Chiba Urban Monorail

Chiba Urban Monorail
千葉都市モノレール
Info
Locale 　Chiba, Chiba Prefecture
Transit type Monorail (suspended)
Number of lines 2
Number of stations 18
Daily ridership 45,430 daily boardings (2008)
Chief executive Kazuaki Okada
Headquarters 199-1 Hagidai-chō, Inage-ku, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture
Operation
Began operation 1988
Operator(s) Chiba Urban Monorail Co., Ltd.
Number of vehicles 1000 series
Technical
Minimum radius of curvature 0 feet 0 inches (0 mm)
Electrification 1500V DC
Average speed 0 mph (0 km/h)
Top speed 0 mph (0 km/h)
Chiba Monorail Map
Legend
 Line 1 Chiba-Minato
Line 1 Shiyakusho-Mae
Highway 357
Highway 14
Line 1&2 transfer Chiba Station
Line 1 Sakaecho
Highway 14
Line 1 Yoshikawa-koen
Line 1 Kencho-mae
Line 2 Chiba-Koen
Line 2 Sakusabe
Line 2 Tendai
Line 2 Anagawa
Highway 16
Line 2 Sports Center
Line 2 Zoo
Line 2 Mitsuwadai
Highway 64
Line 2 Tsuga
Highway 51
Line 2 Sakuragi
Line 2 Oguraidai
Line 2 North Chishirodai
Line 2 Chishirodai

The Chiba Urban Monorail (千葉都市モノレール Chiba Toshi Monorēru?) is a two-line suspended monorail system located in Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is owned and operated by Chiba Urban Monorail Co., Ltd (千葉都市モノレール株式会社 Chiba toshi monorēru kabushikigaisha?), a so-called "third-sector" company established on March 20, 1979. Investors include Chiba Prefecture and the city of Chiba.

The first segment (Line 2 from Sports Center Station to Chishirodai Station) began service on March 28, 1988, with the remainder of the system following 11 years later on March 24, 1999. Customers can use the PASMO contactless smart card to purchase fares.

The Chiba Urban Monorail holds the world record for the longest suspended monorail system at 15.2 km in total track length. The Chongqing Monorail holds the record for all monorail systems.

Contents

Routes

Line 1

Line 1 connects Chiba Minato Station and Kencho-mae Station with a 3.2 km multiple-track route. Operating at 1500 VDC, trains make four intermediate stops between the terminals.

Station list

Station Japanese Distance
(km)		 Transfers
Chiba-Minato 千葉みなと - JR East: Keiyo Line
Shiyakusho-Mae 市役所前 0.7
Chiba 千葉 1.5 JR East: Sōbu Line, Sotobō Line, Uchibō Line, Narita Line
Chiba Urban Monorail Line 2
Sakaechō 栄町 2.0
Yoshikawa-Kōen 葭川公園 2.5
Kenchō-Mae 県庁前駅 3.2

Line 2

Line 2 connects Chiba Station and Chishiro-dai Station. Operating at 1500 VDC, trains make 11 intermediate stops on the 12.0 km multiple-track route between the terminals. Nearly all trains enter Line 1 and continue to Chiba-Minato Station.

Station list

Station Japanese Distance
(km)		 Transfers
Chiba 千葉 0.0 JR East: Sōbu Line, Sotobō Line, Uchibō Line, Narita Line
Chiba Urban Monorail Line 1
Chiba-Kōen 千葉公園 1.1
Sakusabe 作草部 1.8
Tendai 天台 2.5
Anagawa 穴川 3.4
Sports Center スポーツセンター 4.0
Dōbutsu-Kōen 動物公園 5.2
Mitsuwadai みつわ台 6.2
Tsuga 都賀 7.7 JR East: Sōbu Line
Sakuragi 桜木 9.0
Oguradai 小倉台 10.2
Chishirodai-Kita 千城台北 11.2
Chishirodai 千城台 12.0

Extension Plans

Various extensions of Line 1 have been proposed—notably a five-station, 3.4-km extension of the line from Kenchō-mae Station to Chiba Municipal Aoba Hospital. However, in 2004 an evaluation committee found that there was no need for the extension, and on the contrary, proposed terminating service on the underused segment from Chiba Station to Kencho-mae Station. An alternative 2-km extension to Chiba University is currently under consideration.

History

Special Tickets

Holiday Free Pass (ホリデーフリーきっぷ)

2-Day Free Pass (2-DAYフリーきっぷ)

Lunchtime Free Pass (お昼のお出かけフリーきっぷ)

See also

External links

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