JR East to slash holiday fares

East Japan Railway Co. will offer discounts of up to 49 percent for New Year's travelers to compete with the 1,000-yen flat-rate expressway tolls.

The offer will be the first sweeping discount by JR East for a busy season such as the New Year or Bon holidays.

Discounted round-trip tickets will be valid for seven days between Dec. 26 and Jan. 8. They will be on sale between Nov. 26 and Dec. 20.

Adult tickets from Tokyo, excluding express and other special fares, will be 46 percent cheaper for a round-trip to Aomori, 27 percent cheaper to Sendai and 25 percent cheaper to Niigata.

A round-trip between Tokyo and Aomori would cost 10,000 yen instead of the usual 18,340 yen.(IHT/Asahi: November 6,2009)