Geibi Line

The Geibi Line (芸備線, Geibi-sen) is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in the mountainous area of the Chūgoku region in Japan. It begins at Bitchū Kōjiro Station on the west side of Niimi, Okayama Prefecture, connecting through Miyoshi Station in Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture, and terminating at Hiroshima Station in Hiroshima. In addition to the Chūgoku Expressway, the Geibi Line is considered the main commuter and local rail line covering the route between northern Hiroshima Prefecture and the city of Hiroshima. The name of the line refers to the ancient provinces of Aki (安芸) (in Hiroshima Prefecture) and Bitchū (備中) (in Okayama Prefecture), which the line connects.

Geibi Line
A Geibi Line KiHa 120 DMU
Overview
Native name	芸備線
Status	In operation
Owner	JR West
Locale	Hiroshima and Okayama Prefectures
Termini	Bitchū Kōjiro Hiroshima
Stations	44
Service
Type	Commuter rail line
System	Hiroshima City Network (Karuga–Hiroshima)
Operator(s)	JR West
Rolling stock	KiHa 120 series DMU, KiHa 40 series DMU
History
Opened	28 April 1915; 109 years ago (1915-04-28)
Technical
Line length	159.1 km (98.9 mi)
Number of tracks	Entirely Single-tracked
Character	Rural and urban
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
Signalling	Automatic closed block
Train protection system	ATS-SW
Route map km - Niimi - Nunohara Two tunnels Hakubi Line 0.0 Bitchū Kōjiro Merge to Hakubi Line 3.9 Sakane 6.4 Ichioka 10.0 Yagami 13.6 Nochi 18.8 Tōjō 25.3 Bingo Yawata 29.0 Uchina 33.6 Onuka 37.8 Dōgoyama Four tunnels 44.6 Bingo Ochiai Kisuki Line Three tunnels 50.2 Hibayama 53.2 Bingo Saijō Saijō River 57.4 Hirako 68.5 Taka 68.5 Bingo Shōbara 70.5 Bingo Mikkaichi 72.2 Nanatsuka 75.2 Yamanouchi Chūgoku Expressway 80.1 Shimowachi Fukuen Line / Basen River 83.2 Shiomachi 84.7 Kamisugi Chūgoku Expressway 88.0 Yatsugi 90.3 Miyoshi Sankō Line 91.9 Nishi Miyoshi Two tunnels 99.6 Shiwachi 102.2 Kamikawatachi 106.5 Kōtachi 109.9 Yoshidaguchi 116.1 Mukaihara 122.0 Ibaraichi 126.0 Shiwaguchi 129.5 Kamimita 134.0 Nakamita 136.3 Shirakiyama 138.5 Karuga 140.7 Kamifukawa 143.5 Nakafukawa 144.9 Shimofukawa 146.8 Kumura Sanyō Expressway 149.3 Akiyaguchi 152.1 Hesaka 156.9 Yaga Hiroshima Prefectural Route 70 159.1 Hiroshima Hiroden Main Line San'yō Main Line Sanyō Shinkansen This diagram: view talk edit

Since 2007, the ICOCA card can be used in all stations between Hiroshima Station and Karuga Station (stations in the Hiroshima City Network).

The majority of the line was out of service after a bridge was destroyed in the 2018 Japan floods. The entire line reopened in October 2019.

The line is one of the least used and least profitable in the JR West network, with average daily ridership of just 13 people (slightly more than two per train) on its least trafficked segment. The segment between Bitchu Kojiro and Bingo Yawata runs at an annual loss of JPY 700 million, while the segment between Tojo and Bingo Shobara is both circuitous and speed-restricted, making it less attractive than bus service. However, local authorities along the route have refused to discuss alternative transportation options with JR West.^[1]

Station list

Listed in order from Bitchū Kōjiro Station to Hiroshima Station, though the chart shows through Niimi Station for convenience as all Geibi Line trains originate and terminate at Niimi.

