Transportation

24 August 2024
Taxi drivers need multiple smartphones to handle the various ride-hailing apps used by commuters. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
New Gwadar International Airport, set to be Pakistan's largest air hub by size, was built with a $246 million grant from China. (Screenshot from New Gwadar International Airport's Facebook page) 
Transportation

Pakistan delays China-funded airport opening over security fears

Critics say $246m 'vanity' project risks turning into a white elephant

23 August 2024
A departure gate at Subang Airport: Some business travelers appear agreeable to paying a premium for the convenience of a departure point closer to central Kuala Lumpur. (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
23 August 2024
Issuance of Suica and Pasmo travel passes will resume in September following a shortage of chips last year. 
Transportation

Japan travel passes available in September after year suspension

Railways stopped selling Suica and Pasmo in 2023 due to chip shortage

23 August 2024
Ticket machines at Ben Thanh Station on Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line No. 1 are waiting to be used. (Photo by Yuji Nitta)
Transportation

Vietnam's first subway mired in more delays amid planned 2024 start

Hitachi files for arbitration over Ho Chi Minh City payments in Japan-led project

22 August 2024
China Railway has introduced a new fare system and premium seats to try and improve profitability. (Photo by Kohei Fujimura)
Transportation

China high-speed rail operator forced to hike fares as debt balloons

Rapid expansion leaves China Railway with $859bn in debt along with unused stations

22 August 2024
A Batik Air Airbus A320 prepares for takeoff from Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport: The Lion Air Group unit is seeking to position its flights from the airfield as a premium service. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
The Big Story

Southeast Asia's old air hubs are revving back to life

Region's airlines seek business travelers willing to pay more for convenience

21 August 2024
Lime operates in 280 cities worldwide, capturing over 9 million new users last year.
Startups

U.S. e-scooter startup Lime brings rental service to Japan

Company's first foray into East Asia will see 2,000 vehicles in Tokyo this year

20 August 2024
In May, China Southern Airlines opened direct flights from Shenzhen to Mexico City, the company’s longest passenger route.
Transportation

China-Mexico flights reopen amid manufacturers' Latin American push

BYD's plans for new plant in the country could further boost air travel demand

20 August 2024
Tokyo Metro's profits jumped in the April-June quarter on increased passenger traffic. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
IPO

Tokyo Metro headed for IPO as soon as October

Tokyo listing could value the subway operator at up to $4.8bn

20 August 2024
Rising fees are providing tailwinds to Orix's aircraft leasing business. 
Finance

Japan's Orix to spend $1bn to buy more than 50 planes for leasing

Higher fees boost business as aircraft production fails to keep up with demand

18 August 2024
Container ships at Qingdao port in China's Shandong province.
Caixin

China shippers face diverging fortunes in global and domestic waters

Ocean freight rates surge with tight capacity, while local market descends into price war

17 August 2024
Services along the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Nagoya have been suspended for all of Aug. 16. (Photo by Masashi Isawa)
Natural disasters

Powerful typhoon moves toward Tokyo, disrupting transit

JR Central suspends bullet train services between the capital and Nagoya

16 August 2024
China Eastern Airlines has opened new routes connecting Shanghai to Vienna and Marseille, France. 
Transportation

Airfares from Asia fall as Chinese carriers ramp up flights

Allowed over Russian airspace, China airlines offer shorter service to Europe

16 August 2024
The new Techo Takhmao International Airport, under construction outside Phnom Penh on March 12. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Transportation

Cambodia resolves Phnom Penh airport tensions with new rights grant

France's Vinci to operate capital's new Chinese-built international gateway

14 August 2024
The Hokuriku Shinkansen extension is now seen costing up to 5.3 trillion yen, more than double the original forecast. (Photo by Yo Inoue)
Transportation

Japan bullet train extension plan under pressure as costs soar

Benefits of project in doubt with price tag seen rising up to $36bn

13 August 2024
An explosion engulfs Taiwanese shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp's cargo ship YM Mobility at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, China, Aug 9, in this still from a social media video. 
Transportation

Powerful explosion sets off fireball on container ship at Chinese port

Container exploded on vessel loaded with hazardous goods at Ningbo-Zhoushan, says CCTV

9 August 2024
A train on the newly opened Hanoi Metro Line 3 sits at Cau Giay Station in the Vietnamese capital. (Photo by Nguyen Van Anh)
Transportation

Vietnam opens 2nd Hanoi metro line after 9-year delay

Elevated portion now in service with work ongoing for underground section

8 August 2024
Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong's flag carrier, continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Transportation

Cathay Pacific logs double-digit revenue growth as costs eat into profit

$12.8bn seven-year investment plan unveiled; chairman 'confident' in city's future

7 August 2024
Hyundai's aerial taxi can fly up to 200 kilometers per hour and carry four people. (Courtesy of the Ibu Kota Nusantara Authority)
Technology

Hyundai tests flying taxi near Indonesia's new capital Nusantara

Craft flies in figure-8 pattern for 10 minutes, aims to be operational in 2030

5 August 2024
In May, Izukyu began operating the Ma Ji Train, decorated inside and out with scenery from Taiwan. (Izukyu)
Travel & Leisure

Japan railway teams with Taipei Metro to bring Asia tourists to Izu

Izukyu uses local olives, Taiwan-style lanterns to expand appeal of resort area

4 August 2024
A Suica contactless transit card is used to pay a train fare at a ticket gate. (East Japan Railway)
Semiconductors

Japan transit card shortage leaves foreign tourists scrambling

Compatible chips still hard to come by despite global supply returning to normal

2 August 2024
Zip Infrastructure's autonomous tramway can be built for about a fifth of the cost of a monorail, according to the startup. (Zip Infrastructure illustration)
Transportation

Philippines resort picked for test of Japanese self-driving sky tram

Zip Infrastructure targets Southeast Asia with cheaper alternative to monorails

2 August 2024
JAL and ANA have seen increased passenger loads -- and have raised some fares -- but the weak yen has offset gains by making fuel and aircraft upkeep more costly. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Transportation

Japan's JAL and ANA see Q1 revenue growth but profits drop

Major airlines hit by rising fuel and maintenance costs due to weak yen

31 July 2024
Self-driving vehicles from WeRide can be seen operating on the streets of Guangzhou. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
Automobiles

Chinese robotaxi operator WeRide files for U.S. IPO

Startup looks to raise up to $500m for expansion efforts

29 July 2024