私鉄

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 私鉄, read してつ, means a railway operated by a private company.
• Basic usage: It is used when transferring from another rail service or describing housing along a rail line.
  • 郊外へ行くには地下鉄から私鉄に乗り換える。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Basis of classification compared with 地下鉄
  • 私鉄 focuses on the operator, while 地下鉄 focuses on a railway running primarily underground. A private railway can also run through underground sections.