Automated Guideway Transit (AGT)
AGT's Attractiveness,
How it Works
and
its Secrets
What is AGT
AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) is a medium-volume transportation system that runs on rubber tires, also known as a "Shinkoutsu system".
in Japan,10 AGT routes carry more than 500,000 passengers daily.
Six of the ten routes are fully automated unmanned and four are manned.
New column
№02
What Makes AGT Unique Among Exclusive Guideway System
2025/7/28
In our previous column, The Role of AGT in Urban Public Transportation, we explained how exclusive guideway systems—of which AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) is a part—offer significantly higher safety, punctuality, and speed compared to non-exclusive guideway systems such as buses and streetcars.
One often-cited feature of AGT within the category of exclusive guideway systems is its ability to handle steep gradients—up to 6%.
While this is indeed noteworthy, it's not entirely unique; conventional railways can also manage 6% grades if equipped with sufficiently powerful motors.
As long as the cost of such motors is justified by the benefits they bring, that solution can be viable.