Skyrail Midorizaka Line

Skyrail car

Skyrail Midorizaka Line tracks, viewed from Seno Station, Sanyō Main Line.

The Skyrail Midorizaka Line (スカイレールみどり坂線, Sukairēru Midorizaka-sen) is a monorail line, or a people mover line, operated by Skyrail Service. The line runs between Midoriguchi and Midori-Chūō, all within the new town called Skyrail Town Midorizaka, Aki, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. The line is officially called Hiroshima Short Distance Transit Seno Line (広島短距離交通瀬野線, Hiroshima Tankyori Kōtsū Seno-sen). The line is also known as the first Japanese public transport to introduce a smart card, simply called IC Commuter Pass (IC定期券, Aishī Teikiken), from the time the line itself opened on August 28, 1998.

Basic data

Distance: 1.3 km / 0.8 mi.
Vertical interval: 160 m / 525 ft.
System: Suspended monorail
Stations: 3
Double-track line: Whole line
Electric supply: Whole the line (440 V DC)
Passenger capacity: 25

Skyrail

A skyrail is a new rail transport system developed by Kobe Steel (Kobelco), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and others. It is a fusion between a suspended monorail, an aerial lift, and a people mover. Driverless gondola-sized cars, suspended from a single steel track, moved by an attached cable. Inside each station, cars release the cable and move by linear motors. Cars can climb steep slopes like aerial lifts (270 ‰ or 15° at max), while it can still curve like normal monorails.

Services

There is roughly one service per ten minutes. It takes five minutes from Midoriguchi to Midori-Chūō. The fare is ¥150.

Stations

Midoriguchi Station (みどり口): Transfer to JR Sanyō Main Line, at Seno Station.
Midori-Nakamachi Station (みどり中街)
Midori-Chūō Station (みどり中央)

External links

(Japanese) Intra-city transport system: Skyrail, from Kobe Steel official website.