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Railway line in Japan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Keiyō Line (京葉線, Keiyō-sen) is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba in Japan, paralleling the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line forms part of what JR East refers to as the "Tokyo Mega Loop" (東京メガループ) around Tokyo, consisting of the Keiyō Line, Musashino Line, Nambu Line, and Yokohama Line.[2] It provides the main rail access to Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center.
Keiyō Line | |||
---|---|---|---|
JE | |||
Overview | |||
Native name | 京葉線 | ||
Status | Operational | ||
Owner | JR East | ||
Locale | Tokyo, Chiba Prefecture | ||
Termini | |||
Stations | 19 | ||
Service | |||
Type | Commuter rail | ||
Operator(s) | JR East | ||
Depot(s) | Narashino | ||
Rolling stock | E233-5000 series, 209-500 series | ||
Daily ridership | 714,053 (Daily 2015)[1] | ||
History | |||
Opened | 1975 | ||
Technical | |||
Line length | 43 km (27 mi) | ||
Character | Underground, at-grade, elevated | ||
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||
Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead catenary | ||
Operating speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) | ||
|
The terminus at Tokyo Station is located underground, some distance to the south of the main station complex approximately halfway to Yūrakuchō Station. This means transferring between other lines at Tokyo Station can take between 15 and 20 minutes.
The name "Keiyō" is derived from the second character of the names of the locations linked by the line, Tokyo (東京) and Chiba (千葉). It should not be confused with the Keiō Line, a privately operated commuter line in western Tokyo.
With the JR East timetable revision on 16 March 2024, the Keiyo line now has reduced rapid services across the day, and an abolishment of the commuter rapid services during rush hours. Specifically, rapid trains no longer operated in the morning and evening rush hours, with only 2 rapid services originating in Soga remaining. During these times of the day, only local all-stop trains operated. Subsequently, the Wakashio and Sazanami toll limited express services are the only express services from the Uchibo and Sotobo lines during rush hours.
Following the timetable revision, the government of Chiba condemned this action, stating that it has caused inconveniences for commuters to and from central Tokyo that travel long distances from Chiba, as local trains take a maximum of 15 minutes longer than rapid services across the entirety of the line. Some have theorised that this is a strategy by the Tokyo government to centralise the population around the city's core, discouraging long distance commutes.
No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Keiyō Line |
Musashino Line (thru) |
Transfers | Location | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between stations |
Total | Local | Rapid | Musashino-Chiba | Musashino-Tokyo | ||||||
TYOJE01 |
Tokyo | 東京 | - | 0.0 | ● | ● | ● |
|
Chiyoda | Tokyo | |
JE02 | Hatchōbori | 八丁堀 | 1.2 | 1.2 | ● | ● | ● | H Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (H-12) | Chūō | ||
JE03 | Etchūjima | 越中島 | 1.6 | 2.8 | ● | | | ● | Kōtō | |||
JE04 | Shiomi | 潮見 | 2.6 | 5.4 | ● | | | ● | ||||
JE05 | Shin-Kiba | 新木場 | 2.0 | 7.4 | ● | ● | ● |
| |||
JE06 | Kasai-Rinkai Park | 葛西臨海公園 | 3.2 | 10.6 | ● | | | ● | Edogawa | |||
JE07 | Maihama | 舞浜 | 2.1 | 12.7 | ● | ● | ● | Disney Resort Line (Resort Gateway) | Urayasu | Chiba | |
JE08 | Shin-Urayasu | 新浦安 | 3.4 | 16.1 | ● | ● | ● | ||||
JE09 | Ichikawashiohama | 市川塩浜 | 2.1 | 18.2 | ● | | | ● | Ichikawa | |||
JM10 | Nishi-Funabashi | 西船橋 | 5.9 | 24.1 | ∥ [* 1] |
∥ | ● | ● |
|
Funabashi | |
JE10 | Futamatashimmachi | 二俣新町 | 4.4 | 22.6 | ● | | | ∥ [* 2] |
Distance is from Ichikawashiohama | Ichikawa | ||
JE11 | Minami-Funabashi | 南船橋 | 3.4 | 26.0 | ● | ● | ● | Distance between Nishi-Funabashi and Minami-Funabashi is 5.4 km | Funabashi | ||
JE12 | Shin-Narashino | 新習志野 | 2.3 | 28.3 | ● | | | ● | Narashino | |||
JE13 | Makuharitoyosuna | 幕張豊砂 | 1.7 | 30.0 | ● | | | ● | New station which opened on 18 March 2023.[4][5][6] | Mihama-ku, Chiba | ||
JE14 | Kaihimmakuhari | 海浜幕張 | 1.7 | 31.7 | ● | ● | ● | ||||
JE15 | Kemigawahama | 検見川浜 | 2.0 | 33.7 | ● | ● | |||||
JE16 | Inagekaigan | 稲毛海岸 | 1.6 | 35.3 | ● | ● | |||||
JE17 | Chibaminato | 千葉みなと | 3.7 | 39.0 | ● | ● | Chiba Urban Monorail: Line 1 | Chūō-ku, Chiba | |||
JE18 | Soga | 蘇我 | 4.0 | 43.0 | ● | ● |
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All Keiyō Line and Musashino Line rolling stock is based at the Keiyō Rolling Stock Center near Shin-Narashino Station.
Inter-running from the Musashino Line to the Keiyō Line commenced on 1 December 1988.[12]
The Keiyo Line was initially planned as a freight-only line. Its first section opened on 10 May 1975 as a 6.5 km (4.0 mi) link between the Chiba Freight Terminal (now the Mihama New Port Resort between Inagekaigan and Chibaminato Stations) and the freight yard next to Soga Station.[13] Passenger service began on 3 March 1986 between Minami-Funabashi and Chibaminato, and was extended east to Soga and west to Shin-Kiba on 1 December 1988.[13]
The final section of the Keiyo Line between Tokyo and Shin-Kiba opened on 10 March 1990.[13] The platforms at Tokyo Station were originally built to accommodate the Narita Shinkansen, a planned (but never built) high-speed rail line between central Tokyo and Narita International Airport.[14]
Planners originally envisioned the Keiyo Line interfacing with the Rinkai Line at Shin-Kiba, thus providing a through rail connection between Chiba and the Tokyo Freight Terminal in eastern Shinagawa, and also completing the outer loop for freight trains around Tokyo formed by the Musashino Line. This original plan would also allow through service with the Tokaido Main Line, allowing freight trains from central and western Japan to reach Chiba and points east.
However, in the 1990s, as the artificial island of Odaiba began developing as a commercial and tourist area in the middle of the Rinkai Line route, the Rinkai Line was re-purposed for use as a passenger line. While there is a through connection between the Rinkai Line and the Keiyo Line, it is only used by passenger trains in charter service, usually carrying groups to the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Effective from the timetable revision scheduled for 16 March 2024, all rapid and commuter rapid services on the Keiyō Line are set to be discontinued during both the morning and evening rush hour, leaving local service as the only service variation during these time periods.[19] However, following requests from local and prefectural governments, two westbound rapid services to Tokyo Station in the morning rush were reinstated by JR East for the upcoming schedule revision.[20]
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