Chūō Main Line

Chūō Main Line

JR East E351 series Super Azusa limited express between Takao and Sagamiko
Overview
Native name 中央本線
Type Heavy rail, Passenger/Freight Rail
Intercity rail, Regional rail, Commuter rail
Locale Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Aichi prefectures
Termini Tokyo
Nagoya
Stations 112
Operation
Opened 1889
Operator(s) JR East, JR Central
Technical
Line length 424.6 km (263.8 mi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC Overhead lines
Operating speed 130 km/h (80 mph)
Route map

The Chūō Main Line (中央本線 Chūō-honsen), commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It connects Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the fastest rail link between the cities.

The eastern portion, the Chūō East Line (中央東線 Chūō-tōsen), is operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), while the western portion, the Chūō West Line (中央西線 Chūō-saisen), is operated by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). The dividing point between the two companies is Shiojiri Station, where express trains from both operators continue to the Shinonoi Line towards the cities of Matsumoto and Nagano. Compared to the huge urban areas at either end of the Chūō Line, its central portion is very lightly traveled; the Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa corridor is only served by twice-hourly local and hourly limited express trains.

The Chūō Main Line passes through the mountainous center of Honshu. Its highest point (near Fujimi Station) is about 900 meters above sea level and much of the line has a gradient of 25 per mil (2.5% or 1 in 40). Along the Chūō East Line section, peaks of the Akaishi and Kiso as well as Mount Yatsugatake can be seen from trains. The Chūō West Line parallels the old Nakasendō highway (famous for the preserved post towns of Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku) and the steep Kiso Valley.

Routes

Stations and services

This section lists all stations on the Chūō Main Line and generally explains regional services on the line. In addition, there are limited express services connecting major cities along the line, namely Azusa, Super Azusa, Kaiji, Hamakaiji, Narita Express and Shinano. For details of the limited express trains, see the relevant articles.

Tokyo - Mitaka

Chūō Line E233 series train in Tokyo, June 2007
0 kilometer post at Tokyo Station

The section between Tokyo and Mitaka is grade-separated, with no level crossings. Between Ochanomizu and Mitaka, the Chūō Main Line has four tracks; two of them are local tracks (緩行線 kankō-sen) with platforms at every station; the other two are rapid tracks (快速線 kaisoku-sen) with some stations without platforms. The local tracks are used by the main line local trains (operated only in early morning and late night) and the Chūō-Sōbu Line local trains, while the rapid tracks carry rapid service and limited express trains. The Tokyo-Mitaka portion is a vital cross-city rail link.

The commuter services on the rapid tracks are collectively called the Chūō Line (Rapid) in comparison with the Chūō Line (Local) (中央線各停 Chūō-sen-kakutei) or the Chūō-Sōbu Line on the local tracks. The former is usually referred to simply as the Chūō Line and the latter the Sōbu Line. Separate groups of trainsets are used for these two groups of services: cars with an orange belt for the rapid service trains and cars with a yellow belt for the local service trains, with the exception of early morning and late night local service trains which use cars with an orange belt. Signs at stations also use these colors to indicate the services.

This section is located entirely within Tokyo.

Legends for the table

Station Distance
(km)		 Stops
(See legend above)		 Transfers Location
Local Rapid
S L T R C S T
Tokyo 0.0 L R C S T
Chiyoda
Kanda 1.3 L R C S T
Ochanomizu 2.6 S L R C S T
Suidōbashi 3.4 S L | | | | Toei Mita Line
Iidabashi 3.4 S L T1 | | | |
Ichigaya 5.8 S L | | | |
Yotsuya 6.6 S L R C S T
  • Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
  • Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
Shinanomachi 7.9 S L | | | |   Shinjuku
Sendagaya 8.6 S L | | | | Toei Ōedo Line (at Kokuritsu-Kyōgijō) Shibuya
Yoyogi 9.6 S L | | | |
  • Yamanote Line
  • Toei Ōedo Line
Shinjuku 10.3 S L R C S T
Shinjuku
Ōkubo 11.7 S L | | | |  
Higashi-Nakano 12.8 S L | | | | Toei Oedo Line Nakano
Nakano 14.7 S L T R C S2 | Tokyo Metro Tozai Line (through service)
Kōenji 16.1 S L T R3 | | |   Suginami
Asagaya 17.3 S L T R3 | | |  
Ogikubo 18.7 S L T R C | | Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Nishi-Ogikubo 20.6 S L T R3 | | |  
Kichijōji 22.5 S L T R C | | Keio Inokashira Line Musashino
Mitaka 24.1 S L T R C S |   Mitaka
Notes:
1: Tōzai Line through trains stop at the Tōzai Line (Tokyo Metro) section of Iidabashi Station. They run on the Tōzai Line instead of the Chūō Line east of Nakano.
2: Chūō Special Rapid service down trains started from Shinjuku do not stop Nakano.
3: Rapid trains pass these stations on weekends.

