Yamatoji Line

The Yamatoji Line (大和路線, Yamatoji-sen) is the common name of the western portion of the Kansai Main Line. The line is owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), and starts at Kamo Station in Kyoto Prefecture and ends at JR Namba Station in Naniwa-ku, Osaka.

Yamatoji Line
207 series EMU on a Yamatoji Line Direct Rapid Service
Overview
Native name大和路線
OwnerJR West
LocaleKansai (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka prefectures)
TerminiKamo
JR Namba
Stations22
Service
TypeHeavy rail
SystemUrban Network
Depot(s)Nara Depot
Rolling stock103 series EMU
201 series EMU
221 series EMU
207 series EMU (Kizu–Nara, Nara–Kyuhoji)
321 series EMU (Kizu–Nara, Nara–Kyuhoji)
History
Opened1988 (1889)
Technical
Line length54.0 km (33.6 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead lines
Operating speed120 km/h (75 mph) (Nara–Tennoji)
95 km/h (59 mph) (Kamo–Nara, Tennoji–JR Namba)

Operations

Yamatoji Rapid Service
Yamatoji Rapid Service (大和路快速, Yamatoji Kaisoku) trains operate between Kamo or Nara Station and Tennoji, via a complete loop on the Osaka Loop Line. Trains divert from the Kansai Line at Shin-Imamiya Station instead of continuing to JR Namba. From Shin-Imamiya, they run on the Osaka Loop Line, making limited stops to Osaka Station, and then making every stop before completing the loop at Tennoji Station. However, some services do not complete the loop, as they terminate in Kyobashi. Trains also stop at every station east of Ōji.
4 services are operated every hour during weekday daytime and weekend nighttime, with 2 of which operating as far as Kamo. Some weekend services operate through service to the Wakayama Line towards Takada and Gojō.
All trains are operated using 221 series EMUs, with every of them being 8 cars.

Regional Rapid Service
Regional Rapid Service (区間快速, Kukan Kaisoku) operate the same route as the Yamatoji Rapid but making every stop on the Osaka Loop Line. They are operated in weekday rush hours, plus weekend nights. There are also services which operate through services to the Wakayama Line. All services are operated using 221 series EMUs.

Rapid Service
Rapid Service (快速, Kaisoku)" operate between JR Namba and either Takada on the Wakayama Line (daytime), or Nara / Kamo (morning, evening, night), with an interval of 2 trains per hour. Among the through trains towards the Wakayama Line during the evening rush, some of them are coupled with Nara-bound services before decoupling at Ōji. However there are no Namba-bound services where two trains couple at Ōji. Additionally, there are a few Namba-bound through service trains starting from Nara and detours the Sakurai Line in the morning rush.
Trains stop at JR Namba, Shin-Imamiya, Tennoji, Kyūhōji, Ōji and every station after Ōji.
During daytime, trains are operated using 4-car 221 series EMUs. During rush hours, 6-car 201 series EMUs are also used, but now there is a higher tendency that 221 series trains are used. Starting from the timetable revision on 15 March 2008, 3 Rapid services starting from Kashiwara (where Rapid trains normally skip) to Namba are introduced.
Direct Rapid Service (直通快速, Chokutsū Kaisoku)
The operation of the "Direct Rapid Service" trains started on March 17, 2008, with the opening of the Osaka Higashi Line and the timetable revision on March 15, 2008. The trains are now operated between Nara and Shin-Osaka, via the Yamatoji Line and the Osaka Higashi Line. On weekdays, 4 Shin-Osaka-bound trains are operated in the mornings, while 4 Nara-bound trains are operated in the evenings. On weekends, 2 round trips are operated both in the mornings and in the evenings. Trains stop at all stations from Nara to Ōji, Kyūhōji, JR Kawachi-Eiwa, Takaida-Chuo, Hanaten and Shin-Osaka. Trains are operated using 207 series or 321 series EMUs from the Aboshi Depot.
Before 16 March 2019, when the Osaka Higashi Line still hadn't extended to Shin-Osaka, Direct Rapid trains operated between Nara and Amagasaki via the Yamatoji Line, the Osaka Higashi Line, the Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line), and the JR Tōzai Line.
Local (普通, Futsū)
"Local trains" stop at every station on the Yamatoji Line between Kamo and JR Namba. They are operated between Oji and JR Namba in the non-rush hour. Trains are also operated from JR Namba to Kamo and through from JR Namba to the Nara Line in the early morning.

History

The oldest section of the Yamatoji Line is between Kashiwara and JR Namba, which opened on May 14, 1889. The present route was completed on August 21, 1907 when the new line between Kamo and Kizu, replacing the original route via Daibutsu, was opened.[1] The name "Yamatoji Line" has been used since March 13, 1988, and the term “Yamatoji“ roughly translates to “Road to Yamato Province”.[2]

Stations
  • ● : All trains stop.
  • ▽ : The 3 morning trains which start from Kashiwara for JR Namba.
  • | : All trains pass.

Local trains stop at every passenger station.

No. Station name Regional Rapid Direct Rapid Rapid Yamatoji Rapid Transfers Location
 Q39  Kamo 加茂 ●   ● ● Kansai Main Line (for Kameyama) Kizugawa Kyoto
Prefecture
 Q38  Kizu 木津 ● ● ●
 Q37  Narayama 平城山 ● ● ● Nara Nara
Prefecture
 Q36  Nara 奈良 ● ● ● ●
 Q35  TBD Expected to open in 2024
 Q34  Kōriyama 郡山 ● ● ● ● Yamatokōriyama
 Q33  Yamato-Koizumi 大和小泉 ● ● ● ●
 Q32  Hōryūji 法隆寺 ● ● ● ● Ikaruga,
Ikoma District
Through service from/to Wakayama Line

Through service from Sakurai Line via Wakayama Line

 Q31  Ōji 王寺 ● ● ● ●
Ōji, Kitakatsuragi District Nara
Prefecture
 Q30  Sangō 三郷 | | | | Sangō,
Ikoma District
 Q29  Kawachi-Katakami 河内堅上 | | | | Kashiwara Osaka
Prefecture
 Q28  Takaida 高井田 | | | |
 Q27  Kashiwara 柏原 | | ▽ |
 Q26  Shiki 志紀 | | | | Yao
 Q25  Yao 八尾 | | | |
 Q24  Kyūhōji 久宝寺 ● ● ● ● Osaka Higashi Line
 Q23  Kami 加美 |   | | Hirano-ku, Osaka
 Q22  Hirano 平野 | | |
 Q21  Tōbu-shijō-mae 東部市場前 | | | Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
 Q20  Tennōji 天王寺 ● ● ●
Tennoji-ku, Osaka
 Q19  Shin-Imamiya 新今宮 ● ● ●
Naniwa-ku, Osaka
 Q18  Imamiya 今宮 ● | | Osaka Loop Line
 Q17  JR Namba JR難波   ●  
Yamatoji Rapid, Regional Rapid: Through service from/to Osaka Loop Line

Direct Rapid: Through service from/to Osaka Higashi Line

Rolling stock

Former

References
  1. Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 182. ISBN 4533029809.
  2. Teramoto, Mitsuteru. "関西本線（大阪方）快速運転ものがたり". The Railway Pictorial. 878 (August 2013): 59.
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