Tōkaidō Main Line

The Tōkaidō Main Line (東海道本線, Tōkaidō-honsen^?) is the busiest^[1] trunk line of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is 589.5 km (366.3 mi) long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities. The high-speed Tōkaidō Shinkansen runs largely parallel to the line.

The term "Tōkaidō Main Line" is largely a holdover from pre-Shinkansen days; now various portions of the line have different names which are officially used by JR East, JR Central, and JR West. Today, there are no passenger trains that operate over the entire length of the line (other than certain overnight services; see below), so longer intercity trips require several transfers along the way.

The Tōkaidō Main Line is owned and operated by three JR companies:

• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (Tōkyō-Atami)
• Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) (Atami-Maibara)
• West Japan Railway Company (JR West) (Maibara-Kōbe)

History

The Tōkaidō route takes its name from the ancient road connecting the Kansai region (Kyoto, Osaka) with the Kantō region (Tokyo, then Edo) through the Tōkai region (including Nagoya.) Literally, it was the Tōkai road, or Road through Tōkai. The Tōkaidō line does not follow the old road exactly, since the latter diverges at Nagoya toward the Mie Prefecture coastline; to follow it by train, the Kansai Main Line and Kusatsu Line would have to be followed from Nagoya to Kusatsu. The Largest population centers in Japan are along this route - Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. These centers have grown to occupy an ever more dominant role in the country's government, financial, manufacturing and cultural life.^[1]

The first railway line along this route was completed in 1889. In 1906, all privately run main lines were nationalized under the newly created Japan Imperial Railway, which, at the time had a network of just over 7000 km. Automatic couplers were introduced on all freight wagons in 1926. In 1930 the first Tsubame ("swallow") express was introduced, reducing the travel-time from Tokyo to Kobe to nine hours - a significant reduction from the twenty hours required in 1889 and fifteen in 1903.^[1]

Infrastructure improvements included the completion of double track on this route in 1913, and the opening of the 7.8 km long Tanna Tunnel, which shortened the route by omitting a detour round the mountains between Atami and Numazu. Work started on a new standard gauge (1,435 mm) line, Shinkansen, in 1940.^[1]

By the early 1950s the Tōkaidō Line had enhanced its position as the main artery of Japan. Although it was only 3 percent of the railway system by length, it carried 24 percent of JNR's passenger traffic and 23 percent of its freight, and the rate of growth was higher than any other line in the country. By 1956 electrification was completed along the Tokyo-Osaka section and with the introduction of new Kodama trains, travel-time was cut to six and a half hours. The line became so popular that tickets regularly sold out within ten minutes of being put on sale, one month in advance of the travel-date.^[1]

The Tokyo-Osaka passenger traffic largely transferred to the Tōkaidō Shinkansen after it was completed in 1964. The line now mostly services more local passenger traffic within the regions along the line as well as a high volume of freight traffic.