Mitaka - Takao

The four-track section ends at Mitaka. Construction is underway between Mitaka and Tachikawa to elevate the tracks and eliminate level crossings; this section of the line was notorious for its level crossings which can be shut for upwards of an hour during rush hour. Plans have been proposed to add another two tracks as far as Tachikawa, but were not included in the track elevation, which was completed between 2008-2011, with further modifications in 2012.

This section is also entirely in Tokyo. For legends on train types, see the preceding section.

Station Distance
(km)		 Stops Transfers Location
Local Rapid
S L R C S T
Mitaka 24.1 S L R C S |   Mitaka
Musashi-Sakai 25.7 S L R | | | Seibu Tamagawa Line Musashino
Higashi-Koganei 27.4 S L R | | |   Koganei
Musashi-Koganei 29.1 S L R | | |  
Kokubunji 31.4 S L R C S T
Kokubunji
Nishi-Kokubunji 32.8 S L R | | | Musashino Line
Kunitachi 34.5 S L R | | |   Kunitachi
Tachikawa 37.5 S L R C S T
Tachikawa
Hino 40.8   L R C S |   Hino
Toyoda 43.1   L R C S |  
Hachiōji 47.4   L R C S T
Hachiōji
Nishi-Hachiōji 49.8   L R C S |  
Takao 53.1   L R C S T Keiō Takao Line

Takao - Shiojiri

Most of the rapid service trains from Tokyo terminate at Takao where the line exits the large urban area of Tokyo. The section between Takao and Ōtsuki still carries some commuter trains as well as long distance local trains and Limited Express trains. The Kaiji limited express terminates at Kōfu, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture, while the Azusa and Super Azusa continue beyond Shiojiri to Matsumoto via the Shinonoi Line.

Station Distance Transfers Location
Takao 53.1   Hachiōji Tokyo
Sagamiko 62.6   Sagamihara Kanagawa
Fujino 66.3  
Uenohara 69.8   Uenohara Yamanashi
Shiotsu 74.0  
Yanagawa 77.6   Ōtsuki
Torisawa 81.2  
Saruhashi 85.3  
Ōtsuki 87.8 Fujikyuko Line
Hatsukari 93.9  
Sasago 100.4  
Kai-Yamato 106.5   Kōshū
Katsunuma-budōkyō 112.5  
Enzan 116.9  
Higashi-Yamanashi 120.1   Yamanashi
Yamanashishi 122.2  
Kasugaichō 125.0   Fuefuku
Isawa-onsen 127.8  
Sakaori 131.2   Kōfu
Kōfu 134.1 Minobu Line
Ryūō 138.6   Kai
Shiozaki 142.7  
Nirasaki 147.0   Nirasaki
Shimpu 151.2  
Anayama 154.7  
Hinoharu 160.1   Hokuto
Nagasaka 166.3  
Kobuchizawa 173.7 Koumi Line
Shinano-Sakai 178.2   Fujimi Nagano
Fujimi 182.9  
Suzurannosato 186.1  
Aoyagi 188.0   Chino
Chino 195.2  
Fumonji Junction (198.9)   Suwa
Kami-Suwa 201.9  
Shimo-Suwa 206.3   Shimosuwa
Okaya 210.4 Chūō Line (For Tatsuno) Okaya
Midoriko 218.2   Shiojiri
Shiojiri 222.1

Okaya – Shiojiri

The Okaya-Shiojiri branch is an old route of the Chūō Main Line. It carries a small number of shuttle trains and trains from/to the Iida Line, which branches off at Tatsuno.

Station Distance Transfers Location
Okaya 210.4 Chūō Line (for Kami-Suwa, Midoriko) Okaya Nagano
Kawagishi 213.9  
Tatsuno 219.9 Iida Line Tatsuno
Shinano-Kawashima 224.2  
Ono 228.2  
Shiojiri 238.1
  • Chūō line (for Midoriko)
  • Shinonoi Line
  • Chūō Line (for Kiso-Fukushima)
 Shiojiri

Prior to the opening of the new route between Okaya and Shiojiri, there was a junction (Higashi-Shiojiri Junction (東塩尻信号場)) between Ono and Shiojiri stations. It had a reversing layout. The signal station was closed on October 12, 1983.

Shiojiri - Nakatsugawa

Shiojiri is the dividing point of the East Line and the West Line; no train continues from one to the other. The Shinano limited express is the main service for the rural Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa section.

Station Distance Transfers Location
Shiojiri 222.1 (see above) Shiojiri Nagano
Seba 226.3  
Hideshio 231.0  
Niekawa 236.2  
Kiso-Hirasawa 241.4  
Narai 243.2  
Yabuhara 249.8   Kiso (village)
Miyanokoshi 255.5   Kiso (town)
Harano 258.3  
Kiso-Fukushima 263.8  
Agematsu 271.1   Agematsu
Kuramoto 277.7  
Suhara 282.5   Ōkuwa
Ōkuwa 285.8  
Nojiri 288.8  
Jūnikane 292.5   Nagiso
Nagiso 298.0  
Tadachi 304.3  
Sakashita 307.1   Nakatsugawa Gifu
Ochiaigawa 313.2  
Nakatsugawa 317.0 Chūō Line (for Tajimi, Nagoya)

Nakatsugawa - Nagoya

Local and rapid service trains run on the line from Nakatsugawa to Nagoya. This section carries urban traffic for the Greater Nagoya Area.

