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While elevated guideways are common for AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) systems, some lines—like Hiroshima’s Astram Line—include underground sections as well. In fact, although most AGTs in Japan are built on elevated or underground structures, there are also examples of AGTs that run entirely at ground level. A prime example is the Leo Liner (Seibu Yamaguchi Line), operated by Seibu Railway. This 2.8-kilometer line runs on a gentle slope entirely at ground level, connecting Tamako Station (on the Seibu Tamako Line) with Seibu-Kyūjō-mae Station (on the Seibu Sayama Line). Despite its short length, it plays a vital role in transporting crowds smoothly, especially on days when baseball games or events are held at Seibu Stadium. Ground-level AGTs are not unique to Japan. In the suburbs of Paris, France, the AGT that connects Orly Airport with nearby suburban rail stations runs straight across open green fields, offering passengers a refreshing and scenic ride while serving as an essential airport link. One of the biggest advantages of ground-level AGTs is cost. Compared to elevated or underground systems, they can be built at significantly lower construction costs. This makes them an attractive option for regional cities and areas around airports—places that have long lacked adequate public transportation. For instance, installing a ground-level AGT like the one at Orly could greatly improve accessibility at local airports currently served only by buses, reducing travel time and increasing reliability for users. Not elevated, not underground—ground -level AGTs offer a quiet, efficient, and smart mobility solution that may become a key to improving transportation in underserved areas. Stay tuned for the next edition of our AGT blog!

Among the various AGT route patterns, one notable type is the "loop line," which starts at a major train station, circles through a residential area, and returns to the same station. Much like a neighborhood shuttle bus, this type of AGT line serves as a vital means of everyday transportation. A prime example is the Yukarigaoka Line in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. This single-track loop stretches 4.1 kilometers in a anti-clockwise direction from Yukarigaoka Station on the Keisei Line and includes six stations in total. Though compact in scale, it supports about 2,000 daily riders. The AGT’s quiet and smooth operation in close proximity to homes has earned it praise as a transport system that adds value to the town. Yukarigaoka Line Another example is Kobe’s Port Liner. It branches off from the main line at Shimin-Hiroba Station and loops around Port Island before returning to Sannomiya Station. The loop includes nine stations and covers 6.4 kilometers, with some sections operating on a single track. In addition to serving the island, it also functions as a direct link to the city center. Port Liner Although loop-style AGT lines are still rare in Japan, they offer highly reliable service unaffected by road congestion or traffic signals. Thanks to these advantages, AGT loop lines have been adopted in Singapore’s high-density residential areas—Bukit Panjang, Sengkang, and Punggol—where they play a key role as efficient and dependable public transit systems that support daily life. Bukit Panjang LRT Sengkang Punggol LRT Stay tuned for the next AGT Blog!

When people think of Automated Guideway Transit (AGT), they often focus on its quiet operation or flexible service. But the layout of AGT routes is also worth noting. One especially important pattern is the “connector line”—AGT routes that link two different conventional railway lines. These lines serve as vital links, filling in the transportation gaps between existing rail networks. A prime example is the Newtram Line  in Osaka. This 7.9-kilometer, 10-station route connects Cosmosquare Station on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line with Suminoekoen Station on the Yotsubashi Line. It runs through the coastal residential and business districts, carrying about 74,000 passengers daily. In the Tokyo–Saitama area, the Seibu Yamaguchi Line (Leo Liner) serves a similar role. Though just 2.8 kilometers llong with three stations, it connects Tamako Station on the Seibu Tamako Line with Seibukyujomae Station on the Sayama Line. It plays a key role in providing access to the Sayama Hills and the Seibu Dome area. The Yokohama Seaside Line  also functions as a connector. Running 10.8 kilometers with 14 stations, it links JR’s Shin-Sugita Station (on the Keihin-Tohoku Line) with Kanazawa- Hakkei Station on the Keikyu Line. This AGT supports daily life and business in the bay area and serves around 52,000 passengers a day. And in Tokyo’s waterfront area, the Yurikamome Line  connects Shimbashi Station with Toyosu Station on the Yurakucho Line. Spanning 14.7 kilometers and 16 stations, this route supports tourism, office commuting, and residential access. It is one of the busiest AGT lines, with over 130,000 daily riders. All of these connector lines share a common role: they link major rail terminals while unlocking the potential of the areas in between. By providing transportation in zones that conventional rail cannot easily cover, AGT systems help elevate the value of entire districts. In this way, AGT serves not just as a mode of transit, but as a quiet powerhouse that connects cities, stations, and communities.