Basic data

• Total distance: 713.6 km (443.4 mi) (including branch lines; Tōkyō – Kōbe is 589.5 km (366.3 mi))
  • East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (Services and tracks)
    • Tōkyō – Atami: 104.6 km (65.0 mi)
    • Shinagawa – Shin-Kawasaki – Tsurumi: 17.8 km (11.1 mi)
    • Hamamatsuchō – Tōkyō Freight Terminal – Kawasaki Freight Terminal – Hama-Kawasaki: 20.6 km (12.8 mi) (Tōkaidō Freight Line)
    • Tsurumi – Hatchō-Nawate: 2.3 km (1.4 mi) (Tōkaidō Freight Line)
    • Tsurumi – Higashi-Takashima – Sakuragichō: 8.5 km (5.3 mi) (Takashima Line)
    • Tsurumi – Yokohama-Hazawa – Higashi-Totsuka: 16.0 km (9.9 mi) (Tōkaidō Freight Line)
  • Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) (Services and tracks)
    • Atami – Maibara: 341.3 km (212.1 mi) (3.3 km (2.1 mi) between Kanayama – Nagoya overlaps with Chuo Main Line)
    • Ōgaki – Mino-Akasaka: 5.0 km (3.1 mi) (Mino-Akasaka branch line)
    • Ōgaki – (Shin-Tarui) – Sekigahara: 13.8 km (8.6 mi) (Shin-Tarui Line)
  • West Japan Railway Company (JR West) (Services and tracks)
    • Maibara – Kōbe: 143.6 km (89.2 mi)
    • Kyōto Freight Terminal – Tambaguchi: 3.3 km (2.1 mi) (not in use by passenger trains)
    • Suita – (Miyahara Rail Yard) – Amagasaki: 10.7 km (6.6 mi) (Hoppō Freight Line)
    • Suita – Umeda – Fukushima: 8.5 km (5.3 mi) (Umeda Freight Line, used by Haruka limited expresses)
  • Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) (Tracks and services)
    • Sannō Signal – Nagoya-Minato: 6.2 km (3.9 mi) (Nagoya-Minato Line)
    • Suita Signal – Ōsaka Freight Terminal: 8.7 km (5.4 mi) (Ōsaka Terminal Line)
  • Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) (Services only)
    • Shinagawa – Atami: 97.8 km (60.8 mi)
    • Shinagawa – Shin-Tsurumi Signal: 13.9 km (8.6 mi)
    • Tōkyō Freight Terminal – Hama-Kawasaki: 12.9 km (8.0 mi)
    • Tsurumi – Yokohama-Hazawa – Higashi-Totsuka: 16.0 km (9.9 mi)
    • Tsurumi – Hatchō-Nawate: 2.3 km (1.4 mi)
    • Tsurumi – Shinkō – Sakuragichō: 11.2 km (7.0 mi)
    • Atami – Maibara: 341.3 km (212.1 mi)
    • Minami-Arao Signal – Sekigahara: 10.7 km (6.6 mi)
    • Minami-Arao Signal – Mino-Akasaka: 1.9 km (1.2 mi)
    • Maibara – Kōbe: 139.0 km (86.4 mi) (via Hoppō Freight Line)
    • Kyōto Freight Terminal – Tambaguchi: 3.3 km (2.1 mi)
    • Suita – Umeda – Fukushima: 8.5 km (5.3 mi)
• Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Stations:
  • Passenger: 166 (does not include Shinagawa – Shin-Kawasaki – Tsurumi section or branches other than Mino-Akasaka branch line)
    • JR East: 34
    • JR Central: 82
    • JR West: 50
  • Freight only: 14
• Tracks:
  • Four or more
    • Tōkyō – Odawara: 83.9 km (52.1 mi)
    • Nagoya – Inazawa: 11.1 km (6.9 mi)
    • Kusatsu – Kōbe: 98.1 km (61.0 mi)
  • Two
    • Odawara – Nagoya
    • Inazawa – Kusatsu
    • Shinagawa – Shin-Kawasaki – Tsurumi
    • Hamamatsuchō – Tōkyō Freight Terminal – Kawasaki Freight Terminal – Hama-Kawasaki
    • Tsurumi – Hatchō-Nawate
    • Tsurumi – Higashi-Takashima
    • Tsurumi – Yokohama-Hazawa – Higashi-Totsuka
    • Suita – Umeda
    • Suita – (Miyahara Rail Yard) – Amagasaki
  • Single-track: All other sections
• Electrification: 1500 V DC (except for Sannō Signal – Nagoya-Minato)
• Railway signalling: Automatic Train Control
• Maximum speed:
  • Tōkyō – Ōfuna, Odawara – Toyohashi: 110 km/h (68 mph)
  • Ōfuna – Odawara, Toyohashi – Maibara: 120 km/h (75 mph)
  • Minami-Arao Signal – Tarui – Sekigahara, Minami-Arao Signal – Mino-Akasaka: 85 km/h (53 mph)
  • Maibara – Kōbe: 130 km/h (81 mph)

Station list

JR East

This section is operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

The Tōkaidō Main Line in the Greater Tokyo Area is often referred to as Shōnan densha (湘南電車^?). It has rapid services called Rapid Acty (快速アクティー, Kaisoku akutī^?) and Commuter Rapid (通勤快速). It runs on dedicated tracks parallel to the Yamanote Line in central Tokyo, the Keihin-Tōhoku Line between Tokyo and Yokohama, and the Yokosuka Line between Tōkyō and Ōfuna. Some Shōnan-Shinjuku Line trains share the segment south of Yokohama to Ōfuna and Odawara.

The Tōhoku Jūkan Line, a JR East project, will extend the services of the Utsunomiya Line, the Takasaki Line, and the Jōban Line to Tokyo Station, connecting through to/from the Tōkaidō Line.^[2]

Almost all trains along this section of the line have "Green Cars" with forward-facing seats, which can be used after paying an additional fee.

