Snake on a train line: Japan’s busiest bullet train route brought to a halt

The snake that became entangled in overhead wires and caused a short circuit on Japan’s busiest bullet train line. Photograph: JR Central

Japan’s busiest bullet train line was brought to a halt on Wednesday after a metre-long snake wrapped itself around a power line, shorting the electricity supply and stranding hundreds of passengers.

Shinkansen trains running between Tokyo and Osaka were brought to a standstill by the snake, with news reports showing footage of people inside trains waiting for services to resume. Power did not appear to have been cut inside trains, with lights and air conditioning still functioning, according to passengers.