Indian Bullet Train Looks To Imbibe Japanese Spirit, Will ‘Apologise’ To Riders If Delayed And State Reasons Too 

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), which is in charge of India’s first bullet train project, has decided to incorporate the Japanese Shinkansen culture of ‘apologising’ for train delays, reports The Indian Express.

India’s 508-km bullet train service between Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati and Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex will run 70 trips per day at 320 km per hour.

NHSRCL Managing Director Achal Khare says, “We will apologise to our clients. We will also issue a public apology in the train, at stations, if we are delayed. This is the Shinkansen culture we aim to imbibe, wherein delay by even a minute or so is considered a delay. We will also explain the reasons for the delay to our passengers.”

India will, however, not issue delay certificates, a practice of Shinkansen, where a commuter is issued the document to explain the reasons for being late at work. Khare says that since there are some fundamental differences between the two countries, NHRCL will not emulate that practice.

Indian officers have studied Shinkansen culture in its approach to customers and its different features, to shape India’s bullet train culture.

Aimless loitering will not be allowed, and waiting can be done at the circulating commercial areas only. Each ticket is bar-coded and will allow the holder to access the platform only at a particular time before the train’s departure, said a statement from NHSRCL.