Tōkaidō Main Line 東海道本線 |
|||
---|---|---|---|
211-5000 series EMU between Okitsu and Shimizu stations |
|||
Overview | |||
Type | Heavy rail | ||
Locale | Kantō, Tōkai, Kansai regions | ||
Termini | Tōkyō Kōbe |
||
Stations | 166 (passenger only) | ||
Operation | |||
Opened | 1872 | ||
Operator(s) | JR East JR Central JR West |
||
Technical | |||
Track length | 713.6 km (443.4 mi) | ||
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||
Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead catenary | ||
Operating speed | 130 km/h (80 mph) | ||
|
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:
Contents[hide] |
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.
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.
The Tōkaidō Line between Atami and Maibara is operated by JR Central, and covers the Tōkai region - Shizuoka Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture.
Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Rapid Services | Home Liner | Transfers | Location | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between Stations |
Total (From Tokyo) |
Semi Rapid |
Rapid | New Rapid |
Special Rapid |
||||||
Atami | 熱海 | 104.6 | Tōkaidō Shinkansen Itō Line |
Atami | Shizuoka | ||||||
Kannami | 函南 | 9.9 | 114.5 | Kannami, Tagata District | |||||||
Mishima | 三島 | 6.2 | 120.7 | Tōkaidō Shinkansen Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line (some morning/evening through services) |
Mishima | ||||||
Numazu | 沼津 | 5.5 | 126.2 | ● | Gotemba Line | Numazu | |||||
Katahama | 片浜 | 4.1 | 130.3 | | | |||||||
Hara | 原 | 2.5 | 132.8 | | | |||||||
Higashi-Tagonoura | 東田子の浦 | 4.6 | 137.4 | | | Fuji | ||||||
Yoshiwara | 吉原 | 3.9 | 141.3 | | | Gakunan Railway Line | ||||||
Fuji | 富士 | 4.9 | 146.2 | ● | Minobu Line | ||||||
Fujikawa | 富士川 | 3.5 | 149.7 | | | |||||||
Shin-Kambara | 新蒲原 | 2.8 | 152.5 | | | Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka | ||||||
Kambara | 蒲原 | 2.4 | 154.9 | | | |||||||
Yui | 由比 | 3.5 | 158.4 | | | |||||||
Okitsu | 興津 | 5.9 | 164.3 | | | |||||||
Shimizu | 清水 | 4.7 | 169.0 | ● | |||||||
Kusanagi | 草薙 | 5.2 | 174.2 | | | Shizuoka Railway Shizuoka-Shimizu Line | ||||||
Higashi-Shizuoka | 東静岡 | 3.5 | 177.7 | | | Aoi-ku, Shizuoka | ||||||
Shizuoka | 静岡 | 2.5 | 180.2 | ● | Tōkaidō Shinkansen Shizuoka Railway Shizuoka-Shimizu Line (Shin-Shizuoka) |
||||||
Abekawa | 安倍川 | 4.3 | 184.5 | | | Suruga-ku, Shizuoka | ||||||
Mochimune | 用宗 | 2.1 | 186.6 | | | |||||||
Yaizu | 焼津 | 7.1 | 193.7 | | | Yaizu | ||||||
Nishi-Yaizu | 西焼津 | 3.3 | 197.0 | | | |||||||
Fujieda | 藤枝 | 3.3 | 200.3 | ● | Fujieda | ||||||
Rokugo | 六合 | 4.6 | 204.9 | | | Shimada | ||||||
Shimada | 島田 | 2.9 | 207.8 | ● | |||||||
Kanaya | 金谷 | 5.1 | 212.9 | | | Oigawa Railway Oigawa Main Line | ||||||
Kikugawa | 菊川 | 9.3 | 222.2 | ● | Kikugawa | ||||||
Kakegawa | 掛川 | 7.1 | 229.3 | ● | Tōkaidō Shinkansen Tenryū Hamanako Railroad |
Kakegawa | |||||
Aino | 愛野 | 5.3 | 234.6 | | | Fukuroi | ||||||
Fukuroi | 袋井 | 3.5 | 238.1 | ● | |||||||
Iwata | 磐田 | 7.8 | 245.9 | ● | Iwata | ||||||
