Chūō Main Line

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

The Chūō Main Line (中央本線 Chūō-honsen?), commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the trunk lines of JR in Japan. It runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest railway connection between the two cities, with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen being much faster.

The eastern portion, the Chūō East Line (中央東線 Chūō-tōsen?), is run by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), while the western portion, the Chūō West Line (中央西線 Chūō-saisen?), is run by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). The dividing point between the two jurisdictions is Shiojiri Station, where express trains from both ends spur off to the Shinonoi Line, a route to the major cities of Matsumoto and Nagano. Despite the huge urban areas at either end of the Chūō Line, its central portion is very lightly travelled: the Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa corridor is only served by bi-hourly local trains and hourly express trains.

Route of Chūō Main Line is quite mountainous through central Honshu Island. Its highest point (around Fujimi station) is about 900 meters height and many of the line consists of 25/1000 gradient. In Chūō East Line section, high mountain ranges called Japan Alps, such as Mount Yatsugatake, is viewed from train. Chūō West Line runs along Nakasendō old highway known for Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku historical town, and steep Kiso Valley.

Contents

[edit] Routes

  • Entire Route (Tokyo - Nagoya including branch): 424.6 km
  • East Line (Tokyo - Shiojiri): 222.1 km
    • Tokyo - Kanda: 1.3 km (alongside Tōhoku Main Line)
    • Kanda - Yoyogi: 8.3 km
    • Yoyogi - Shinjuku: 0.7 km (alongside Yamanote Line)
    • Shinjuku - Shiojiri: 211.8 km
  • East Line Tatsuno Branch (Okaya - Tatsuno - Shiojiri): 27.7 km
  • West Line (Shiojiri - Nagoya): 174.8 km

[edit] 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.

[edit] Tokyo - Mitaka

See also: Chūō Rapid Line and Chūō-Sōbu Line

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 in every station and 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 express trains. The Tokyo-Mitaka portion is a vital cross-town rail link, and also the city's best-known suicide location due to the high speed and cramped schedule of the trains.

The commuter services on the rapid tracks are collectively called the Chūō Rapid Line (中央快速線 Chūō Kaisoku-sen?) or the Chūō Line (Rapid) (中央線快速 Chūō-sen Kaisoku?) in comparison with the Chūō-Sōbu Line on the local tracks. Locals often call the former as 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 orange-colored belt for the Chūō Rapid Line and cars with yellow-colored belt for the Chūō-Sōbu Line. Signs at stations also use these colors to indicate the services.

This section is entirely in Tokyo.

Legends for the table

  • Local trains:
    • S: Chūō-Sōbu Line local trains
    • L: Local trains from/to Tokyo operating during early morning and late night hours using rapid train cars
    • T: Local trains through to Tozai Line
  • Rapid trains (Chūō Rapid Line):
    • R: Rapid (快速 Kaisoku?)
    • C: Commuter Rapid (通勤快速 Tsūkin Kaisoku?)
    • S: Chūō Special Rapid (中央特快 Chūō Tokkai?) / Ōme Special Rapid (青梅特快 Ōme Tokkai?) through to Ōme Line
    • T: Commuter Special Rapid (通勤特快 Tsūkin Tokkai?)
  • Trains pass stations marked with a vertical bar.
Station Distance
(km)		 Stops
(See legends above)		 Transfers Location
Local Rapid
S L T R C S T
Tokyo 0.0 L R C S T

JR East

JR Central

Tokyo Metro

 Chiyoda
Kanda 1.3 L R C S T

JR East

  • Yamanote Line
  • Keihin-Tōhoku Line

Tokyo Metro
Ochanomizu 2.6 S L R C S T

JR East

Tokyo Metro
Suidōbashi 3.4 S L | | | |

Toei
Iidabashi 3.4 S L T1 | | | |

Tokyo Metro
Ichigaya 5.8 S L | | | |

Tokyo Metro

  • Yūrakuchō Line
  • Namboku Line

Toei:
Yotsuya 6.6 S L R C S T

Tokyo Metro

  • Marunouchi Line
  • Namboku Line
Shinanomachi 7.9 S L | | | |   Shinjuku
Sendagaya 8.6 S L | | | |

Toei

 Shibuya
Yoyogi 9.6 S L | | | |

JR East

  • Yamanote Line

Toei

  • Ōedo Line
Shinjuku 10.3 S L R C S T

JR East

Odakyu Electric Railway

Keio Electric Railway

Tokyo Metro

  • Marunouchi Line

Toei

  • Shinjuku Line
  • Ōedo Line
 Shinjuku
Ōkubo 11.7 S L | | | |  
Higashi-Nakano 12.8 S L | | | |

Toei

  • Ōedo Line
 Nakano
Nakano 14.7 S L T R C S2 |

Tokyo Metro

  • Tōzai 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 Electric Railway

 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 don't stop Nakano.
3: Rapid trains pass these stations on weekends.

[edit] Mitaka - Takao

See also: Chūō Rapid Line

The four-track section ends at Mitaka. Currently, construction is ongoing between Mitaka and Tachikawa to elevate the tracks and eliminate level crossings; this section of the line is notorious for its level crossings which can be shut for upwards of an hour during rush hour. Further plans have been proposed to add another two tracks as far as Tachikawa; however, this will not be included in the track elevation, due to be completed between 2008-2011.

