Hakodate Transportation Bureau

The Hakodate Transportation Bureau (函館市企業局交通部, Hakodate-shi Kigyōkyoku Kōtsūbu, lit. "Hakodate City Enterprises Bureau Transportation Division") is a public transport authority in Hakodate, Japan. The bureau currently operates only trams, although until 2003 it also ran a number of bus routes.

A 9600 series tramcar, known as Rakkuru-gō
Hakodate Haikara-gō is a vintage tramcar first operated in the city in 1918 and now restored for use on tourist runs in the summer

The Kikan Horsecar Railway (亀函馬車鉄道, Kikan Basha Tetsudō), a private horsecar operating company, opened Hakodate's first tramway line in 1897. The network was electrified in 1913. Following several changes of ownership, the Hakodate City Government finally took over control of the lines in 1943.

Hakodate City Tram

There were once twelve routes operating on six lines with a total length of 17.9 km. However, declining ridership led to closure of parts of the network in 1978, 1992, and 1993. The current network consists of two routes operating on four lines with a total length of 10.9 km.

  • Lines: Officially, there are four lines:
    • Main Line (本線): Hakodate-Dokku-mae — Jūjigai — Hakodate-Ekimae
    • Yunokawa Line (湯の川線): Matsukazechō — Yunokawa
    • Hōrai-Yachigashira Line (宝来・谷地頭線): Jūjigai — Yachigashira
    • Ōmori Line (大森線): Hakodate-Ekimae — Matsukazechō
  • Routes: There are two routes in regular service, using the above lines as follows:
■ Route 2 (2系統): Yunokawa — Matsukazechō — Hakodate-Ekimae — Jūjigai — Yachigashira
■ Route 5 (5系統): Yunokawa — Matsukazechō — Hakodate-Ekimae — Jūjigai — Hakodate-Dokku-mae

For most of the day, trams run every ten minutes on each route, or every five minutes on the section between Yunokawa and Jūjigai, which is shared by both routes. After 19.00 the frequency is reduced to one tram every twenty minutes on each route, or every ten minutes on the shared section.

Ikasu Card, a magnetic prepaid card, is accepted for payment of fares.

See also
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