• Shōnan Liner services are special, all-reserved commuter express trains with comfortable seating. They operate from Odawara to Tōkyō on weekday mornings, with a few services terminating in Shinagawa. Return services run from Tōkyō to Odawara on weekday evenings. Like commuter rapid trains, Shōnan Liner services normally make no stops between Shinagawa and Fujisawa. Between Fujisawa and Odawara, varying stops are made. In addition to the standard fare, a reserved seat fee of ¥500 is required to use the Shōnan Liner.
• Keihin-Tōhoku Line stations between Tōkyō and Yokohama officially are a part of the Tōkaidō Main Line. These stations are: Yūrakuchō, Hamamatsuchō, Tamachi, Ōimachi, Ōmori, Kamata, Tsurumi, Shin-Koyasu and Higashi-Kanagawa.
• Yokosuka Line stations between Tōkyō and Ōfuna officially are a part of the Tōkaidō Main Line. These stations are: Nishi-Ōi, Shin-Kawasaki, Hodogaya and Higashi-Totsuka. The route of the Yokosuka Line between Shinagawa and Tsurumi is separate from the main line and is referred to as the Hinkaku Line (品鶴線, -sen^?), on which Nishi-Ōi and Shin-Kawasaki stations are located.

JR Central

The Tōkaidō Line between Atami and Maibara is operated by JR Central, and covers the Tōkai region - Shizuoka Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture.

Branch lines

Both the Mino-Akasaka and Tarui branch lines separate from the Main Line at Minami-Arao junction (南荒尾信号場^?), located 3.1 km west of Ōgaki Station.

Mino-Akasaka Branch Line

Tarui Branch Line

Between Ōgaki and Sekigahara, there is a 25 per mil grade. In 1944, a single track bypass was built to avoid this steep slope of the main line and the old westbound track was removed. In 1946, a branch line was constructed on the site of the former westbound main line track; it is commonly referred to as the Tarui Line. Presently, local trains use the Tarui Line track while express and freight trains use the bypass track when climbing the slope from Ōgaki to Sekigahara.

JR West

The western part of the Tōkaidō Main Line from Maibara to Kōbe is operated by JR West and forms the main trunk of the company's Urban Network in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. Although the line is divided into three segments, known as the Biwako Line, JR Kyoto Line, and JR Kobe Line, they are part of a single contiguous network, with many services traversing multiple sections. The Biwako Line includes a segment of the Hokuriku Main Line. Some services on the Kosei, JR Takarazuka and Gakkentoshi lines run through onto the Tōkaidō Main Line.

Biwako Line

The section between Maibara and Kyoto is known as the Biwako Line. The line also includes the section of the Hokuriku Main Line between Maibara and Nagahama, where some Kyoto-bound trains originate.

JR Kyoto Line

The section between Kyoto and Ōsaka is known as the JR Kyoto Line. Trains from the Biwako and Kosei lines travel through onto the JR Kyoto Line and continue west towards the JR Kobe Line at Ōsaka.

JR Kobe Line

The westernmost section between Ōsaka and Kōbe is part of the JR Kobe Line, which continues west to Himeji on the Sanyō Main Line. Although Kōbe is the official terminus of the Tōkaidō Main Line, most trains continue to Nishi-Akashi, Himeji and beyond.

Limited express services

In addition to standard local, rapid, and special rapid service trains, the Tōkaidō Main Line also hosts a number of limited express services.

Daytime trains

• Biwako Express: Maibara – Ōsaka
• Fujikawa: Shizuoka – Fuji
• Haruka: Maibara – Kansai International Airport
• Hida: Nagoya – Gifu, Gifu – Ōsaka
• Odoriko: Tōkyō – Atami – (Itō Line) – Itō – (Izu Kyūkō) – Shimoda; Tōkyō – Mishima – (Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line) – Shuzenji
• Super View Odoriko, Resort Odoriko, Fleur Odoriko: Tōkyō – Atami – (Itō Line) – Itō – (Izu Kyūkō) – Shimoda
• Shinano: Nagoya – Ōsaka
• Shirasagi: Nagoya – Maibara

Overnight trains

Overnight trains on the Tōkaidō Line go from Tokyo to western Honshū and Shikoku.