This section is also all 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 Railway: 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
  • Seibu Railway
    • Kokubunji Line
    • Tamako Line
 Kokubunji
Nishi-Kokubunji 32.8 S L R | | | JR East: 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 Keio Corporation: Takao Line

[edit] Takao - Shiojiri

Most of the rapid service trains from Tokyo turn 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 LE turns at Kōfu, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture, while the Azusa and Super Azusa continue beyond Shiojiri to 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 Fuji Kyūkō: Fuji Kyūkō 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 Central Japan Railway (JR Central): 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 East Japan Railway Company (JR East): Koumi Line
Shinano-Sakai 178.2   Fujimi Nagano
Fujimi 182.9  
Suzurannosato 186.1  
Aoyagi 188.0   Chino
Chino 195.2  
Fumonji signal box (198.9)   Suwa
Kami-Suwa 201.9  
Shimo-Suwa 206.3   Shimosuwa
Okaya 210.4
  • JR East: Chūō Line (For Tatsuno)
 Okaya
Midoriko 218.2   Shiojiri
Shiojiri 222.1

[edit] 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 East Japan Railway Company (JR East): Chūō Line (for Kami-Suwa, Midoriko) Okaya Nagano
Kawagishi 213.9  
Tatsuno 219.9 Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central): Iida Line Tatsuno
Shinano-Kawashima 224.2  
Ono 228.2  
Shiojiri 238.1
  • JR East
  • JR Central: Chūō Line (for Kiso-Fukushima)
 Shiojiri

[edit] 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 player of 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 Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central): Chūō Line (for Tajimi, Nagoya)

[edit] Nakatsugawa - Nagoya

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

Legends:

  • R: Rapid
  • CL: Central Liner
  • HL: Home Liner (Only part of Home Liner trains stop at stations marked with an asterisk.)
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   Ena
Takenami 334.0 R CL |  
Kamado 339.4 R CL |   Mizunami
Mizunami 346.8 R CL HL  
Toki-shi 353.7 R CL HL   Toki
Tajimi 360.7 R CL HL

JR Central

 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 Company
Shin-Moriyama 384.6 | | |   Nagoya
Ōzone 387.1 R | HL*

Nagoya Railroad

  • ♦ Seto Line

Nagoya Guideway Bus

Nagoya Municipal Subway
Chikusa 389.8 R CL HL

Nagoya Municipal Subway
Tsurumai 391.3 R | HL*

Nagoya Municipal Subway
Kanayama 393.6 R CL HL

JR Central

Nagoya Railroad

Nagoya Municipal Subway
Sannō S.B. 395.1 (Signal Box)

JR Freight

  • Tōkaidō Main Line "Nagoyaminato Branch"
Nagoya 396.9 R CL HL

JR Central

Kintetsu

Nagoya Railroad

Nagoya Municipal Subway

Nagoya Seaside Rapid Railway

[edit] Rolling stock

[edit] Chūō East Line

E233 series
E233 series
115 series
115 series
E351 series
E351 series

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

[edit] Chūō West Line

383 series trainset on Shinano service
383 series trainset on Shinano service

[edit] Freight train

[edit] History

The oldest portion of the Chūō Line is the segment from Shinjuku Station to Tachikawa Station, which dates back to 1889. The extension westward continued through the turn of the century, with Hachiōji Station and eastern Yamanashi prefecture in 1901, and Kōfu in 1903. The West Line from Nagoya started in 1900. The East and West lines were connected in 1911.

The section between Iidamachi Station (formerly located between Suidōbashi Station and Iidabashi Station) and Nakano Station was the first urban electric railway in Japan.

History of the Chūō Main Line construction
Section Date of opening Builder
East Line Tokyo 1919-03-01 JGR
Manseibashi †
1912-04-01
Shōheibashi †
1908-04-19
Ochanomizu
1904-12-31 Kōbu
Iidamachi †
1895-04-03
Ushigome †
1894-10-09
Shinjuku
1889-04-11
Tachikawa
1889-08-11
Hachiōji
1901-08-01 JGR
Uenohara
1902-06-01
Torisawa
1902-10-01
Ōtsuki
1903-02-01
Kai-Yamato
(Hajikano)
1903-06-11
Kōfu
1903-12-15
Nirasaki
1904-12-21
Fujimi
1905-11-25
Okaya
1983-07-05
(See note below)		 JNR
Shiojiri
West Line 1909-12-01 JGR
Yabuhara
1910-10-05
Miyanokoshi
1911-05-01
Kiso-Fukushima
1910-11-25
Agematsu
1910-10-05
Suhara
1909-12-01
Nojiri
1909-09-01
Nagiso (Midono)
1909-07-15
Sakashita
1908-08-01
Nakatsugawa
(Nakatsu)
1902-12-21
Tajimi
1900-07-25
Nagoya

Notes:

  • The section between Okaya Station and Shiojiri Station is the new route that replaced the old route opened on June 11, 1906 by JGR.
  • Station names in parentheses are original names.
  • Stations marked † are now closed.
  • Prior to the connection of the East Line and the West Line in 1911, the section between Shiojiri Station and Miyanokoshi Station belonged to the East Line.

[edit] External links

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Mass transit in the Tokyo area (Number of lines indicated in parentheses)
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