Editing 1998 Winter Olympics (section)

===Transportation===
[[File:E2 J6 Asama Karuizawa 19980218.jpg|thumb|A [[Nagano Shinkansen]] [[E2 Series Shinkansen|E2 Series]] "J" set in February 1998]]
[[File:Ueda-Roman Bridge 1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Jōshin-etsu Expressway]] in [[Ueda, Nagano]].]]
[[File:浅川ループライン.JPG|thumb|Asagawa Loop Line to [[Iizuna Kogen Ski Area]] built in preparations for the Games]]
[[Nagano (city)|Nagano]] is situated at the [[Japanese Alps]] area and receives large snowfalls every year. These combined to make transportation an important challenge for the organizing committee. In addition, the Olympic Village was a distance of 7 kilometers from the center of the city, and sporting events were spread over five surrounding cities. The complicating matters were that many of the venues had one single road in-out, which limited possibilities and led to traffic jams.<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=234}}</ref>

To improve access to Nagano, the government decided to link the prefecture with the high-speed ''[[shinkansen]]'' train network. Called Nagano Shinkansen (now the [[Hokuriku Shinkansen]]), it was inaugurated five months before the start of the Games. This reduced by half the travel time between [[Tokyo]] and Nagano, to 79 minutes for 221 kilometers.<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=240}}</ref> The length of the track between [[Takasaki Station]] and [[Nagano Station]] is 125.7&nbsp;km, which includes 63.4&nbsp;km of tunnels. The high speed train network carried 655,000 passengers during the Games.<ref group="b">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999b|p=309}}</ref>

Two highways, the [[Nagano Expressway]] and the [[Jōshin-etsu Expressway]], were also built in the Nagano region.<ref group="b">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999b|p=301}}</ref> In May 1993, the 75.8-kilometer section of the Nagano Expressway was completed, and in October 1997, the 111.4 kilometer section of the Jōshin-etsu Expressway was completed.<ref group="b">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999b|p=309}}</ref> In addition, another 114.9 kilometers of roads within [[Nagano Prefecture]] were improved.<ref name=transportation/>

Transportation systems for the Games ran for 33 days, from the opening of the Athletes Village until 3 days after the Paralympics closing ceremony, when the Village was  decommissioned from its functions. Approximately 64% of the athletes arrived between 1 and 6 February, and 74% left Nagano between 22 and 25 February.<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=237}}</ref> Logistical operations were directed from the operational centre situated at the Organizing Committee headquarters. Two regional logistical minor hubs were created in [[Hakuba]] and [[Yamanouchi, Nagano|Yamanouchi]], as well as a traffic center for buses and cars in [[Karuizawa]].<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=235}}</ref> Originally it was expected that both athletes and media delegations would arrive entirely via [[Narita International Airport]], which did not happen given the high demand for plane tickets. So some delegations had to arrive via [[Kansai International Airport]] and [[Chubu Centrair International Airport]] in [[Nagoya]]<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=238}}</ref> The members of the IOC and the delegations who arrived in Narita traveled to Nagano via [[Shinkansen]].<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=236}}</ref>
To improve transportation for spectators, the number and hours of local trains were extended.<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=236}}</ref> During the heaviest traffic days, more cars and buses were put in service and up to 68 parking areas, for 8,000 vehicles were at available for various Olympic delegations, and another 17 parking areas for 23,000 cars for spectators. Approximately 1,200 vehicles had navigation systems which transmitted their locations in a GPS system.<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=248}}</ref>

As one of the principal aims of the Games was to respect nature, many vehicles were considered ecological or semi-ecological. In addition, there were more than 100 electric vehicles, hybrid mini-buses and other environmentally-friendly vehicles.<ref group="a">{{harvsp|Hanazawa|1999a|p=247}}</ref>