Tōkaidō Main Line

Tōkaidō Main Line

The Tōkaidō Main Line (東海道本線, Tōkaidō-honsen^?) is the busiest^{[citation needed]} trunk line of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), connecting Tokyo Station and Kobe Station. It is 589.5 km (366 miles) long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities. The 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 operated by three JR companies:

• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (Tokyo-Atami)
• Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) (Atami-Maibara)
• West Japan Railway Company (JR West) (Maibara-Kobe)

Route data

JR East E231 series

JR Central 313 series

JR West 223 series

JR West 321 series

• East Japan Railway Company, Central Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company
• Total distance: 713.6 km (including branch lines, the main line is 589.5 km)
  • East Japan Railway Company
    • 104.6 km (Tōkyō — Atami)
    • 17.8 km (Shinagawa — Shin-Kawasaki — Tsurumi)
    • 20.6 km Tōkaidō Freight Line (Hamamatsuchō — Tōkyō Freight Terminal — Kawasaki Freight Terminal — Hama-Kawasaki)
    • 2.3 km (Tsurumi — Hatchō-Nawate)
    • 8.5 km Takashima Line (Tsurumi — Higashi-Takashima — Sakuragichō)
    • 2.7 km (Irie Signalbox — Shin-Kyō) (not used by passenger trains, currently being removed)
    • 16.0 km Tōkaidō Freight Line (Tsurumi — Yokohama-Hazawa — Higashi-Totsuka)
  • Central Japan Railway Company
    • 341.3 km (Atami — Maibara)
    • 5.0 km (Ōgaki — Mino-Akasaka)
    • 13.8 km (Ōgaki — (Shin-Tarui) — Sekigahara)
  • West Japan Railway Company
    • 143.6 km (Maibara — Kōbe)
    • 3.3 km (Umekōji — Tambaguchi) (not used by passenger trains)
    • 10.7 km (Suita — (Miyahara Switchyard) — Amagasaki) (this section is also known as the Hoppō Freight Line)
    • 8.5 km (Suita — Umeda — Fukushima) (used by limited express Haruka); this section is also known as the Umeda Freight Line)
  • Japan Freight Railway Company
    • First Type Railway Operation (holds each lines and operate freight trains)
      • 6.2 km (Sannō Signalbox — Nagoya-Minato)
      • 8.7 km (Suita Signalbox — Ōsaka Freight Terminal)
    • Second Type Railway Operation (borrows each lines from other JR companies and operate freight trarins)
      • 97.8 km (Shinagawa — Atami)
      • 13.9 km (Shinagawa — Shin-Tsurumi Signalbox)
      • 12.9 km (Tōkyō Freight Terminal — Hama-Kawasaki)
      • 16.0 km (Tsurumi — Yokohama-Hazawa — Higashi-Totsuka)
      • 2.3 (Tsurumi — Hatchō-Nawate)
      • 11.2 km (Tsurumi — Shin-Kyō — Sakuragichō) (these lines are borrowed from JR East)
      • 341.3 km (Atami — Maibara)
      • 10.7 km (Minami-Arao Signalbox — Sekigahara)
      • 1.9 km (Minami-Arao Signalbox — Mino-Akasaka) (these lines are borrowed from Central JR)
      • 139.0 km (Maibara — Kōbe) (via Hoppō Freight Line)
      • 3.3 km (Umekōji — Tambaguchi)
      • 8.5 km (Suita — Umeda — Fukushima) (these lines are borrowed from JR West)
• Rail gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Stations: 161 (not including branch line stations other than Shinagawa — Shin-Kawasaki and Ōgaki — Mino-Akasaka sections)
  • JR East: 34
  • JR Central: 80
  • JR West: 47
• Tracks
  • Three-track or more
    • 83.9 km (Tōkyō — Odawara)
    • 11.1 km (Nagoya - Inazawa)
    • 98.1 km (Kusatsu — Kōbe)
  • Dual-track (main line)
    • Odawara — Nagoya
    • Inazawa - Kusatsu
  • Dual-track (branch lines)
    • 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 Switchyard) — Amagasaki
  • Single-track (branch lines only)
    • Irie Signalbox — Shin-Kyō
    • Higashi-Takashima — Sakuragichō
    • Sannō Signalbox — Nagoya-Minato
    • Ōgaki — Mino-Akasaka
    • Ōgaki — (Shin-Tarui) — Sekigahara
    • Umekōji — Tambaguchi
    • Suita — Ōsaka Freight Terminal
    • Umeda — Fukushima
• Electrification: All; 1,500 V DC (except Sannō Signalbox — Nagoya-Minato section)

Stations

Tokyo area

Tōkaidō Line shown in orange in this map of the southern approaches to Tokyo

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.^[1]

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 Shōnan Liner trains are special, all-reserved commuter express trains with comfortable seating. They operate from Odawara to Tokyo on weekday mornings, with a few services terminating in Shinagawa, run on freight line. Return services run from Tokyo to Odawara on weekday evenings. Like Commuter Rapid trains, Shonan Liners normally do not stop between Shinagawa and Fujisawa. Between Fujisawa and Odawara, varying stops are made. A reserved seat fee of ¥500 is required to use the Shōnan Liner, in addition to the standard fare.
• The Keihin-Tōhoku Line stations between Tokyo and Yokohama officially belong to the Tōkaidō Main Line. Such stations (not listed above) are: Yūrakuchō, Hamamatsuchō, Tamachi, Ōimachi, Ōmori, Kamata, Tsurumi, Shin-Koyasu and Higashi-Kanagawa.
• The Yokosuka Line stations between Tokyo and Ōfuna officially belong to the Tōkaidō Main Line. Such stations (not listed above) are: Nishi-Ōi, Shin-Kawasaki, Hodogaya and Higashi-Totsuka. The route of the Yokosuka Line between Shinagawa and Tsurumi is separated from the main line and is called the Hinkaku Line (品鶴線, Hinkaku-sen^?), whereon Nishi-Ōi and Shin-Kawasaki stations are located.