Toyodachō | 豊田町 | 2.9 | 248.8 | | | |||||||
Tenryūgawa | 天竜川 | 3.9 | 252.7 | | | Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu | ||||||
Hamamatsu | 浜松 | 4.4 | 257.1 | ● | ● | ● | Tokaido Shinkansen Enshū Railway Line (Shin-Hamamatsu) |
Naka-ku, Hamamatsu | |||
Takatsuka | 高塚 | 5.3 | 262.4 | ● | ● | Minami-ku, Hamamatsu | |||||
Maisaka | 舞阪 | 5.1 | 267.5 | ● | ● | Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu | |||||
Bentenjima | 弁天島 | 2.3 | 269.8 | ● | ● | ||||||
Araimachi | 新居町 | 3.1 | 272.9 | ● | ● | Kosai | |||||
Washizu | 鷲津 | 3.7 | 276.6 | ● | ● | ||||||
Shinjohara | 新所原 | 5.8 | 282.4 | ● | ● | Tenryū Hamanako Railroad | |||||
Futagawa | 二川 | 4.3 | 286.7 | ● | ● | Toyohashi | Aichi | ||||
Toyohashi | 豊橋 | 6.9 | 293.6 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Iida Line Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line Toyohashi Railway Atsumi Line (Shin-Toyohashi), Toyohashi Railroad Azumada Main Line (Ekimae) |
||
Nishi-Kozakai | 西小坂井 | 4.8 | 298.4 | ● | | | | | | | | | Toyokawa | ||
Aichi-Mito | 愛知御津 | 3.7 | 302.1 | ● | | | | | | | | | |||
Mikawa-Ōtsuka | 三河大塚 | 3.1 | 305.2 | ● | | | | | | | | | Gamagori | ||
Mikawa-Miya | 三河三谷 | 3.1 | 308.3 | ● | ▲ | ▲ | | | | | |||
Gamagori | 蒲郡 | 2.3 | 310.6 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Meitetsu Gamagōri Line | ||
Mikawa-Shiotsu | 三河塩津 | 2.3 | 312.9 | ● | | | | | | | | | Meitetsu Gamagōri Line (Gamagōri-Kyōteijō-Mae) | ||
Sangane | 三ヶ根 | 2.6 | 315.5 | ● | | | | | | | | | Kōta, Nukata District | ||
Kōda | 幸田 | 3.0 | 318.5 | ● | ▲ | ▲ | | | | | |||
Aimi | 相見 | 3.1 | 321.6 | ||||||||
Okazaki | 岡崎 | 7.4 | 325.9 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Aichi Loop Line | Okazaki | |
Nishi-Okazaki | 西岡崎 | 4.2 | 330.1 | | | | | | | | | | | |||
Anjō | 安城 | 3.6 | 333.7 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Anjō | ||
Mikawa-Anjō | 三河安城 | 2.6 | 336.3 | | | | | | | | | | | Tōkaidō Shinkansen | ||
Higashi-Kariya | 東刈谷 | 1.8 | 338.1 | | | | | | | | | | | Kariya | ||
Noda-Shinmachi | 野田新町 | 1.6 | 339.7 | | | | | | | | | | | |||
Kariya | 刈谷 | 1.9 | 341.6 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Meitetsu Mikawa Line | ||
Aizuma | 逢妻 | 1.9 | 343.5 | | | | | | | | | | | |||
Ōbu | 大府 | 3.0 | 346.5 | ● | ● | ● | | | ● | Taketoyo Line | Ōbu | |
Kyōwa | 共和 | 3.0 | 349.5 | ● | ● | | | | | | | |||
Minami-Ōdaka | 南大高 | 2.3 | 351.8 | | | | | | | | | | | Midori-ku, Nagoya | ||
Ōdaka | 大高 | 1.8 | 353.6 | | | | | | | | | | | |||
Kasadera | 笠寺 | 3.2 | 356.8 | | | | | | | | | | | Minami-ku, Nagoya | ||
Atsuta | 熱田 | 4.0 | 360.8 | | | | | | | | | | | Atsuta-ku, Nagoya | ||
Kanayama | 金山 | 1.9 | 362.7 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Chūō Main Line Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line Nagoya Municipal Subway: Meijō Line (M01), Meikō Line (E01) |
Naka-ku, Nagoya | |
Otōbashi | 尾頭橋 | 0.9 | 363.6 | | | | | | | | | | | Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya | ||
