KYODO NEWS - Feb 8, 2020 - 15:41 | All, Japan

East Japan Railway Co. is considering opening a new route linking Haneda airport to the Tokyo Disney resorts, sources close to the matter said Saturday.

The new route is part of JR East's plan to establish three lines to and from the airport, mostly using its existing networks in the area. The move also reflects fierce competition among railway operators to capitalize on the growing number of passengers using the world's fifth busiest airport.

The project is expected to be completed in stages from around 2029, the sources said.

Trains on the route linking the airport to Maihama in nearby Chiba Prefecture, the closest station to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, will run on the existing Rinkai and Keiyo lines, which will be connected under the project, said the sources.

JR East has been in talks with the Tokyo metropolitan government, which owns more than 90 percent of the company operating the Rinkai line, the sources said.

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