Tōkai region

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

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.^{[citation needed]} 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.

Minami-Arao S.B.

Both Mino-Akasaka Branch and Tarui Branch divide from Main Line at Minami-Arao S.B.(南荒尾信号場) This S.B. is 3.1 km far from Ōgaki Station.

Kansai region

The western part of the Tōkaidō Main Line from Maibara to Kobe is operated by JR West and forms the main trunk of the company's Urban Network in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. The line is divided into three segments - Biwako Line, JR Kyoto Line and JR Kobe Line - although they are part of a single contiguous service. Biwako Line includes a segment of the Hokuriku Main Line, while Kosei Line, JR Takarazuka Line and Gakkentoshi Line offer through service to the main line.

Biwako Line

The section of the line 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 of the Tōkaidō Main Line between Kyoto and Ōsaka is known as JR Kyoto Line. Biwako Line and Kosei Line trains continue on the JR Kyoto Line, and continue west to the JR Kobe Line at Osaka.

JR Kobe Line

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

Sannomiya in central Kobe is the major hub on this section, serving the city's main business and entertainment district, and provides connections to other private railway lines and Kobe Airport.

Trains

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-Osaka)
• Fujikawa (Shizuoka-Fuji)
• Haruka (Maibara-Kansai International Airport)
• Hida (Nagoya-Gifu, Gifu-Osaka)
• Odoriko (Tokyo-Atami-(Itō Line)-Itō-(Izu Kyuko)-Shimoda) (Tokyo-Mishima-(Izu-Hakone Railway Sunzu Line)-Shuzenji)
• Super-view Odoriko, Resort Odoriko, Fleur Odoriko (Tokyo-Atami-(Itō Line)-Itō-(Izu Kyuko)-Shimoda)
• Shinano (Nagoya-Osaka)
• Shirasagi (Nagoya-Maibara)

Overnight trains

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

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

Discontinued trains

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

Rolling stock for local and rapid services

Tokyo area

• 185 series
• 211 series
• E217 series (Tokyo - Atami)
• E231 series (Tokyo - Numazu)
• E233-3000 series (Tokyo - Atami)

Tōkai area

• 117 series (Hamamatsu - Toyohashi, Ōgaki - Maibara)
• 211 series
• 311 series (Shizuoka - Gifu)
• 313 series
• 373 series (Atami - Shizuoka)
• E231 series ((JR East section) - Atami - Numazu)
• KiHa75 series(Through service train for Taketoyo Line)

Kansai area

• 113 series(Through service train for Kusatsu Line)
• 117 series(Through service train for Kusatsu Line)
• 207 series
• 321 series
• 221 series(Rapid/Sp. Rapid services)
• 223 series(Rapid/Sp. Rapid services)

References

v • d • e JR East lines Shinkansen Hokuriku · Jōetsu · Nagano · Tōhoku · Akita · Yamagata · Gala-Yuzawa Main Chūō · Ōu · Shin'etsu · Sōbu · Tōhoku · Tōkaidō · Uetsu Local Agatsuma · Akabane · Aterazawa · Ban'etsu East · Ban'etsu West · Echigo · Gonō · Hachikō · Hachinohe · Hakushin · Hanawa · Iiyama · Ishinomaki · Itō · Itsukaichi · Iwaizumi · Jōban · Jōetsu · Kamaishi · Karasuyama · Kashima · Kawagoe · Keiyō · Kesennuma · Kitakami · Koumi · Kururi · Mito · Musashino · Nambu · Narita · Negishi · Nikkō · Ōfunato · Oga · Ōito · Ōme · Ōminato · Rikuu East · Rikuu West · Ryōmō · Sagami · Senseki · Senzan · Shinonoi · Sotobō · Suigun · Tadami · Takasaki · Tazawako · Tōgane · Tsugaru · Tsurumi · Uchibō · Yahiko · Yamada · Yamanote · Yokohama · Yokosuka · Yonesaka Others Chūō Rapid · Chūō-Sōbu · Keihin-Tōhoku · Saikyō · Shōnan-Shinjuku · Tōhoku Jūkan (under construction) Past Aizu · Ashio · Kihara · Mōka · Nagai

v • d • e JR Central lines Shinkansen Tōkaidō Main Chūō · Kansai · Kisei · Takayama · Tōkaidō Local Gotemba · Jōhoku · Iida · Meishō · Minobu · Sangū  · Taita · Taketoyo Past Okata

v • d • e JR West lines Shinkansen Sanyō · Hakata-Minami Main Hokuriku · Kansai · Kisei · San'in · San'yō · Takayama · Tōkaidō Local Akō · Bantan · Etsumi-Hoku · Fukuchiyama · Fukuen · Gantoku · Geibi · Hakubi · Hanwa · Himi · Honshi-Bisan · Inbi · Jōhana · Kabe · Kakogawa · Kansai Airport · Katamachi · Kibi · Kishin · Kisuki · Kosei · Kure · Kusatsu · Maizuru · Mine · Nanao · Nara · Obama · Ōito · Onoda · Osaka Higashi · Osaka Loop · Sakai · Sakurai · Sankō · Tōzai · Tsuyama · Ube · Uno · Wakayama · Yamaguchi Past Gannichi · Kajiya · Miyazu · Noto · Shigaraki · Taisha · Toyamakō · Wakasa