Mugi Line

Mugi Line
Local train at Awa-Tachibana Station
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
Locale	Tokushima Prefecture
Termini	Tokushima Kaifu
Stations	30
Operation
Opening	1913
Operator(s)	JR Shikoku
Technical
Line length	79.3 km (49.3 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Operating speed	110 km/h (70 mph)
Route map

The Mugi Line (牟岐線, Mugi-sen) is a railway line in southeastern Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). It connects the prefectural capital of Tokushima with the town of Kaiyō in Kaifu District. The line's official nickname is "Awa-Muroto Seaside Line" (阿波室戸シーサイドライン, Awa-muroto-shiisaido-rain), but this is hardly used by local residents as it doesn't even reach Muroto, the intended major hub of the line.

Services

Three limited express services run on the Mugi Line: the Muroto and Tsurugisan between Tokushima and Kaifu, and the Home Express Anan between Tokushima and Anan. Between Mugi and Kaifu, all limited express trains are operated as local services. All Tsurugisan and some Muroto trains have through service on the Tokushima and Dosan lines to/from Awa-Ikeda. On the New Year's holiday, the seasonal Yakuōji-gō limited express provides service to/from Takamatsu.

Although there are local trains that run the entire length of the Mugi Line, most service is divided at Mugi. There are trains that serve the Tokushima – Mugi, Tokushima – Kaifu, and Mugi – Kaifu　sections, as well as a single round-trip between Tokushima and Anan.　Some local trains have through service onto the Kōtoku, Tokushima, and Naruto lines. Driver-only operation is in effect for most daytime trains when there are few passengers.

Station list

• All stations are located in Tokushima Prefecture.
• Local trains stop at all stations. For the Muroto and Tsurugisan limited express services, see their respective articles.
• Trains can pass one another at stations marked "◇" and cannot pass at those marked "｜".

• Although the Tokushima and Naruto lines do not officially begin at Tokushima, most trains travel through on the Kōtoku Line to Tokushima.

History

• April 1, 1987: With the privatization of JNR, the line becomes part of the Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku).
• April 1, 1988: Muroto express service renamed Asa
• November 3, 1990: Bunkanomori Station opens
• November 21, 1990: Track construction allowing speeds up to 110 km/h completed; Three round-trip Uzushio limited express trains begin operation; Asa express service abolished
• March 14, 1998: Tsurugisan limited express begins through operation onto the Mugi Line
• March 13, 1999: Portion of Uzushio limited express operation separated, renamed to Muroto

See also

• List of railway lines in Japan

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mugi Line.

• JR Shikoku official website (Japanese)

v t e Mass transit in Shikoku Railways JR Shikoku Asa Kaigan Iyo Takamatsu-Kotohira Tosa Tosa Kuroshio JR lines Dosan Honshi-Bisan Seto-Ōhashi Kōtoku Mugi Naruto Tokushima Uchiko Yodo Yosan JR trains Ashizuri Ishizuchi Marine Liner Muroto Nanpū Shimanto Shiokaze Tsurugisan Uwakai Uzushio Airports Kōchi Matsuyama Takamatsu Tokushima