East Japan Railway said it will gradually phase out magnetic tickets for short-distance train rides starting in the spring of 2027 and replace them with QR code tickets.

Company officials said the new tickets will be nearly three times larger than the current magnetic tickets, making it easier to scan the two-dimensional code at the ticket gate.

Disposing of the roughly 160 tons of magnetic tickets generated each year requires chemical processing.

But QR code tickets use ordinary paper, so their disposal will be less costly and more environmentally friendly.

As the use of IC cards for riding the train has become widespread, the officials said the usage rate of magnetic tickets has dropped to about 2.5 percent.

Along with the transition to QR code tickets, JR East intends to further promote ticketless travel.