• Sunrise Izumo (Tokyo – Izumo via Okayama) (Operates daily)
• Sunrise Seto (Tokyo – Takamatsu) (Operates daily)
• Sunrise Yume (Tokyo – Hiroshima) (Operates seasonally)
• Moonlight Nagara (Tokyo – Ōgaki) (Operates seasonally - rapid service with reserved seats)

Discontinued trains

• Overnight limited express Sakura (Tōkyō – Nagasaki (discontinued March 2005), Tokyo – Sasebo (discontinued 1999))
• Overnight limited express Izumo (Tōkyō – Izumo via Tottori), discontinued March 2006
• Limited express Wide View Tōkai (Tōkyō – Shizuoka), discontinued March 2007
• Overnight express Ginga (Tōkyō – Ōsaka), discontinued March 2008
• Overnight limited express Fuji (Tōkyō – Ōita), discontinued March 2009
• Overnight limited express Hayabusa (Tōkyō – Kumamoto), discontinued March 2009

Rolling stock for local and rapid services

JR East

• 185 series (Tokyo – Atami, through services onto the Itō Line)
• 211-0 series (JR East) (Tokyo – Atami – Numazu, through services onto the Itō Line)
• 211-2000 series (JR East) (Tokyo – Atami – Numazu, through services onto the Itō Line)
• E217 series (Tokyo – Atami)
• E231-1000 series (Tokyo – Atami – Numazu, through services onto the Itō Line, through services onto the Gotemba Line)
• E233-3000 series (Tokyo – Atami)
• 373 series (JR Central) (Tokyo – Atami – [JR Central section])

JR Central

• 117 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi, Kanayama – Ōgaki – Maibara)
• 211-0 series (JR Central) (Kakegawa – Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki – Maibara)
• 211-0 series (JR East) ([JR East section] – Atami – Numazu)
• 211-2000 series (JR East) ([JR East section] – Atami – Numazu)
• 211-5000 series (JR Central) (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line)
• 211-6000 series (JR Central) (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
• 221 series (JR West) ([JR West section] – Maibara – Ōgaki)
• 223-1000 series (JR West) ([JR West section] – Maibara – Ōgaki)
• 223-2000 series (JR West) ([JR West section] – Maibara – Ōgaki)
• 223-6000 series (JR West) ([JR West section] – Maibara – Ōgaki)
• 225-0 series (JR West) ([JR West section] – Maibara – Ōgaki)
• E231-1000 series (JR East) ([JR East section] – Atami – Numazu)
• 311 series (Shizuoka – Kakegawa – Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu)
• 313-0 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki)
• 313-300 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki, Ōgaki – Mino-Akasaka)
• 313-2300 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
• 313-2500 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
• 313-2600 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
• 313-3000 series (through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
• 313-3100 series (through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
• 313-5000 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki – Maibara)
• 373 series ([JR East section] – Atami – Shizuoka, Hamamatsu – Toyohashi, Ōgaki – Maibara)
• 683-2000 series (JR West) (Nagoya – Ōgaki – Sekigahara)
• KiHa75 series DMU (through services onto the Taketoyo Line)

JR West

• 113 series (through services onto the Kusatsu Line)
• 117 series (through services onto the Kusatsu Line)
• 205-0 series (local services: Kyoto – Amagasaki)
• 207-0 series (local services: Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Fukuchiyama Line, through services onto the JR Tōzai Line, through services onto the Katamachi Line via JR Tōzai Line)
• 207-1000 series (local services: Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Fukuchiyama Line, through services onto the JR Tōzai Line, through services onto the Katamachi Line via JR Tōzai Line)
• 207-2000 series (local services: Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Fukuchiyama Line, through services onto the JR Tōzai Line, through services onto the Katamachi Line via JR Tōzai Line)
• 321 series (local services: Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Fukuchiyama Line, through services onto the JR Tōzai Line, through services onto the Katamachi Line via JR Tōzai Line)
• 221 series (rapid services: [JR Central section] – Maibara – Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line)
• 223-1000 series (rapid and special rapid services: [JR Central section] – Maibara – Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Hokuriku Main Line, through services onto the Kosei Line, through services onto the Kusatsu Line, through services onto the Ako Line via Sanyo Main Line)
• 223-2000 series (rapid and special rapid services: [JR Central section] – Maibara – Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Hokuriku Main Line, through services onto the Kosei Line, through services onto the Kusatsu Line, through services onto the Ako Line via Sanyo Main Line)
• 223-6000 series (rapid services: [JR Central section] – Maibara – Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line)
• 225-0 series (rapid and special rapid services: [JR Central section] – Maibara – Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto – Kobe, through services onto the Sanyo Main Line, through services onto the Hokuriku Main Line, through services onto the Kosei Line, through services onto the Ako Line via Sanyo Main Line)

References

External links

• Stations of the Tōkaidō Main Line (JR East) (Japanese)