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14 killed, dozens injured in Japan ski tour bus crash

Updated on: January 14, 2016 / 11:07 PM EST / AP

TOKYO -- An overnight tour bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan careened off a mountain road early Friday, killing 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, rammed through a guardrail and slid down the mountainside a short distance before coming to a rest on its side against some trees.

The chartered bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers who were taking turns, when it crashed. The drivers were among the dead. There was no snow or ice on the road surface in the area, about 110 miles northwest of Tokyo.

Those with injuries are being treated at nearby hospitals. Most had injuries to the head, neck and chest, doctors said.

The bus fell about 10 feet down the mountainside and landed on its side, with its front window bashed in, according to Japanese media.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the transport ministry has set up a taskforce and dispatched officials to the crash site for investigation.

"We must thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident so that similar accidents won't be repeated," he said at a regular news conference.

The accident is the latest in a series of highway crashes in Japan involving tour buses that experts attribute to harsh working conditions for long-distance bus drivers. In some cases, drivers had fallen asleep at the wheel.

A fatal highway tour bus crash in 2012 that killed seven people on their way to Tokyo Disneyland prompted some legal steps to improve driving safety, but accidents have continued. There were several last year, including one that involved two deaths and 26 injuries.

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Bus Company Head Found Guilty over 2016 Fatal Bus Crash

16:30 JST, June 8, 2023

Nagano, June 8 (Jiji Press)—Nagano District Court on Thursday sentenced Misaku Takahashi, the 61-year-old president of a Tokyo-based bus company, to three years in prison over the 2016 deadly ski tour bus crash in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan.

Tsuyoshi Arai, 54, a former employee of the bus company, ESP, was given a prison term of four years. Arai was in charge of managing bus services.

The two were found guilty of professional negligence resulting in death and injury. The prosecution had sought five years for each of them.

In the early hours of Jan. 15, 2016, the large tour bus, which was on its way from Tokyo to ski resorts in Nagano, fell down the mountainside on the Usui Bypass of National Route 18. The accident killed 15 people—13 university students and two bus drivers—and injured 26 others.

In January 2021, the Nagano District Public Prosecutors Office indicted Takahashi and Arai. Their trial began in October 2021, and was concluded in December 2022.

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Japan ski tour bus in Nagano crash kills 14, injures 27

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TOKYO (AP) — An overnight bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan careened off a mountain road early Friday, killing 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, rammed through a guardrail and slid down the mountainside a short distance. TV footage showed the bus resting on its side against some trees, bent in the middle.

The chartered bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers and 39 passengers, when it crashed at the Usui mountain pass heading to the popular Kita Shiga ski area. The drivers, who were taking turns, were among the dead.

There was no snow or ice on the road surface in the area, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

Most passengers were ski enthusiasts aged 18 into their early 20s, according to the Tokyo-based ski tour operator Keyth Tour. Packaged ski tours that come with overnight bus rides, lodging and lift tickets for around 12,000 yen ($100) are very popular among college students.

The injured were being treated at nearby hospitals. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 13 of the 27 passengers were seriously injured.

A male survivor, identified only as a college student, told broadcaster NHK that the bus swayed significantly before falling off the road, and he was stuck in a small corner when the bus finally came to a stop.

“I desperately tried to get out and struggled, and the next thing I remember is that I was outside,” he said.

The bus fell about three meters (10 feet) down the mountainside, Japanese media said.

Television footage showed the bus leaning against several trees as police investigators examined the wreckage while dozens of Japanese reporters and camera crew looked on from a distance. Police were to lift the bus and take it to the police station for further investigation, and Tokyo police are probing the bus operator.

The accident is the latest in a series of highway crashes in Japan involving tour buses that experts attribute to harsh working conditions for long-distance bus drivers. In some cases, drivers had fallen asleep at the wheel.

A fatal highway tour bus crash in 2012 that killed seven on their way to Tokyo Disneyland prompted some legal steps to improve driving safety, but accidents have continued. There were several last year, including one that involved two deaths and 26 injuries.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the transport ministry has set up a taskforce and dispatched officials to the crash site for investigation.

