Chūō-Sōbu Line
| Chūō-Sōbu Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
An E231-500 series EMU on the Chuo-Sobu Line in August 2022 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Native name | 中央・総武緩行線 | ||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | JR East | ||
| Line number | JB | ||
| Locale | Tokyo, Chiba Prefecture | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 39 | ||
Color on map | Yellow | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Commuter rail | ||
| Depot | Mitaka | ||
Rolling stock | |||
Daily ridership | 2,359,390 (2015)[1] | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1 July 1932 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 60.2 km (37.4 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||
| Electrification | Overhead line, 1,500 V DC | ||
| |||
The Chūō-Sōbu Line (Japanese: 中央・総武緩行線, Hepburn: Chūō-Sōbu-kankō-sen) is a railway service that runs through Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network, the service operates on separate tracks along the right-of-way of the Chūō Main Line (Chūō Line (Rapid)) and Sōbu Main Line (Sōbu Line (Rapid)), providing continuous travel between Mitaka Station in the cities of Mitaka and Musashino and Chiba Station in Chiba.
The term Kankō (緩行, lit. "slow run") distinguishes local trains on the Chūō-Sōbu line from rapid service trains running on the Chūō Main Line between Mitaka and Ochanomizu and on the Sōbu Main Line between Kinshichō and Chiba.
Service patterns
[edit]Chūō-Sōbu Line
[edit]- Regularly, trains terminate at Chiba or Tsudanuma at the east side, and terminate at Nakano or Mitaka at the west side
- All trains stop at every station.
- For station information on the parallel rapid/express lines, see the Chūō Line (Rapid) and Sōbu Line (Rapid) articles.
Tōzai Line through service
[edit]All through service trains enter the Tōzai Line at either Nakano, or Nishi-Funabashi. These trains operate within the following routes:
- Mitaka – Nakano – (Tōzai Line) – Nishi-Funabashi – Tsudanuma (weekday mornings/evenings only)
- Nakano – (Tōzai Line) – Nishi-Funabashi – Tsudanuma (weekday mornings/evenings only)
- Mitaka – Nakano – (Tōzai Line) – Nishi-Funabashi
- Mitaka – Nakano – (Tōzai Line) – Nishi-Funabashi – (Tōyō Rapid Railway Line) – Tōyō-Katsutadai (mornings/evenings only)
Limited express
[edit]Prior to March 2024, seasonal Limited Express Shinjuku Wakashio and Shinjuku Sazanami trains stopped at Akihabara on the Chūō-Sōbu Line "mainly on weekends and holidays when service is heavy".[2] As of March 2024[update], these trains no longer stop at Akihabara.[2]
Former Early morning / Late night
[edit]At around 9 -10pm, a few westbound trains headed beyond Mitaka onto the Chūō Line (Rapid), with some terminating at Musashi-Koganei, and the others at Tachikawa. The other trains during the hour operated regularly.
At around 4 - 6am and 11pm - 1am, Chūō-Sōbu Line services were divided at Ochanomizu Station, into two sections.
- At the western section (Mitaka – Ochanomizu), Chūō Line (Rapid) trains ran through the Chūō-Sōbu Line tracks between Nakano and Ochanomizu, with services serving between Tokyo and as far as Takao, or even Ōme, which stops at all stations.
- At the eastern section (Ochanomizu – Chiba), local trains operated and terminated at the two ends of the section.
This service pattern last operated on 13 March 2020. To prepare for the eventual installation of platform doors on Chūō-Sōbu Line platforms and the future addition of Green Cars on the Rapid line, Chūō Line Rapid service trains no longer regularly operate on the Chūō-Sōbu Line tracks.[3]
Station list
[edit]- Legend
- ●: All trains stop
