World's busiest railway station 'chaotic' as £340m upgrade leaves areas closed

The world’s busiest railway station has recently been labelled “chaotic” with its £340m (¥72.8bn) upgrade leaving certain areas closed. The station, which holds the Guinness World Record for the highest passenger throughput of any train station worldwide, has been undergoing improvements since summer 2021 to enhance its layout.

Shinjuku Station in Japan sees around 3.5 million people pass through each day. With six separate stations and 53 platforms run by five rail operators, the station is one of the primary gateways to central Tokyo, but is also notoriously complex. But with the ongoing development of new features, such as a footpath allowing travellers to cut through from the east to the west side, the station hopes to offer passengers a more accessible experience soon.

In the meantime, however, the station has reportedly created chaos with several closed-off areas.

One Facebook user wrote: “Hello, we are currently in Tokyo and wanted to let anyone coming soon know that [Shinjuku] station is undergoing a lot of renovations at the moment and is pretty chaotic.”

The user warned about elements like several diversions and temporary boards, and fences. They added that, although there are plenty of signs, navigating the station may still be “a bit confusing” for travellers.

While certain features are set to open in 2035, such as the new east and west exits, the full project will not be complete until 2046.

The project is estimated to cover around 10.1 hectares and will repurpose certain areas of the station, with the west exit plaza transforming from a bus and taxi area into a people-centred space.

According to the station’s website, the most significant change will be the construction of a 260-meter-tall skyscraper on the old site of the Odakyu Department Store. The skyscraper will be 48 floors high and feature five basements, making it soon to be the tallest in Shinjuku.

Other visitors took to Facebook to share their current experiences with the station, with one user writing: “Getting out is my main problem. Can always find my way into one of the west entrances, but never get back to it on my way out.”

Another wrote: “Check Google Maps for line and platform and then follow signs. Super easy!!! It’s been like this for years already!”

The Express has reached out to Shinjuku Station for comment.