Sapporo
Sapporo got Hokkaido's first railway in November 1880, when the Horonai Railway opened from Temiya in Otaru to Sapporo. Today the city's rail system is made up of JR Hokkaido, the city subway, and the streetcar. The Namboku Line opened in December 1971, just before the 1972 Winter Olympics, and all three subway lines run on rubber tires, which makes them unusually quiet. In July 1992 New Chitose Airport Station opened, and the Rapid Airport train began running directly from Sapporo Station to the airport. In December 2015 the streetcar closed the gap between Susukino and Nishi 4 chome to form a loop, while the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension to Sapporo is now expected in the late 2030s.