• A ● indicates a station at which a Rapid train stops, and ｜ indicates a station at which a Rapid train does not stop. In addition, Rapid trains are only operated from Niimi to Bingo Ochiai in one direction, and thus the stations it skips are marked ↓. Local trains stop at all stations.
• The section of the Geibi Line between Karuga and Hiroshima forms part of the Hiroshima City Network.

Line	No.	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Rapid	Rapid Miyoshi Liner	Transfers	Location
Hakubi Line		Niimi	新見		●		Hakubi Line (for Kurashiki) Kishin Line	Niimi	Okayama Prefecture
		Nunohara	布原		↓
		Bitchū Kōjiro	備中神代	0.0	↓		Hakubi Line (for Hōki-Daisen)
Geibi Line
		Sakane	坂根	3.9	↓
		Ichioka	市岡	6.4	↓
		Yagami	矢神	10.0	●
		Nochi	野馳	13.6	↓
		Tōjō	東城	18.8	●			Shōbara	Hiroshima Prefecture
		Bingo Yawata	備後八幡	25.3	●
		Uchina	内名	29.0	●
		Onuka	小奴可	33.6	●
		Dōgoyama	道後山	37.8	●
		Bingo Ochiai	備後落合	44.6	●		Kisuki Line
		Hibayama	比婆山	50.2
		Bingo Saijō	備後西城	53.2
		Hirako	平子	57.4
		Taka	高	62.3
		Bingo Shōbara	備後庄原	68.5
		Bingo Mikkaichi	備後三日市	70.5
		Nanatsuka	七塚	72.2
		Yamanouchi	山ノ内	75.2
		Shimowachi	下和知	80.1				Miyoshi
		Shiomachi	塩町	83.2			Fukuen Line (for Fukuyama)
		Kamisugi	神杉	84.7
		Yatsugi	八次	88.0
		Miyoshi	三次	90.3		●	Fukuen Line
		Nishi Miyoshi	西三次	91.9		｜
		Shiwachi	志和地	99.6		｜
		Kamikawatachi	上川立	102.2		｜
		Kōtachi	甲立	106.5		●		Akitakata
		Yoshidaguchi	吉田口	109.9		｜
		Mukaihara	向原	116.1		●
		Ibaraichi	井原市	122.0		｜		Asakita-ku, Hiroshima
		Shiwaguchi	志和口	126.0		●
		Kamimita	上三田	129.5		｜
		Nakamita	中三田	134.0		｜
		Shirakiyama	白木山	136.3		｜
	JR-P09	Karuga	狩留家	138.5		｜
	JR-P08	Kamifukawa	上深川	140.7		｜
	JR-P07	Nakafukawa	中深川	143.5		｜
	JR-P06	Shimofukawa	下深川	144.9		●
	JR-P05	Kumura	玖村	146.8		●
	JR-P04	Akiyaguchi	安芸矢口	149.3		●
	JR-P03	Hesaka	戸坂	152.1		●		Higashi-ku, Hiroshima
	JR-P02	Yaga	矢賀	156.9		●
	JR-P01	Hiroshima	広島	159.1		●	Sanyo Shinkansen Sanyo Main Line ■M Hiroshima Electric Railway Main Line	Minami-ku, Hiroshima

Former connecting lines

• Sankō Line (closed 1 April 2018) – Miyoshi Station

Rolling stock

The following diesel multiple unit (DMU) rolling stock currently operate on the Geibi Line:

KiHa 120	KiHa 47	KiHa 47
Type 120 DMU	Hiroshima livery	Metropolitan area livery

History

The Geibi Line consists of the section opened by the Geibi Railway, which connected Hiroshima Station and Bingo Shōbara, the Shōbara Line between Bingo Shōbara and Bingo Ochiai which was partly built by the Geibi Railway and then nationalised and extended by the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) and the Sanshin Line built by the JGR between Onuka and Bitchū Kōjiro. In 1936, the line between Hiroshima and Bitchū Kōjiro was completed, and the Geibi Railway was nationalised the following year, bringing the entire line under the control of the JGR. Opening dates for individual sections are given below.