Discover the magic of Automated Guideway Transit (AGT), the future of urban transport. We reveal its secrets, technology, and global impact in simple terms. See how AGT can transform your city. AGT's Attractiveness, How it Works and its Secrets 見出し h1 What is AGT AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) is a medium-volume transportation system that runs on rubber tires, also known as a "Shinkoutsu system". in Japan,10 AGT routes carry more than 500,000 passengers daily. Six of the ten routes are fully automated unmanned and four are manned. rubber tires Fully automated unmanned operation Low noise, Low vibration Minimum turning radius 30m アンカー 1 new blog AGTs Aren’t Just Elevated or Underground — Ground-Level Systems Offer a Smart Alternative Some AGT lines, like Seibu’s Yamaguchi Line in Japan and Paris Orly’s airport link in France, run at ground level. Using elevated/underground tracks only near terminals and ground-level elsewhere can cut costs significantly. Could this be a smart option for regional airport access? Leo Liner Read the full blog New column №02 What Makes AGT Unique Among Exclusive Guideway System 2025/7/28 In our previous column, The Role of AGT in Urban Public Transportation , we explained how exclusive guideway systems—of which AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) is a part—offer significantly higher safety, punctuality, and speed compared to non-exclusive guideway systems such as buses and streetcars. One often-cited feature of AGT within the category of exclusive guideway systems is its ability to handle steep gradients—up to 6%. While this is indeed noteworthy, it's not entirely unique; conventional railways can also manage 6% grades if equipped with sufficiently powerful motors. As long as the cost of such motors is justified by the benefits they bring, that solution can be viable. Read full column Display column article list

Discover the magic of Automated Guideway Transit (AGT), the future of urban transport. We reveal its secrets, technology, and global impact in simple terms. See how AGT can transform your city. AGT column Tell me more about AGT コラム最新記事を表示 Display the latest column articles №01 The Role of AGT in Urban Public Transport №02 What Makes AGT Unique Among Exclusive Guideway Systems

AGT column Tell me more about AGT Display the latest column articles №02 What Makes AGT Unique Among Exclusive Guideway Systems 2025/07/28 In our previous column, The Role of AGT in Urban Public Transportation, we explained how exclusive guideway systems—of which AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) is a part—offer significantly higher safety, punctuality, and speed compared to non-exclusive guideway systems such as buses and streetcars. One often-cited feature of AGT within the category of exclusive guideway systems is its ability to handle steep gradients—up to 6%. While this is indeed noteworthy, it's not entirely unique; conventional railways can also manage 6% grades if equipped with sufficiently powerful motors. As long as the cost of such motors is justified by the benefits they bring, that solution can be viable. However, what truly sets AGT apart—something that cannot be achieved by other systems—is its ability to navigate extremely tight curves, with a minimum turning radius of just 30 meters. For example, there's a stretch between Shimbashi Station and just before Hamamatsucho Station where the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Yurikamome AGT line run side by side. After departing Shimbashi, the Yurikamome executes a 90-degree turn at Shiodome, runs parallel to the Shinkansen, then makes another 90-degree turn toward the bay area, and one more 90-degree turn—forming a crank-like path through the high-rise buildings. Similarly, between Hamamatsucho and Tamachi Stations, the Tokaido Shinkansen runs parallel with the Tokyo Monorail, which also makes a 90-degree turn toward the bay after diverging from the Shinkansen. The Shinkansen, as Japan’s premier intercity rail system, runs as straight as possible. In contrast, urban transit systems like AGT and monorails are capable of making 90-degree turns along existing roadways. Subways, which also serve urban areas, often follow the paths beneath major roads and feature similar 90-degree turns, as can be seen on route maps (though the routes themselves are not visible to the eye). Unlike subways, however, elevated urban transit systems like AGT and monorails must turn 90 degrees at intersections without impacting nearby buildings. To meet this requirement, AGT systems are designed to handle extremely tight curves with a minimum turning radius of just 30 meters. In contrast, monorails have a minimum turning radius of about 50 meters, which makes it difficult for them to turn 90 degrees without encroaching on surrounding structures. This key difference highlights a major advantage of AGT over monorail systems. AGT vehicles are also much shorter than typical railway cars—around 8 meters long compared to roughly 18 meters for conventional trains. This compact length allows AGT vehicles to make tight turns at intersections without requiring the removal of surrounding buildings. If you tried to build an elevated railway above existing roads, changing direction at intersections would likely require the demolition of nearby structures. This makes underground construction a necessity for most new urban rail lines. For lower-capacity corridors, LRT (light rail transit) is sometimes considered as an alternative to subways. However, since LRT shares road space, it reduces available lanes for cars and may negatively affect road traffic. AGT was developed precisely to address this issue. It makes use of the space above existing roads without reducing road capacity, and it can turn at intersections without disrupting surrounding buildings. For reference, Tokyo Metro’s Ginza Line has cars about 16 meters long with a minimum turning radius of 94 meters, while the Marunouchi Line uses 18-meter cars with a minimum radius of 140 meters. In general, small-radius curves in railways produce loud squealing noise, making them undesirable except in subways. For new above-ground rail lines, the minimum turning radius is typically set at 400 meters, with 200 meters accepted only in unavoidable situations. From this, it’s clear just how exceptional AGT’s 30-meter turning radius really is. Notably, you can observe these tight turns on the Port Liner just after departing Sannomiya Station and on the Nippori-Toneri Liner just past Nippori Station—both execute 90-degree turns on elevated tracks over road intersections. Monorails, with vehicle lengths around 15 meters, require a minimum radius of at least 50 meters. This makes 90-degree turns over intersections without impacting adjacent buildings much more difficult. For instance, Tokyo Monorail makes a sharp turn near Minato City Sports Center by Tamachi Station, but the line encroaches on surrounding property to do so. In short, the short vehicle length of AGT is not arbitrary—it is a critical design feature that enables it to make sharp 90-degree turns over intersections without disturbing nearby structures. The 30-meter minimum turning radius is a defining characteristic of AGT—one not found in conventional rail or monorail systems. アンカー 1 Display column article list>