The line between rapid transit and commuter rail
Rapid transit and commuter rail are incoherently-used terms. In Japan, there is no clear cut between the two. It is reasonable to subsume subways, monorails, and specific metropolitan railway lines under (mass) rapid transit, and all other commuter-frequented passenger railways inside metropolitan areas, except for trams, as commuter rails.Many urban railways have underground sections, yet, the major subway operators are only ten; the two largest by operating length are Tokyo Metro and Osaka Metro. Both are exceptional as they are incorporated stock companies whose shares are owned by local and national governments. The others, in contrast, are subordinate to the respective municipal administration.