Legends:

Station Distance
(km)		 Stops Transfers Location
Nakatsugawa 317.0 R CL HL   Nakatsugawa Gifu
Mino-Sakamoto 323.4 R CL |  
Ena 328.6 R CL HL Akechi Railroad Akechi Line Ena
Takenami 334.0 R CL |  
Kamado 339.4 R CL |   Mizunami
Mizunami 346.8 R CL HL  
Tokishi 353.7 R CL HL   Toki
Tajimi 360.7 R CL HL Taita Line Tajimi
Kokokei 365.3 | | |  
Jōkōji 368.8 | | |   Kasugai Aichi
Kōzōji 372.9 R CL HL* Aichi Loop Line
Jinryō 376.1 | | |  
Kasugai 378.8 R | |  
Kachigawa 381.9 R | | Tōkai Transport Service Jōhoku Line
Shin-Moriyama 384.6 | | |   Nagoya
Ōzone 387.1 R | HL*
Chikusa 389.8 R CL HL ■Higashiyama Line
Tsurumai 391.3 R | HL* ■Tsurumai Line
Kanayama 393.6 R CL HL
Sannō Junction 395.1   JR Freight Nagoyaminato Branch
Nagoya 396.9 R CL HL

Signals and junctions

Fumonji Junction

Rolling stock

Chūō East Line (JR East)

E233 series
115 series
E351 series on a Super Azusa service

New E233 series trains entered service on Tokyo-area commuter services from 26 December 2006. These trains are a development of the E231 series used on other commuter lines in the Tokyo area, and replaced the aging 201 series rolling stock introduced on the line in 1981.

From 2016, new E353 series EMUs are scheduled to be introduced on Azusa and Super Azusa limited express services, replacing the E351 and E257 series trains.[1]

Chūō West Line (JR Central)

383 series trainset on a Shinano service

Freight train

History

The Kobu Railway (甲武鉄道) opened the initial section of the Chūō Line from Shinjuku Station to Tachikawa Station in 1889.[2] The company then extended the line both westward and eastward (towards Tokyo) until it was nationalised in 1906. The Japanese Government Railways (JGR) then continued to extend the line, reaching Shiojiri the same year, and Tokyo (at Shōheibashi Station (昌平橋駅)) in 1908. The JGR also built the line from Nagoya, the first section opening in 1900, with the lines connecting in 1911. The Table below gives the section opening dates.

In 1904, the section between Iidamachi Station (formerly located between Suidōbashi Station and Iidabashi Station) and Nakano Station was the first urban electric railway in Japan using 600 V DC. Electrification was extended in 1919 and 1922, was increased to 1,200 V DC when extended to Tokyo in 1927, boosted again to 1,500 V DC in 1929, and reached Kofu in 1931. Electrification from the Nagano end was commissioned in sections from 1966, and the entire line was electrified by 1973.

Chūō Main Line construction timeline
Section Opening date Builder
East Line Tokyo 1 March 1919[3] JGR
Manseibashi †
1 April 1912[3]
Shōheibashi †
19 April 1908
Ochanomizu
31 December 1904 Kōbu
Iidamachi †
3 April 1895
Ushigome †
9 October 1894
Shinjuku
11 April 1889
Tachikawa
11 August 1889
Hachiōji
1 August 1901 JGR
Uenohara
1 June 1902
Torisawa
1 October 1902
Ōtsuki
1 February 1903
Kai-Yamato
(Hajikano)
11 June 1903
Kōfu
15 December 1903
Nirasaki
21 December 1904
Fujimi
25 November 1905
Okaya
5 July 1983[3]
(See note below)		 JNR
Shiojiri
West Line 1 December 1909 JGR
Yabuhara
5 October 1910
Miyanokoshi
1 May 1911
Kiso-Fukushima
25 November 1910
Agematsu
5 October 1910
Suhara
1 December 1909
Nojiri
1 September 1909
Nagiso (Midono)
15 July 1909
Sakashita
1 August 1908
Nakatsugawa
(Nakatsu)
21 December 1902
Tajimi
25 July 1900
Nagoya

Notes:

Former connecting lines

Kitaena train on the Kisogawa bridge, which still exists

Proposed connecting lines

Accidents

On September 12, 1997, a Super Azusa limited express bound for Matsumoto collided with a 201 series local train that failed to stop at a red signal while passing through Ōtsuki Station.

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  1. ↑ ＪＲ東日本　富士山観光見込み、中央線特急に新型車両 [JR East to introduce new trains on Chuo Line limited express services, eying Mt Fuji tourism]. Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). Japan: Sports Nippon Newspapers. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  2. ↑ http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/press/20070702/
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ishino, Tetsu, ed. (1998). 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR]. I. Japan: JTB. pp. 93–94. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
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