Nagoya | 名古屋 | 2.4 | 366.0 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Kansai Main Line, Chūō Main Line Kintetsu Nagoya Line (Kintetsu-Nagoya) Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line (Meitetsu-Nagoya) Higashiyama Line (H08), Sakura-dōri Line (S02) Aonami Line (AN01) |
Nakamura-ku, Nagoya | |
Biwajima | 枇杷島 | 4.0 | 370.0 | | | | | | | | | | | Tōkai Transport Service Jōhoku Line | Kiyosu | |
Kiyosu | 清洲 | 3.8 | 373.8 | | | | | | | | | | | Inazawa | ||
Inazawa | 稲沢 | 3.3 | 377.1 | | | | | | | | | | | |||
Owari-Ichinomiya | 尾張一宮 | 6.0 | 383.1 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line, Meitetsu Bisai Line (Meitetsu-Ichinomiya) | Ichinomiya | |
Kisogawa | 木曽川 | 3.5 | 388.6 | | | | | | | | | | | |||
Gifu | 岐阜 | 7.7 | 396.3 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Takayama Main Line Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line, Meitetsu Kagamihara Line (Meitetsu Gifu) |
Gifu | Gifu |
Nishi-Gifu | 西岐阜 | 3.2 | 399.5 | ● | ● | ● | ● | | | |||
Hozumi | 穂積 | 1.0 | 400.5 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Mizuho | ||
Ōgaki | 大垣 | 9.5 | 410.0 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Tōkaidō Main Line (Mino-Akasaka, Shin-Tarui branch lines) Kintetsu Yoro Line Tarumi Railway Tarumi Line |
Ōgaki | |
Tarui | 垂井 | 8.1 | 418.1 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Tarui, Fuwa District | ||
Sekigahara | 関ヶ原 | 5.7 | 423.8 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Tōkaidō Main Line (Shin-Tarui branch line) | Sekigahara, Fuwa District | |
Kashiwabara | 柏原 | 7.1 | 430.9 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Maibara | Shiga | ||
Ōmi-Nagoka | 近江長岡 | 4.3 | 435.2 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
Samegai | 醒ヶ井 | 4.6 | 439.8 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
Maibara | 米原 | 6.1 | 445.9 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Tōkaidō Shinkansen Hokuriku Main Line, Biwako Line (Tōkaidō Main Line) Ohmi Railway Main Line |
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.
Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between Stations |
Total (from Ōgaki) | |||||
Ōgaki | 大垣 | - | 0.0 | Tōkaidō Main Line | Ōgaki | Gifu |
Arao | 荒尾 | 3.4 | 3.4 | |||
Mino-Akasaka | 美濃赤坂 | 1.6 | 5.0 |
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.
Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between Stations |
Total (from Ōgaki) | |||||
Ōgaki | 大垣 | - | 0.0 | Tōkaidō Main Line | Ōgaki | Gifu |
Tarui | 垂井 | 8.1 | 8.1 | Tarui, Fuwa District | ||
Sekigahara | 関ヶ原 | 5.7 | 13.8 | JR Central: Tōkaidō Main Line | Sekigahara |
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.
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.
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.
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.
In addition to standard local, rapid, and special rapid service trains, the Tōkaidō Main Line also hosts a number of limited express services.
Overnight trains on the Tōkaidō Line go from Tokyo to western Honshū and Shikoku.
|
|
|
|
|