Geibi Railway

• 18 April 1915: The Geibi Railway opened between Higashi Hiroshima (different from the current Higashi-Hiroshima Station) and Shiwachi.
• 1 June 1915: The line is extended from Shiwachi to Miyoshi (the current Nishi Miyoshi Station).
• 15 April 1916: Hesaka Station opens.
• 15 July 1920: The line between Hiroshima and Higashi Hiroshima opens. JNR Hiroshima Station opens.
• 7 June 1922: The line between Miyoshi (the current Nishi Miyoshi Station) and Shiomachi (the current Kamisugi Station) opens.
• 8 December 1923: The line between Shiomachi (the current Kamisugi Station) and Bingo Shōbara opens.
• 20 September 1924: Nakafukawa Station and Yamanouchi Station open.
• 1 February 1925: Wadamura Station becomes Shimowachi Station.
• 20 March 1929: Yaga Station and Kamifukawa Station open.
• 1 January 1930: Shirakiyamaguchi Station, Mita Yoshinaga Station, and Tōkaichi Station open.
• 22 April 1930: Takō Station (the current Shiomachi Station) opens.
• 25 April 1930: Mikkaichi Station opens.

Shōbara Line

• 1 June 1933: Tōkaichi Station is renamed Bingo Tōkaichi Station and Mikkaichi Station is renamed Bingo Mikkaichi Station. The Geibi Railway line between Bingo Tōkaichi Station (the current Miyoshi Station) and Bingo Shōbara Station is nationalized and renamed the Shōbara Line.
• 1 January 1934: Shiomachi Station is renamed Kamisugi Station, and Takō Station is renamed Shiomachi Station.
• 15 March 1934: The line between Bingo Shōbara Station and Bingo Saijō Station opens.
• 20 December 1935: The line between Bingo Saijō Station and Bingo Ochiai Station opened.

Sanshin Line

• 10 February 1930: The Sanshin Line opens between Bitchū Kōjiro Station and Yagami Station.
• 25 November 1930: The line opens between Yagami Station and Tōjō Station.
• 15 June 1935: The line between Tōjō Station and Onuka Station opens.
• 10 October 1936: The line between Onuka Station and Bingo Ochia Station opens. The Shōbara Line is absorbed into the Sanshin Line, which now includes everything between Bitchū Kōjiro Station and Bingo Tōkaichi Station.
• 21 November 1936: Dōgoyama Station opens.

