Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau

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Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau is the public transport authority for Kagoshima City, Japan. It runs tram (streetcar) services and city buses. Since 2005, it has used the RapiCa smart-card system for fares, shared with nearby operators. The bureau was founded in 1928 and took over the Kagoshima Electric Tramway, helping to shape public transport in the city.

Trams (Kagoshima City Tram)
- Kagoshima City Tram is a modern and heritage tram system with more than 10 million users each year.
- There are four main lines on the network, plus a few routes that run together with other lines. Trams run roughly every five minutes, busier sections can see services every minute.
- The fleet includes the Little Dancer family (types A3, A5, and X) and other models such as the 600, 9700, and 2100 series. Some trams are historic or tourist-focused, including the Kagoden retro tram (used for heritage-style service) and the Kagoshima City View tram/bus routes for sightseeing.
- The system also features heritage and tourist trams designed to celebrate Kagoshima’s tram history. In recent years, some services like the retro Kagoden have been scaled back or repurposed due to changing passenger demand.
- Official routes include four main lines and two standard routes. Fares for a typical trip are around 170 yen.

Buses (Kagoshima City Bus)
- The bus network covers many parts of Kagoshima City, connecting key areas such as City Hall, Kagoshima Chuo Station, Tenmonkan, Ishiki, Kamoike, and Sakurajima, among others.
- In 2020–2021, some municipal bus routes were transferred to private operators as part of a privatization effort, marking a gradual shift away from full public ownership of all routes.
- The bus fleet has included a mix of standard and hybrid buses to support daily operations and decarbonization efforts.

History and milestones
- 1928: Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau is established to manage public transport in the city.
- 1929: The bureau takes control of the Kagoshima Electric Tramway, moving toward public ownership.
- World War II: Air raids in 1945 left only a fraction of trains and buses in operation.
- Postwar developments: One-man bus operation began in 1960; Love priority seating for accessibility began in 1970; tourist buses started in 1994; several hybrid buses were added from 2006 to support decarbonization.
- 2005–2007: Introduction of ultra-low-floor trams (U-Tram) and later Utram II; 2017 saw the start of Utram III.
- 2020–2021: Privatization of some municipal bus routes, transferring several lines to private operators while continuing to run many city buses under the bureau.
- The bureau continues to maintain both modern and heritage elements of Kagoshima’s transport scene, including sightseeing options and connections to local attractions like Sakurajima.

Overall, Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau provides the city with a mixed network of modern trams, heritage offerings, and a broad bus system. It has evolved through wartime disruption, modernization of vehicles, accessibility improvements, and selective privatization, while continuing to serve residents and visitors with reliable urban mobility.