Jōetsu Line

The Joetsu Line (上越線, Jōetsu-sen) is a major railway line in Japan, owned by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Takasaki Station in Gunma Prefecture with Miyauchi Station in Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kanto region and the Sea of Japan coast of the Chūbu region. The name refers to the old provinces of Kōzuke (上野) and Echigo (越後), which the line connects.

Joetsu Line
211 series local train (Kamimoku - Minakami)
Overview
Native name上越線
LocaleGunma, Niigata prefectures
TerminiTakasaki
Miyauchi
Stations34
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR East
History
Opened1920
Technical
Line length162.6 km (101.03 mi)
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Route map

Services

Before the opening of the Jōetsu Shinkansen in 1982, the Joetsu Line had frequent service by express trains connecting Tokyo and Niigata. With the opening of the Jōetsu Shinkansen, however, the line became dominated by local and freight trains.

The branch of the Jōetsu Shinkansen between Echigo-Yuzawa Station and Gala-Yuzawa Station (the Gala-Yuzawa Line) technically belongs to the Joetsu Line.

Stations
Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
Between
Stations		 Total
Takasaki 高崎 - 0.0
Takasaki Gunma
Takasakitonyamachi 高崎問屋町 2.8 2.8  
Ino 井野 1.2 4.0  
Shin-Maebashi 新前橋 3.3 7.3 ■Ryōmō Line Maebashi
Gumma-Sōja 群馬総社 4.8 12.1  
Yagihara 八木原 5.6 17.7   Shibukawa
Shibukawa 渋川 3.4 21.1 ■Agatsuma Line
Shikishima 敷島 6.4 27.5  
Tsukuda 津久田 3.0 30.5  
Iwamoto 岩本 5.8 36.3   Numata
Numata 沼田 5.0 41.3  
Gokan 後閑 5.2 46.5   Minakami, Tone District
Kamimoku 上牧 7.1 53.6  
Minakami 水上 5.4 59.0  
Yubiso 湯檜曽 3.7 62.7  
Doai 土合 6.6 69.3  
Tsuchitaru 土樽 10.8 80.1   Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District Niigata
Echigo-Nakazato 越後中里 7.3 87.4  
Iwappara-Skiing Ground 岩原スキー場前 3.7 91.1  
Echigo-Yuzawa 越後湯沢 3.1 94.2
Ishiuchi 石打 6.4 100.6   Minamiuonuma
Ōsawa 大沢 4.0 104.6  
Jōetsu International Skiing Ground 上越国際スキー場前 1.0 105.6  
Shiozawa 塩沢 2.3 107.9  
Muikamachi 六日町 3.9 111.8 ■Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line
Itsukamachi 五日町◇ 6.6 118.4  
Urasa 浦佐 5.5 123.9 Jōetsu Shinkansen
Yairo 八色 3.1 127.0  
Koide 小出 5.2 132.2 ■Tadami Line Uonuma
Echigo-Horinouchi 越後堀之内 2.5 134.7  
Kita-Horinouchi 北堀之内 3.4 138.1  
Echigo-Kawaguchi 越後川口 4.7 142.8 ■Iiyama Line Nagaoka
Ojiya 小千谷 6.6 149.4   Ojiya
Echigo-Takiya 越後滝谷 7.2 156.6   Nagaoka
Miyauchi 宮内 6.0 162.6 ■Shinetsu Main Line (for Naoetsu)
Through to Nagaoka on the Shinetsu Main Line
Nagaoka 長岡 1.6 165.6
  • Jōetsu Shinkansen
  • ■Shinetsu Main Line (for Niigata)
 Nagaoka Niigata

Rolling stock

Takasaki - Shin-Maebashi (through service with the Ryomo Line)

Takasaki—Minakami

Four-car 211 series EMUs entered service on the section between Takasaki and Minakami from 23 August 2016.[1]

  • A 115 series EMU between Gokan Station and Kamimoku Station in February 2017
  • A 211-3000 series EMU

Present

Former

History
Shimizu Tunnel
Kedosawa Bridge

The Nippon Railway opened the Takasaki to Maebashi (now Shinmaebashi) section in 1884. The company was nationalised in 1906.

The first railway between Niigata and the east coast of Honshu was the Ban'etsu West Line, completed in 1914. In 1920, it was decided to build the Jōetsu Line as a more direct route between Tokyo and Niigata. The Miyauchi to Echigo-Yuzawa section opened in stages between 1920 and 1925, and the Shinmaebashi to Minakami section of the line opened in stages between 1921 and 1928.

In 1931, with the completion of the 9,702 m Shimizu tunnel, the Echigo-Yuzawa - Minakami section of the line opened, including electrification at 1,500 V DC between Echigo-Yuzawa and Ishiuchi. When completed, the line shortened the Ueno to Niigata route by 98 km, and included two spiral sections in the tunnels.

In 1947, the Takasaki to Minakami and Ishiuchi to Miyauchi sections were electrified, making this one of the first non-urban JNR lines to be completely electrified.

The Takasaki to Shinmaebashi section was double-tracked in 1957, and the rest of the line was double-tracked between 1961 and 1967, the final section involving the construction of the 13,500 m Arashimizu tunnel. Passengers catching Miyauchi-bound trains at Yubiso and Doai stations do so from platforms situated within the Arashimizu tunnel.

Service disruptions

The 2004 Chūetsu earthquake seriously damaged the Jōetsu Line, closing the Minakami to Miyauchi section for about two months. Single-line operation at speeds limited to 30–45 km/h then resumed, being raised to 45–65 km/h four months after the earthquake, and the second track reopened, also with speed restrictions, 5 months after the quake. Full service was restored 9 months after the line had first closed.

In late July 2011, torrential rainfall damage resulted in the closure of the Echigo-Yuzawa - Muikamachi section for two weeks.

References
  1. 上越線・吾妻線で211系の営業運転開始 [211 series enter service on Joetsu Line and Agatsuma Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
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