No description available.

The Master Thesis focuses on comprehensive evaluation of high-speed rail in Japan. The theoretical part describes the history of the Shinkansen systém, which is currently the standard of the high-speed rail. It also discusses the analysis of the key technologies, support systems and respect for nature. Within the technology part also represents a MAGLEV technology, currently being developer as a succesor to the high-speed traffic. In the analytical part analyzes in detail the different tracks and trains used on them. Finally the author compares the Shinkansen system compared to other modes of public transport and passenger transport in three different length routes.

This Master Thesis focuses on rail transport in Japan. It describes the evolution of Japanese railroads from the beginning until present day, when is Japan the leading country in personal rail transportation. Further, there are described major railway operators and high-speed railway network Shinkansen. Later it explains modern system Maglev, which is momentarily built in Japan. The analysis focuses on financial indicators and specific traits of Japanese railroads. In the end the author compares Shinkansen against other means of transport on two major routes of different length. He asks question how introduction of new forms of rail transportation can change the Japan.

Abstract The Swedish railway has during many years received low customer satisfaction scores. Reasons for this are reliability, service and information concerns. The focus of this master thesis lies on the railway platform. The platform is an important part to the factors above as its information and facilities, which constitute a part of the service before the trip, could contribute in causing delays and reliability issues. This study investigates the behaviour of passengers on railway platforms and the effect that information, seats and entrances along the platform has on that behaviour. The goal is to find advantages and disadvantages and propose improvements in a Swedish setting. Platforms and trains that have been studied are in Stockholm, Sweden and Tokyo, Japan. Platform distributions and individual behaviour on the platforms are recorded with three different and relatively easy methods. Results of the Swedish study show aggregate trends where passengers tend to cluster around entrances and seats. Many Swedish passengers do not believe themselves to have enough information to know where their car will stop. These passengers do mostly not know that information exist and on average stand much further away from their closest door, when the train arrives, compared to passengers that believe themselves to know where their car will stop along the platform. The results of the Japanese study show that almost all passengers stand close to their door. From the findings in not only this, but also other studies, four aggregate properties in order to get better railway platforms are finally presented. These properties are reliability, clarity and availability of information and good location of seats and other facilities. Suggestions for tangible improvements for the Swedish railway platforms are finally given. Among these improvements are new information screens and standardized information and stopping position of trains.