Follow Mari Yamaguchi at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi/

Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mari-yamaguchi

Japanese tour bus crash leaves 14 dead, 27 injured

Officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, rammed through a guardrail and slid partly down the mountainside

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TOKYO — An overnight tour bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan careened off a mountain road early Friday, killing 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, rammed through a guardrail and slid down the mountainside a short distance before coming to a rest on its side against some trees.

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The chartered bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers who were taking turns, when it crashed. The drivers were among the dead. There was no snow or ice on the road surface in the area, about 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

Those with injuries are being treated at nearby hospitals. Most had injuries to the head, neck and chest, doctors said.

The bus fell about three meters (10 feet) down the mountainside and landed on its side, with its front window bashed in, according to Japanese media.

Television footage showed the bus bent in the middle and on its side, leaning against several trees as police investigators examined the wreckage while dozens of Japanese reporters and camera crew looked on from a distance.

The accident is the latest in a series of highway crashes in Japan involving tour buses that experts attribute to harsh working conditions for long-distance bus drivers. In some cases, drivers had fallen asleep at the wheel.

A fatal highway tour bus crash in 2012 that killed seven on their way to Disneyland prompted some legal steps to improve driving safety, but accidents have continued. There were several last year, including one that involved two deaths and 26 injuries.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the transport ministry has set up a taskforce and dispatched officials to the crash site for investigation.

“We must thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident so that similar accidents won’t be repeated,” he said at a regular news conference.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .

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Japan ski tour bus in Nagano crash kills 14, injures 27

TOKYO – An overnight tour bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan careened off a mountain road early Friday, killing 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, rammed through a guardrail and slid down the mountainside a short distance before coming to a rest on its side against some trees.

The chartered bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers who were taking turns, when it crashed. The drivers were among the dead. There was no snow or ice on the road surface in the area, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

Those with injuries are being treated at nearby hospitals. Most had injuries to the head, neck and chest, doctors said.

The bus fell about three meters (10 feet) down the mountainside and landed on its side, with its front window bashed in, according to Japanese media.

Television footage showed the bus bent in the middle and on its side, leaning against several trees as police investigators examined the wreckage while dozens of Japanese reporters and camera crew looked on from a distance.

The accident is the latest in a series of highway crashes in Japan involving tour buses that experts attribute to harsh working conditions for long-distance bus drivers. In some cases, drivers had fallen asleep at the wheel.

A fatal highway tour bus crash in 2012 that killed seven on their way to Disneyland prompted some legal steps to improve driving safety, but accidents have continued. There were several last year, including one that involved two deaths and 26 injuries.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the transport ministry has set up a taskforce and dispatched officials to the crash site for investigation.

"We must thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident so that similar accidents won't be repeated," he said at a regular news conference.

Follow Mari Yamaguchi at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi/

Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mari-yamaguchi

Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.

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Fiery bus crash on Japanese highway leaves 2 dead, 7 injured

A bus has crashed into a dividing strip, overturned and caught fire on an expressway in central japan, killing two people and injuring seven others, article bookmarked.

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A bus crashed into a dividing strip, overturned and caught fire on an expressway in central Japan on Monday, killing two people and injuring seven others, police said.

The bus, traveling between downtown Nagoya and a nearby prefectural airport, apparently hit the divider just before leaving the expressway, according to Aichi police. They said the cause of the crash is under investigation.

Public broadcaster NHK television showed the mangled bus on its side and engulfed in flames and black smoke.

Firefighters and police found two charred bodies, believed to belong to the driver and a passenger, inside the bus. The bodies were badly burned and their identities couldn't immediately be confirmed.

Six other passengers were rescued with slight injuries. The driver of another vehicle that collided with the crashed bus was also slightly injured, police said.

The Transport Ministry said it has launched a separate investigation into the operator of the bus, Aoi Traffic Corp., including the health and working conditions of its employees.

