The Nishi-Nippon Railroad Company, Ltd. (西日本鉄道株式会社), also called Nishitetsu (西鉄) or NNR, tyo: 9031 is one of Japan's "Big 16" private railroad companies. With headquarters in Fukuoka, it operates local and highway buses, supermarkets, real estate and travel agencies, as well as railways in Fukuoka Prefecture. It also owns the Chikuhō Electric Railroad.
In addition, in 1943 the company owned the Nishitetsu Baseball Club, a team in the Japanese Baseball League. From 1950 to 1972, the company owned the Lions (in 1950, known as the Clippers), a Pacific League baseball team.
The company introduced nimoca, a smart card ticketing system, in May 2008.
Routes
Nishi-Nippon Railroad operates four railway lines:
(standard-gauge)
- Tenjin Ōmuta Line - linking Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka and Ōmuta Station in Ōmuta (74.8 km)