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While the main structure is ready, some features like ticket machines and IC card readers are still being installed. The brand-new station is set to open for public use in July.
Though fully automated since 2018, the station still serves around 530 passengers every day. (Photo: Engoo)
Japan has built the world’s first 3D-printed railway station in just under six hours.
The brand-new Hatsushima Station, located in Arida City, replaces a wooden structure that had stood since 1948.
This modern upgrade was made possible by West Japan Railway Company in partnership with Serendix, a construction company that specialises in 3D-printed buildings.
Printed in a Week, Built in a Night
The station’s parts were 3D-printed and reinforced with concrete over a period of seven days in a factory located in Kumamoto Prefecture, about 800 km from Arida. These prefabricated parts were then transported by road and arrived late on 24 March.
Since construction work near live train tracks can only happen at night, everything had to move quickly. After the final train of the day left the station at 11:57 pm, a team used cranes to fit all the pre-made pieces together. By 5:45 am, just before the first train of the day, the new station building was fully standing.
“Normally, construction takes several months and can only happen late at night when trains are not running,” said Kunihiro Handa, co-founder of Serendix, as per Hindustan Times.
What’s Next?
The station has been fully automated since 2018, serving about 530 passengers a day. Though the main structure is complete, some finishing touches—like ticket machines and smart card readers—are still being added. The station is expected to officially open to the public in July.
The 3D-printing method made the process much faster and caused minimal disruption to train services.