In 2016, a ski tour bus fell from a mountainous road in Nagano prefecture, killing 15 people and injuring 26 others. In 2012, a long-distance bus crashed into a wall while traveling on an expressway, killing seven and injuring 38 others.

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Bus Crash in Japan Kills at Least 14

By The Associated Press

• Jan. 14, 2016

TOKYO — An overnight tour bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan slid down a mountainside on Friday, killing at least 14 passengers and injuring 27 others, rescue officials said.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus had veered into the wrong lane on a mountain road near the resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, driving through a guardrail and sliding down the mountainside.

The bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers who were taking turns at the wheel, when it crashed early on Friday morning.

The Japanese news media reported that the bus fell 12 feet down the mountainside and landed on its side, with its front window smashed in.

There was no snow or ice on the road.

The accident is the latest in a series of highway crashes involving tour buses, which experts attribute to harsh working conditions for long-distance bus drivers.

A tour bus crash in 2012 that killed seven on their way to Tokyo Disneyland prompted some legal steps to improve driving safety, but accidents have continued. There were several last year, including one that resulted in two deaths and 26 injuries.

14 Young Skiers Killed as Bus Crashes, Plunges in Japan

TOKYO — A bus carrying young skiers to a popular resort slid off a mountain road in Japan on Friday, killing 14 and injuring 27.

The vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic, went through a guardrail and crashed down the mountainside near Karuizawa in Nagano prefecture, emergency responders told The Associated Press.

“The bus was shaking sideways with incredible speed," an unidentified 19-year-old passenger told Nippon TV News. "I was still half-asleep but I realized something was wrong. It was then that I hit my head and lost consciousness. When I came to, the bus was already on its side.”

The local police in Karuizaiwa, which is 110 miles northwest of Tokyo, told NBC News that there was no rain, snow or ice on the road at the time of the accident. Two drivers were among the dead, authorities said.

Most of the passengers were aged their teens or in their early 20s, according to Mankichi Fukuda, the president of ski tour operator Keyth Tour.

While apologizing for the accident, Fukuda told reporters gathered outside the company’s offices that "of course we did not violate any regulations.”

Arata Yamamoto has been a NBC News producer in Tokyo since 1993.

At least 14 dead in ski tour bus accident in Japan

At least 14 people died early Friday in a crash being called Japan's worst bus accident since at least 2012, according to various reports.

Along with the 14 who died, 27 were hurt, chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference, the Guardian reported.

The crash took place in the town of Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture, the Guardian reported. About 41 people were on board, including two drivers, according to reports.

The bus veered to the wrong side of the road and flipped over a guard rail, Japan Today reported. Many passengers wound up trapped underneath, according to the news organization.

The group was en route from Shinjuku in Tokyo to a ski resort in Nagano prefecture.

Japan mountain bus crash kills 14 and injures 27

• Published 15 January 2016

The bus strayed onto the wrong side of the road and smashed through a guardrail

A bus taking passengers to a ski resort in central Japan has veered off a mountain road, killing 14 people and injuring 27.

The bus, with 41 people on board, was travelling overnight from Tokyo to a resort in Nagano prefecture.

The accident happened near the town of Karuizawa early on Friday.

It is not immediately clear what caused the crash as there was no snow or ice on the road. Japan's transport ministry has launched an investigation.

Investigators are at the scene to determine the cause of the crash

Twenty-seven people were injured when the bus strayed onto the wrong side of the road and smashed through a guardrail, sliding several metres down the mountainside.

There were two bus drivers on board, taking turns to drive, according to AP news agency.

Skiing and other winter sports are popular in Japan, which has extensive mountain ranges accessible from many of the country's biggest cities. Many people heading to the mountains use a bus for at least part of their journey.

More on this story

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A SKI tour bus has veered off a road and fallen down a mountainside in central Japan, killing at least 14 passengers and injuring dozens of others.

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AN overnight tour bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan has slid down a mountainside, killing at least 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

FIRE and disaster management officials say the bus veered off to the opposite lane on a mountain road near the resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, ramming through a guard rail and sliding down the mountainside.

