 One important legacy of the Games was an improved transportation network.In order to improve access to Nagano in advance of the Games, Nagano was linked to the high-speed "shinkansen" train network.The Nagano Shinkansen, now the Hokuriku Shinkansen was inaugurated five months before the start of the Games, and during the Winter Olympics carried 655,000 passengers In addition, both Nagano Station and Shinonoi Station were expanded, and Imai Station in the Kawanakajima area was built to access the Athletes village.