Since 1964, passengers on Japan's Shinkansen (Bullet) trains have been able to order coffee, ice cream, boxed lunches, and other snacks and treats from uniformed attendants on the trains. These snack cart services between Tokyo and Osaka Shinkansen trains will end on October 31st, with Central Japan Railway citing labor shortages and the trend for people buying food before boarding the train. Passengers in the Green Cars (First Class) will continue to be able to order food and drink items using QR codes beginning November 1st.
While I don't usually buy snacks on the train, it feels a little sad for this service to be ending.
Whenever there is a HUMAN CONTACT activity replaced by QR codes, vending machines, computerised answering machines, security cameras, etc., I feel sad and worried. We need to keep in touch with PEOPLE! It feels nice and secure when these attendants and conductors walk the aisle. Soon there will be no conductors nor any drivers, I fear.
It's a shame that this service is no longer available. I often bought hot coffee and ice cream. The ice cream sold inside the Shinkansen trains is too solid for everyone to eat right away. It's good that it's well chilled, but if you try to force yourself to eat it immediately with the plastic or wooden spoon that comes with it, it may break.So I have to wait a little bit. But there must be many passengers who enjoyed even that. There must be memories of many people.
On any longish journey, say over a couple of hours, it's good to have the snack trolley round. Seems to break the trip up somehow and give you something nice to do.
Whenever there is a HUMAN CONTACT activity replaced by QR codes, vending machines, computerised answering machines, security cameras, etc., I feel sad and worried. We need to keep in touch with PEOPLE! It feels nice and secure when these attendants and conductors walk the aisle. Soon there will be no conductors nor any drivers, I fear.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that this service is no longer available.
ReplyDeleteI often bought hot coffee and ice cream.
The ice cream sold inside the Shinkansen trains is too solid for everyone to eat right away. It's good that it's well chilled, but if you try to force yourself to eat it immediately with the plastic or wooden spoon that comes with it, it may break.So I have to wait a little bit. But there must be many passengers who enjoyed even that.
There must be memories of many people.
On any longish journey, say over a couple of hours, it's good to have the snack trolley round. Seems to break the trip up somehow and give you something nice to do.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've seen this cart when I took the train. On German trains you can buy coffee sometimes, but not much else.
ReplyDelete