A traffic network which is at the center of Hiroshima tourism
There is hardly any waiting time for the trolleys which leave one after the other from the stop in front of JR Hiroshima Station, and in a day, an average of over 150,000 riders travel on Japan’s largest trolley network. Naturally along with travel within the city of Hiroshima, the network also connects with Miyajima-guchi which is the gateway to Miyajima and Hiroshima Port which is the starting point for cruises around the Seto Inland Sea so that the Hiroshima Electric Railway is an important transportation facility when it comes to Hiroshima tourism. In addition with a trolley free pass which will allow you to travel for 1 day as much as you want, it’s also handy to use the Omotenashi (Hospitality) Pass sold at some hotels which offers discounts at tourist facilities and restaurants.
Vehicles with plenty of variety
The trolleys of Hiroshima have so much variety that they have been dubbed “moving museums”. There are 25 types of trolley ranging from prewar models to the latest low-floor types. The Type 650, which had been damaged in the atomic bombing only to return to service 3 days later, is still a mainstay even now. The next generation of trolley known as LRTs (light rail transit) consists of cars which have ultra-low floors. There are many advantages in their use such as energy-efficiency, easing of traffic congestion and barrier-free features along with continuing improvements of the trolley stops. You will want to take advantage of the trolleys when it comes to sightseeing in Hiroshima.
The Trolley Festival, popular with railway fans
Next to the headquarters of the Hiroshima Electric Railway in the city of Hiroshima, the Trolley Festival is held every June. In the garage opened to the public, trains ranging from those which had been damaged in the atomic bombing to the latest models are on display. You can board the motorman’s cab and even touch the equipment. There are also popular events such as trying on staff uniforms for that commemorative photo, sales of old and used parts, and sales of collaborative goods in tandem with the local baseball team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, which are popular with both children and railway fans.