JR Tōzai Line

The JR Tōzai Line (JR東西線, Jei-āru Tōzai-sen) is one of several commuter rail lines and services in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line, whose name literally means "east-west", runs underground through central Osaka and connects the Gakkentoshi Line at Kyobashi Station in Osaka and the JR Takarazuka Line and the JR Kobe Line at Amagasaki. All stations on this line are in the city of Osaka, except for the western terminus in Amagasaki, Hyōgo Prefecture.

Not to be confused with Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.
JR Tōzai Line
207 series EMU
Overview
Native nameJR東西線
OwnerKansai Rapid Railway Co., Ltd.
LocaleOsaka
Amagasaki, Hyogo
TerminiKyobashi
Amagasaki
Stations9
Service
Typecommuter rail
SystemUrban Network
Operator(s)JR West
Rolling stock207 series EMU
321 series EMU
Daily ridership233,577 (daily 2015)[1]
History
OpenedMarch 8, 1997
Technical
Line length12.5 km (7.8 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead lines
Operating speed90 km/h (56 mph)

Basic data

Operation

All trains make local stop at every station on the line. Some trains terminate at Amagasaki, but most westbound trains continue on the Kobe Line to Nishi-Akashi and on the Takarazuka Line to Tsukaguchi and Takarazuka. All eastbound trains continue past Kyobashi on the Gakkentoshi Line.

History

The line was initially proposed in 1971 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) as a link between the Katamachi Line, which connected Osaka to its eastern suburbs, and Fukuchiyama Line, which connected the city to its northwestern suburbs. Osaka's municipal government had maintained tight controls over transportation within the city, and most intercity lines terminated outside the city center. The line, provisionally known as Katafuku Line (片福線, Kata- from Katamachi, -fuku from Fukuchiyama), and would give commuters a single-seat ride from the suburbs and an east-west connection through central Osaka.

A permit to lay the track was given 10 years later, but the project stopped because of JNR's financial problems.

In 1988, after JNR privatized and split into Japan Railway companies, West Japan Railway Company formed a private-public entity called Kansai Rapid Railway Co., Ltd. (関西高速鉄道株式会社, Kansai kōsoku tetsudō kabushiki gaisha) with the prefectural governments of Osaka and Hyōgo, and the cities of Osaka and Amagasaki.

The line was completed and opened as JR Tozai Line in 1997.

Stations
No [2] Station Transfers Location
Through train service to Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line)
 H41  Kyobashi 京橋
Joto-ku Osaka
 H42  Ōsakajō-kitazume 大阪城北詰 Miyakojima-ku
 H43  Osaka-Temmangu 大阪天満宮
Kita-ku
 H44  Kitashinchi 北新地
 H45  Shin-Fukushima 新福島
Fukushima-ku
 H46  Ebie 海老江
 H47  Mitejima 御幣島 Nishiyodogawa-ku
 H48  Kashima 加島 Yodogawa-ku
 H49  Amagasaki 尼崎
Amagasaki,
Hyōgo Prefecture
Through train services to Tōkaidō Main Line (JR Kobe Line) or Fukuchiyama Line (JR Takarazuka Line)

Rolling stock

Former

References
  1. "平成27年 大都市交通センサス 首都圈報告書" (PDF). P.92. 国土交通省.
  2. New Station numbers. West Japan Railway News Release July 20, 2016
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