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14 dead, dozens injured in Japan ski bus accident

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

TOKYO, Japan (UPDATED) – Fourteen people were killed and dozens injured when their bus plunged off a mountain road in Japan on its way to a ski resort, in the country’s worst such accident for 25 years.

Young skiers – many in their teens or early 20s – were asleep on the bus when it careened off the road before dawn in the resort town of Karuizawa.

“I heard people screaming ‘Oh no, oh no’ and then it hit the guard rail,” a 22-year-old college student told broadcaster NHK. “Injured people were everywhere. I had to cover my eyes at the scene.”

A 19-year-old survivor who was knocked unconscious in the crash told the broadcaster: “The bus was swaying right and left at massive speed. It was turning in an abnormal manner.”

He said the next thing he had been aware of was the carnage after the smash.

“Someone woke me up and I saw a number of people being carried on stretchers. I feel very sad and I still can’t imagine it was real.”

Television footage showed the wrecked vehicle on its side in woodland, several metres (yards) from the crash barrier through which it had smashed as it drove off the highway.

There was no snow or ice on the roads when the accident happened and attention was focused on the driver of the overnight bus, which was travelling from Tokyo to the ski fields of central Japan.

The country has suffered a series of high-profile bus accidents caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

Young passengers

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference in Tokyo that as well as the 14 people who died, 27 others were hurt. He said no other vehicles were involved.

Police told AFP that the dead included both the 65-year-old driver and the alternate driver aged 57.

The mass-selling Yomiuri Shimbun said the older man was at the wheel at the time of the accident.

The accident drew banner newspaper headlines and dominated television news bulletins throughout the day in a country where road safety standards are high.

The Yomiuri said it was the first bus accident since 1990 in which more than 10 people were killed.

Media said the passengers ranged in age from 18 to 32, and most were university students.

The travel agency that arranged the tour said that the bus was not on its originally scheduled route.

Government spokesman Suga said the transport ministry had launched an investigation into the accident, sending inspectors to the site, while police separately plan to raid the bus operator and the Tokyo travel agency that organized the package tour.

Rules governing the working conditions for late- and long-distance highway bus drivers were tightened after an April 2012 accident that left seven people dead.

That bus hit a highway wall after its driver dozed off at the wheel. Many of its passengers were on their way to visit the Tokyo Disney Resort.

Japan has an extensive and well-maintained network of highways throughout its mountainous terrain. – Rappler.com

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Three wounded in apparent knife attack on Japanese school bus in China

A man attacked a bus used by a Japanese school in Suzhou, China, on Monday with what appeared to be a knife, seriously wounding a Chinese woman and injuring a Japanese woman and her child, according to an official at the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai.

Asked whether strained ties between Japan and China could have been behind the attack, the official declined to comment, saying local authorities have already taken the man into custody and are investigating the matter.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Tuesday described the attack as an isolated incident and that it could have happened in any country in the world.

In Tokyo on Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said it is regrettable that such an incident had occurred. "We've asked local authorities to take measures to prevent a recurrence and share detailed information."

The incident took place in a district that is home to many foreign nationals, including Japanese.

The school was closed Tuesday, while other Japanese schools in the country strengthened security measures.

While the motive for the attack remains unclear, the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai has dispatched staff to the site for investigation. Japan's Embassy in Beijing, meanwhile, has also warned Japanese nationals to be on alert following the attack.

In a message issued late Monday, the embassy called for "careful attention to the surrounding situation," noting that stabbing incidents have recently occurred around the country in parks, schools, subways and other places where people gather.

A Japanese expatriate living in an apartment near the site of the incident expressed concern, saying, "I had thought that the area, where many Japanese people live, was relatively safe."

"As someone with a child, I am worried," the expat, who took a day off work, said. "I was told by my company to secure my safety."

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

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Post Malone announces Northeast Ohio tour date

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Post Malone announced he will be stopping in Northeast Ohio in the fall.

The 9-time GRAMMY nominee will be performing at Blossom Music Center Oct. 1 as a part of his F-1 Trillion Tour , according to a joint press reelase.

