Chitose Line

Chitose Line
A 721 series EMU on an Airport rapid service at Minami-Chitose Station
Overview
Native name 千歳線
Type Airport rail link
Commuter rail
Locale Hokkaido
Termini Numanohata
Shiroishi
Stations 15
Operation
Opened 1926
Owner JR Hokkaido
Technical
Line length 56.6 km (35.2 mi)
Number of tracks Double
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 20 kV AC, overhead catenary
Route map

Chitose Line (千歳線, Chitose-sen) is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), connecting Numanohata, Tomakomai and Shiroishi Station, Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo, linking the Muroran Main Line and Hakodate Main Line. There also is a branch line to New Chitose Airport.

Service outline

The line forms part of the trunk route between Sapporo and southern Hokkaido. As such, Super Hokuto and Hokuto limited express trains run between Sapporo and Hakodate once every 1 to 2 hours, as well as the Suzuran between Sapporo and Muroran.[1]

The section between Sapporo and Minami-Chitose is also a part of the trunk route between Sapporo and eastern Hokkaido. The limited express trains Super Ōzora and Super Tokachi run through.[1]

The rapid train Airport runs once every 15 minutes, functioning as the airport rail link between New Chitose Airport Station and Sapporo or Otaru. Since the Chitose Line goes through the most urbanized area in Hokkaido, there are roughly 3 to 4 local train services per hour.

Former services

There were sleeper trains between Honshu and Hokkaido, such as the Hokutosei, Cassiopeia, Twilight Express, and Hamanasu.

Station list

L: Local
A: Rapid Airport
All the trains stop at stations signed "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-".[2]
No.Station nameJapaneseDistance (km)LATransfersLocation (all in Hokkaido)
Tomakomai to Numanohata: officially Muroran Main Line
H18Tomakomai苫小牧-8.8+
 Tomakomai
Chitose Line (Main Line)
H17Numanohata沼ノ端0.0+■ Muroran Main Line (for Oiwake)Tomakomai
H16Uenae植苗6.4*
H15Bibi美々13.9*Chitose
H14Minami-Chitose南千歳18.4 ++
H13Chitose千歳21.4 ++
H12Osatsu長都24.9 +-
H11Sapporo Beer Teienサッポロビール庭園27.1 *-Eniwa
H10Eniwa恵庭29.4 ++
H09Megumino恵み野31.9 +-
H08Shimamatsu島松34.1 +-
H07Kitahiroshima北広島40.6 ++Kitahiroshima
H06Kami-Nopporo上野幌48.6 +-Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo
H05Shin-Sapporo新札幌51.5 ++ Subway Tōzai Line (T09)
H04Heiwa平和54.4 +-Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
Shiroishi to Sapporo: officially Hakodate Main Line
H03Shiroishi白石56.6 +*■ Hakodate Main Line (for Asahikawa)Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
H02Naebo苗穂60.2 +-Chūō-ku, Sapporo
01Sapporo札幌62.4 ++
 Kita-ku, Sapporo

Airport Branch Line

No.Station nameJapaneseDistance (km)LATransfersLocation (all in Hokkaido)
H14Minami-Chitose南千歳0.0 ++■ Chitose Line (Main Line), ■ Sekishō LineChitose
AP15Shin-Chitose-Kūkō (New Chitose Airport)新千歳空港2.6 ++

Rolling stock

History

The entire line opened on 21 August 1926.

Duplication

The Chitose-Eniwa section was double-tracked in September 1965, and extended to Kitahiroshima in September 1966.

The Chitose-Uenae section was double-tracked in 1968, and extended to Numanohata in 1969.

The Shiraishi-Kitahiroshima section was double-tracked in 1973, completing the work to double-track the line.

Electrification

Chitose Station and its approaches were elevated in 1980, and the line was electrified in association with the opening of the nearby Chitose airport.

The Minami-chitose—Chitose Airport branch opened as an electrified line in 1992.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Train Guide". Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
  2. ↑ "JR HOKKAIDO Railway Lines in Sapporo Area" (PDF). Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
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