JAL and JR East, a railway company covering the eastern Japan area, signed a new partnership agreement to create new-typed wide area travels, to support travelers with connected minds with local areas and to explore new markets, going beyond the conventional transportation frameworks.

Proposing ‘going by Shinkansen and returning by plane’

For creation of new-typed wide area travels, they will propose new travel itineraries combined railways with flights, against the conventional travel style using the same transportation both for going and returning. They will work with local stakeholders to improve wide-area tourist routes and increase educational trips and inbound tourism to local areas.

They will also explore new business collaborations including seamless booking and payment on smartphone, optimization of transfer information, code-sharing, integration of railway and flight tickets and upgrading of ‘Welcome Suica Mobile’ for international travelers. 

Reducing costs on transportation for dual residence

For supports of travelers with connected minds with local areas, they try to reduce costs on transportation to push dual residence forward, discussing new support programs with local governments. In 2026, they will begin a new initiative to reduce costs on transportations using both railways and flights. 

In addition, they will begin considering a support program with discount benefits in a local area in accordance with expansion of local collaboration IC card functions, which is  scheduled to begin in fiscal 2027.

Expanding hand-free travel

For exploration of new markets, they will enhance collaborations in luggage and cargo transport and also extend hand-free travel networks between airports and stations and between tourist destinations to enable travelers to stay in a destination more comfortably.