Geibi Line

• 1 July 1937: The Geibi Railway line between Hiroshima Station and Bingo Tōkaichi Station is nationalized, and the Sanshin Line is absorbed into the Geibi Line. Kawatachi Station is renamed Kamikawatachi Station, Mita Yoshinaga Station is renamed Kamimita Station, Shirakiyamaguchi Station is renamed Shirakiyama Station, and Yaguchi Station is renamed Akiyaguchi Station.
• 10 August 1941: Kamifukawa Station and Yaga Station close.
• 28 October 1942: Yaga Station closes, and a signal box is installed.
• 2 April 1943: Yaga Station reopens.
• 10 August 1948: Kamifukawa Station reopens.
• 1 February 1952: Hirako Station opens.
• 1 October 1953: Ichioka Station opens.
• 10 November 1954: The former Miyoshi Station is renamed Nishi Miyoshi Station.
• 10 December 1954: Bingo Tōkaichi Station is renamed Miyoshi Station.
• 20 July 1955: Uchina Station opens.
• 11 November 1955: The Chidori service begins.
• 20 December 1956: Bingo Kumano Station is renamed Hibayama Station.
• 13 April 1959: The Chidori is upgraded to a local express train.
• 15 March 1962: The Taishaku service begins.
• 5 March 1968: The Taishaku and Chidori services are upgraded to regular express trains.
• 1 March 1983: The line between Miyoshi Station and Hiroshima Station uses CTC.
• 31 October 1983: The line between Bitchū Kōjiro and Miyoshi uses CTC.
• 15 March 1985: The Miyoshi express service begins.
• 1 November 1986: Freight service is discontinued on the Geibi Line.
• 1 April 1987: The Geibi Line becomes part of West Japan Railway Company following privatization of Japanese National Railways.
• 1 April 1991: Wanman driver-only operation commences on the line between Niimi and Miyoshi.
• 1 November 1991: The line between Miyoshi and Hiroshima is converted to wanman driver-only operation.
• 22 March 2002: The Chidori and Taishaku express services are absorbed into the Miyoshi express service.
• 1 October 2003: The Miyoshi Liner and Tsūkin Liner services begin.
• 23 April 2006: The Geibi Line is moved between Kamikawatachi and Kōtachi following widening of Hiroshima Prefectural Route 37 between Hiroshima and Miyoshi.
• 19 July 2006: Services between Bingo Ochiai and Bingo Saijō are suspended due to storm damage of the Geibi Line. An interim bus service begins the following day.
• 1 April 2007: Train service is resumed between Bingo Ochiai and Bingo Saijō.
• 1 July 2007: Miyoshi express services are discontinued, and Tsūkin Liner rapid services are integrated into Miyoshi Liner rapid services.^[2]
• 7 July 2018: The 2018 Japan floods result in damage to the line in several places, most significantly destroying the bridge over the Misasagawa River between Shirakiyama and Karuga stations, resulting in the closure of the entire line.^[3]
• 23 July 2018: The Hiroshima – Shimofukawa section of the line is reopened. JR West advises replacement of the Misasagawa Bridge is expected to take up to a year.
• 25 August 2018: The Karuga – Shimofukawa section of the line is reopened.
• 27 August 2018: The Bitchū Kōjiro – Tōjō section of the line is reopened.
• 31 August 2018: The Tōjō – Bingo Ochiai section of the line is reopened.
• 4 October 2018: The Bingo Shōbara – Miyoshi section of the line is reopened.
• 20 December 2018: The Bingo Ochiai – Bingo Shōbara section of the line is reopened.
• 4 April 2019: The Miyoshi – Nakamita section of the line is reopened. However, trains only operate in the morning and evening hours (Operations were suspended from 25 July to 31 August).
• 23 October 2019: The Nakamita – Karuga section of the line is reopened. The entire line reopened after 1 year and 3 months from the 2018 Japan floods.
• 9 March 2020: A KiHa 120 car derails near Bingo Yawata station, causing a temporary closure of the line between Tōjō and Bingo Ochiai.^[4]
• 8 June 2021: JR West initiated a work group with local communities along the Bingo-Shōbara – Niimi section to assess the future of the line. According to JR West data, on average only 81 passengers use the line between Bitchū-Kōjiro and Tōjō, 11 between Tōjō and Bingo-Ochiai and 215 between Bingo-Ochiai and Miyoshi. Due to the lack of patronage, JR West is considering to abolish the aforementioned section and replace it with bus services.^[5]

See also

• List of railway lines in Japan

References

1. "乗客は1日13人…JR西が困り果てる「赤字ローカル線」1ミリも譲らない地元自治体の言い分とは？". ダイヤモンド・オンライン (in Japanese). 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
2. 平成19年夏のダイヤ改正（広島・山口エリア） [Summer 2007 timetable revision (Hiroshima and Yamaguchi area)]. News release (in Japanese). Japan: West Japan Railway Company. 9 May 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
3. "10 rail sections out of service for over a month in flood-hit region：The Asahi Shimbun". Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
4. "線路上に土砂、快速列車が横転 広島・芸備線、乗客なし：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 9 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
5. "廃線危機の芸備線一部区間 JR発足時から大きく変化したダイヤ 途中で急行化し広島へ". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 June 2021.