Ibusuki Makurazaki Line

Ibusuki Makurazaki Line (指宿枕崎線, Ibusuki Makurazaki-sen^?) is a railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu), in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. It runs from Kagoshima-Chūō Station in Kagoshima, extending south to Makurazaki Station in Makurazaki, running along the eastern and southern coast of Satsuma Peninsula.

The first section of the line, between Nishi-Kagoshima (now Kagoshima-Chūō) and Goino, opened in 1930. The extension was completed in 1963. The line functions as a commuter rail of Kagoshima, as well as a sightseeing line to Ibusuki onsen (hot spring) touristic interest. Excluding Okinawa Monorail (Yui Rail), a monorail line in Okinawa, this is the southernmost conventional railway line in Japan, with Nishi-Ōyama Station being the southernmost station overall.

Basic data

• Distance: 87.8 km
• Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Stations: 36
• Track: single
• Electrification: Non-electrified
• Block system: special automatic (track circuit detection); a simplified automatic system

Services

The line is operationally divided into 2 segments.

The segment between Kagoshima-Chūō and Yamakawa functions as a commuter rail of Kagoshima. As such, there are relatively many local trains. From Kagoshima-Chūō, there is roughly one train per 20 minutes to Goino, one per 20 to 40 minutes to Kiire, and one per one hour to Ibusuki or Yamakawa. There are the limited express train Ibusuki no Tamatebako (指宿のたまて箱^?) and the rapid train Nanohana (なのはな^?) in this section. The limited express train runs 3 times a day, and the rapid train runs southward 3 times a day, northward 4 times a day.

The segment between Yamakawa and Makurazaki, on the other hand, is an extremely quiet local line. During the daytime, there is no train service for six hours. In this section, all but Nishi-Ei are unmanned stations, including Makurazaki, the terminus.

The limited rapid train Nanohana DX (なのはなDX, Nanohana Deluxe^?) was discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on March 12, 2011.

Stations

The Ibusuki Makkurazaki Line is entirely in Kagoshima Prefecture. For distances and transfer, see the route diagram.

¹ All the trains stop at stations signed "+". Some trains stop at "*". Most trains do not stop at "-".

See also

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ibusuki_Makurazaki_Line Ibusuki Makurazaki Line] at Wikimedia Commons

• List of railway lines in Japan