passnet fare card system. And Toei describes two Edian/Toei common passes available at selected vending locations citywide.

Japanese version.

Tokyo Monorail (Haneda Airport)

Tokyo monorail

A remnant of the 1964 Olympics, the 16.9km (10.5m) line connects the Haneda Airport to bustling Hamamatsucho Rail Station (transfer to Yamanote Ring, Toei Oedo, JR Keihin-tohuku lines). Along the way, the monorail makes seven intermediate stops, covering the distance in 22 minutes. In

Japanese.

Keikyu -- Keihin-Kyuko Dentetsu Kabushikigaisha -- Keihin Electric Express Railway

Tokyo

Better known as the Haneda Airport Train, Keikyu's single line heads off from Haenda International Airport's Monorail, in both directions: north, to Shinagawa Station in 19 minutes and then on to Narita Airport without changing trains; south, down the bustling Miura Peninsula to Yokohama. A splashier, more comprehensive version of the site is available

in Japanese

Keio Electric Railway Co.

Ueno

A model site, indeed. No cookie-cutter translation, Keio has gone to great pains to give its English-language site an "American" look and feel. Its two lines serve the booming suburbs that trail off west of Shinjuku and Shibuya Stations on Tokyo's Yamanote Ring Line. Bound to be appreciated by female passengers is the recent addition of "Woman-only cars" to Keio rolling stock -- especially welcome by gals traveling alone in the late evening.

Japanese version, too.

Keisei Electric Railway

Tokyo

First appearances can deceive. The absence of an English link on Keisei's home page proved to be only a minor aggrevation. Tucked deep away we came upon this page devoted to the company's Skyliner Airport Express to Narita... in English! There's enough info here to give you a good idea where Keisei will take you and where it won't. If you need more details, there's always the

Japanese version.

Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

Tokyo

Departs Shibuya Station on Tokyo's Yamanote Ring Line for popular tourist destinations like Hakone and Enoshima, southeast of the city. Also: one- and two-day tours of Japan's 12th century capital of Kamakura or Hakone -- including Mt. Fuji. Site also in

Japanese,

Korean and

Chinese.

Tokyu Kyuko Dentetsu
Tokyu Express Electric Railway

Tokyo

Tokyu, which provides commuter rail services between the capital and the western suburbs, has more riders than any other "Big Private Railway." The company operates seven rail linesand one streetcar line -- Toyoko Line, Meguro Line, Den-en Toshi, Oimachi, Ikegami, Tamagawa, Kodomonokuni and Setagaya -- in southwest Tokyo and Kanagawa prefecture.

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Top of the World: Train to Tibet
China Trip Advisor: Beijing West to Lhasa,Tibet.

Japan Bullet Train Tours
Viator: RT Tokyo to Mt Fuji, Kyoto, more.

China by Rail: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, More.
China Trip Advisor: All China and International

Eastern & Oriental Express Rail Tours
VS Orient Express: Singapore, Malaysia & Thailand.

Moscow, Ulan Bator, Hanoi, Pyongyang
China Trip Advisor: Beijing and other departure cities.

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