Taken along in the luggage?

Snake slows down Japanese high-speed train

In Japan, a snake has slowed down the Shinkansen express train. The railroad company deployed a replacement train after the snake was found.(Bild: AFP)

In Japan, a snake has slowed down the world-famous Shinkansen high-speed train. At first it was unclear whether it was a poisonous snake and how it had got onto the train. It is conceivable that someone took the animal on board without permission.

Passengers are allowed to transport small dogs, cats and other animals such as pigeons on Shinkansen trains. "We have rules that prohibit snakes from being brought onto the Shinkansen. However, we do not check passengers' luggage," said a railroad spokesperson. However, it is "difficult to imagine" that a wild snake crawled onto the train on its own at one of the stations.

We have rules that prohibit snakes from being brought onto the Shinkansen. But we don't check passengers' luggage.

Sprecher der Japanischen Bahn

Substitute train used
A passenger reported to train staff on Tuesday evening that a 40-centimetre-long snake was on a train between Nagoya and Tokyo. It was initially unclear whether it was a poisonous snake. The high-speed train was originally scheduled to continue to Osaka, but the railroad decided to use a replacement train for the journey. This led to a delay of around 17 minutes, which is a long time in Japan.

No passengers were injured in the incident.(Bild: AFP or licensors)

No passengers were injured in the incident and no one is said to have panicked. The Shinkansen trains have been in operation since 1964 and are known worldwide for their punctuality and safety. According to the Japanese railroads, there have never been any accidents in which passengers have died or been injured.