Malone’s stop in Cuyahoga Falls is one of the 21 stops he will be making along his tour.

Tickets go on pre-sale June 26 at 10 a.m.

Tickets go on general sale July 1 at 10 a.m.

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.

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Japan bus crash kills at least 14, injures 27

Bus veered off to the opposite lane on a mountain road near resort town of karuizawa.

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An overnight bus on its way to a ski resort in central Japan careened off a mountain road early Friday, killing 14 passengers and injuring 27 others.

Fire and disaster management officials said the bus veered into the opposite lane near the famous resort town of Karuizawa, in Nagano prefecture, rammed through a guardrail and slid down the mountainside a short distance. TV footage showed the bus resting on its side against some trees, bent in the middle.

The chartered bus was carrying 41 people, including two drivers and 39 passengers, when it crashed at the Usui mountain pass heading to the popular Kita Shiga ski area. The drivers, who were taking turns, were among the dead.

There was no snow or ice on the road surface in the area, about 180 kilometres northwest of Tokyo.

Most passengers were ski enthusiasts aged 18 into their early 20s, according to the Tokyo-based ski tour operator Keyth Tour. Packaged ski tours that come with overnight bus rides, lodging and lift tickets for around 12,000 yen ($100 US) are very popular among college students.

The injured were being treated at nearby hospitals. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 13 of the 27 passengers were seriously injured.

Frightening moments for survivor

A male survivor, identified only as a college student, told broadcaster NHK that the bus swayed significantly before falling off the road, and he was stuck in a small corner when the bus finally came to a stop.

"I desperately tried to get out and struggled, and the next thing I remember is that I was outside," he said.

The bus fell about three metres down the mountainside, Japanese media said.

Television footage showed the bus leaning against several trees as police investigators examined the wreckage while dozens of Japanese reporters and camera crew looked on from a distance. Police were to lift the bus and take it to the police station for further investigation, and Tokyo police are probing the bus operator.

The accident is the latest in a series of highway crashes in Japan involving tour buses that experts attribute to harsh working conditions for long-distance bus drivers. In some cases, drivers had fallen asleep at the wheel.

A fatal highway tour bus crash in 2012 that killed seven on their way to Tokyo Disneyland prompted some legal steps to improve driving safety, but accidents have continued. There were several last year, including one that involved two deaths and 26 injuries.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the transport ministry has set up a taskforce and dispatched officials to the crash site for investigation.

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No Cancellation Charges  up to 24 hours before the chosen travel date. 100% cancellation fee applied within 24 hours of travel date.

For groups of 12 or more, you may send us an inquiry at [email protected]. Although we do not guarantee bulk deals for all our tours, there are some tours for which we can offer discounted pricing. Ordinary hop-on-hop-off bus tickets are entitled to group savings. Attractions, pass items and combo tickets aren't.

Due the nature of this type of tour and varying demand, group travellers should be aware that there is no guarantee that the group will be able to travel altogether as the available seats vary from stop to stop and depends on demand each day. The group may need to split up and/or wait for the next bus(s).

As, we cannot guarantee that the group shall be able to travel together as one group, therefore we will reduce the group size down to 4-5 smaller groups per ticket (depending upon group size).

City Sightseeing: Moscow Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour

This Tour Is Not Available Right Now

Click here to explore more activities in moscow.

Lowest Price Guarantee *

Select Date, Travellers and Ticket

• The Bus Tour offers unlimited 360° panoramic views of main sights of Moscow.
• Access to audio-guide in 10 different languages which enables to know about Moscow’s history and traditions.
• The three-bus tour routes and 40+ stops around Moscow completes the trip. Draw an itinerary to explore the city on your own.
• There can be a boat tour and bus tour to enjoy panoramic views of Moskva River.
• Smartphone Voucher Accepted. (No need to print)

The City Sightseeing at Moscow begins at Bolotnaya Square with Hop-on-Hop-off bus service. The bus operates on the Red, Green and Orange lines. If you have limited time in Moscow, start your trip on the Redline and get yourself acquainted with the city’s 16 best attractions. The green line, however, covers 26 amazing spots so if you are staying for an extended period catch the green line.

• Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
• Alexander Garden
• GUM State Department Store
• Sofiyskaya Embankment
• Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
• University Square, Vorobyovy Gory Observation Deck
• Hotel Ukraina Pier
• Zaryadye Park
• Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
• VDNKh Metro Station
• Cosmonauts Alley
• Ostankino Television Tower
• Red Route: Schedule: 10:00 - 18:00 , Loop: 60 Minutes , Frequency: 15 Minutes
• Green Route : Schedule: 10:00 - 18:00 , Loop: 120 Minutes , Frequency: 30 Minutes
• Orange Route : Schedule: 10:00 - 18:30 , Loop: 140 Minutes , Frequency: 30 Minutes
• 24 / 48-Hours Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket
• Red Line Audio Guide: Russian, English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Farsi
• Green Line Audio Guide: Russian, English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese, Arabic
• Orange Line Audio Guide : Russian English, German, Spanish, Italian, French
• Guided walking tour
• Boat Tour (If option selected)
• Hotel Transfers
• Entrance Fees (Unless Specified)

Redemption Info

You can board the bus at any stop and voucher can be exchanged directly with the driver. Printed vouchers required for this tour and are accepted at all stops. You will receive a ticket in exchange for your voucher, which you must keep until the expiry date/ tour. Please check your ticket to know when it expires. After exchanging your voucher for a ticket, your voucher will no longer be valid. In loss of voucher/ticket, company is not liable for any refund. Book Now! You can use your ticket any day within 12 months.

Know Before You Go

Wheelchair Access, Heating Please note that face masks must be worn on board the bus. Orange Route is temporarily suspended   

Operational Details: Walking Tour

• Daily at 10:45 a.m.
• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Meeting point: next to the monument to Saints Cyril and Methodius (Kitay-Gorod metro station)

Capital River Boat Tour

• May - October: from 11:30am to 6:30pm (Subject to change)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Departure Point: Zaryadye Park Pier

Useful Downloads

Cancellation policy, other cities in russia.

Japanese government panel proposes air traffic control measures to boost safety after Haneda crash

T OKYO (AP) — A Japanese transport ministry panel on Monday proposed a number of air traffic control measures to boost safety, more than six months after a fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jetliner and a coast guard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The panel recommended hiring more air traffic control staff at the country’s major airports, and introducing supplementary alert systems on the runway and in the traffic control room.

The proposal was released in an interim report compiled by a panel of experts commissioned by the ministry, which said that additional staff would reduce air traffic controllers' heavy workloads. Their responsibilities include monitoring runways, communicating with pilots and coordinating with other air control staff.

The recommendations includes hiring more air traffic control staff at Haneda, one of the world's busiest airports, and seven other airports, including New Chitose, Narita, Kansai and Naha.

The Jan. 2 collision occurred when Japan Airlines Flight 516, carrying 379 passengers and crew, landed right behind the coast guard aircraft preparing to take off on the same seaside runway, engulfing both aircraft in flames .

All occupants of the JAL’s Airbus A350-900 airliner safely evacuated in 18 minutes. The captain of the coast guard’s much smaller Bombardier Dash-8 escaped with burns but five crew members died.

The investigation into the collision has focused on what caused the coast guard flight crew to believe they had a go-ahead for takeoff. A partial release of the air traffic control transcript has shown no clear takeoff approval was given to the coast guard plane.

Investigation of the collision by the Japan Transport Safety Board is still pending.

On Monday, the report also called for introducing an alert system called Runway Status Lights, or RWSL, with lights embedded in the pavement of runways and taxiways. They are designed to automatically alert pilots and vehicle operators when it's unsafe to enter, without having input from controllers. The system is already used widely in the United States and at a few airports in Japan, but not Haneda.

The panel also proposed adding an alert sound to the monitoring system for aircraft positions as a backup in case a warning display is overlooked.

Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito submitted the report to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and pledged to firmly take measures proposed in the report, prioritizing a staffing increase before the summer travel season hits full swing.

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