- ■: Some trains pass
- ▲: All trains pass on weekends and holidays
- |: All trains pass
| Line | No. | Station | Distance in km (mi) | Local | Rapid | Transfers | Location | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations |
Total | Chūō-Sōbu | Tozai | Chūō | Sōbu | |||||||
| Sōbu | JB39 | Chiba 千葉 |
N/a | From Chiba: 0 (0) |
From Tokyo: 39.2 (24.4) |
● | ↑ To Tokyo |
● |
|
Chūō-ku, Chiba | Chiba | |
| JB38 | Nishi-Chiba 西千葉 |
1.4 (0.87) | 37.8 (23.5) | ● | | | |||||||
| JB37 | Inage 稲毛 |
1.9 (1.2) | 3.3 (2.1) | 35.9 (22.3) | ● | ● | Inage-ku, Chiba | |||||
| JB36 | Shin-Kemigawa 新検見川 |
2.7 (1.7) | 6.0 (3.7) | 33.2 (20.6) | ● | | | Hanamigawa-ku, Chiba | |||||
| JB35 | Makuhari 幕張 |
1.6 (0.99) | 7.6 (4.7) | 31.6 (19.6) | ● | | | ||||||
| JB34 | Makuharihongō 幕張本郷 |
2.0 (1.2) | 9.6 (6.0) | 29.6 (18.4) | ● | | | ||||||
| JB33 | Tsudanuma 津田沼 |
2.9 (1.8) | 12.5 (7.8) | 26.7 (16.6) | ● | ● | ● |
|
Narashino | |||
| JB32 | Higashi-Funabashi 東船橋 |
1.7 (1.1) | 14.2 (8.8) | 25.0 (15.5) | ● | ● | | | Funabashi | ||||
| JB31 | Funabashi 船橋 |
1.8 (1.1) | 16.0 (9.9) | 23.2 (14.4) | ● | ● | ● |
| ||||
| JB30 | Nishi-Funabashi 西船橋 |
2.6 (1.6) | 18.6 (11.6) | 20.6 (12.8) | ● | ● | | |
| ||||
| JB29 | Shimōsa-Nakayama 下総中山 |
1.6 (0.99) | 20.2 (12.6) | 19.0 (11.8) | ● | Through to |
| | |||||
| JB28 | Moto-Yawata 本八幡 |
21.8 (13.5) | 17.4 (10.8) | ● | | | Ichikawa | ||||||
| JB27 | Ichikawa 市川 |
2.0 (1.2) | 23.8 (14.8) | 15.4 (9.6) | ● | ● | ||||||
| JB26 | Koiwa 小岩 |
2.6 (1.6) | 26.4 (16.4) | 12.8 (8.0) | ● | | | Edogawa | Tokyo | ||||
| JB25 | Shin-Koiwa 新小岩 |
2.8 (1.7) | 29.2 (18.1) | 10.0 (6.2) | ● | ● | Katsushika | |||||
| JB24 | Hirai 平井 |
1.8 (1.1) | 31.0 (19.3) | 8.2 (5.1) | ● | | | Edogawa | |||||
| JB23 | Kameido 亀戸 |
1.9 (1.2) | 32.9 (20.4) | 6.3 (3.9) | ● | | | Kōtō | |||||
| JB22 | Kinshichō 錦糸町 |
1.5 (0.93) | 34.4 (21.4) | 4.8 (3.0) | ● | ● |
|
Sumida | ||||
| Sōbu Branch | From Kinshichō: 0 (0) | |||||||||||
| JB21 | Ryōgoku 両国 |
35.9 (22.3) | 1.5 (0.93) | ● | To Tokyo and ↓ |
|||||||
| JB20 | Asakusabashi 浅草橋 |
0.8 (0.50) | 36.7 (22.8) | 2.3 (1.4) | ● | Taitō | ||||||
AKBJB19 |
Akihabara 秋葉原 |
1.1 (0.68) | 37.8 (23.5) | 3.4 (2.1) | ● |
|
Chiyoda | |||||
| JB18 | Ochanomizu 御茶ノ水 |
0.9 (0.56) | 38.7 (24.0) | 4.3 (2.7) | ● | ● |
| |||||
| Chūō | From Tokyo: 2.6 (1.6) | |||||||||||
| JB17 | Suidōbashi 水道橋 |
0.8 (0.50) | 39.5 (24.5) | 3.4 (2.1) | ● | | | ||||||
| JB16 | Iidabashi 飯田橋 |
1.1 (0.68) | 40.6 (25.2) | 4.5 (2.8) | ● | | |
| |||||
| JB15 | Ichigaya 市ケ谷 |
1.3 (0.81) | 41.9 (26.0) | 5.8 (3.6) | ● | | |
| |||||
| JB14 | Yotsuya 四ツ谷 |
0.8 (0.50) | 42.7 (26.5) | 6.6 (4.1) | ● | ● |
|
Shinjuku | ||||
| JB13 | Shinanomachi 信濃町 |
1.3 (0.81) | 44.0 (27.3) | 7.9 (4.9) | ● | | | ||||||
| JB12 | Sendagaya 千駄ケ谷 |
0.7 (0.43) | 44.7 (27.8) | 8.6 (5.3) | ● | | | Shibuya | |||||
| JB11 | Yoyogi 代々木 |
1.0 (0.62) | 45.7 (28.4) | 9.6 (6.0) | ● | | |
| |||||
| Yamanote | ||||||||||||
SJKJB10 |
Shinjuku 新宿 |
0.7 (0.43) | 46.4 (28.8) | 10.3 (6.4) | ● | ● |
|
Shinjuku | ||||
| Chūō | ||||||||||||
| JB09 | Ōkubo 大久保 |
1.4 (0.87) | 47.8 (29.7) | 11.7 (7.3) | ● | | | ||||||
| JB08 | Higashi-Nakano 東中野 |
1.1 (0.68) | 48.9 (30.4) | 12.8 (8.0) | ● | | | Nakano | |||||
| JB07 | Nakano 中野 |
1.9 (1.2) | 50.8 (31.6) | 14.7 (9.1) | ● | ● | ■ |
| ||||
| JB06 | Kōenji 高円寺 |
1.4 (0.87) | 52.2 (32.4) | 16.1 (10.0) | ● | ● | ▲ | Suginami | ||||
| JB05 | Asagaya 阿佐ケ谷 |
1.2 (0.75) | 53.4 (33.2) | 17.3 (10.7) | ● | ● | ▲ | |||||
| JB04 | Ogikubo 荻窪 |
1.4 (0.87) | 54.8 (34.1) | 18.7 (11.6) | ● | ● | ■ |
| ||||
| JB03 | Nishi-Ogikubo 西荻窪 |
1.9 (1.2) | 56.7 (35.2) | 20.6 (12.8) | ● | ● | ▲ | |||||
| JB02 | Kichijōji 吉祥寺 |
58.6 (36.4) | 22.5 (14.0) | ● | ● | ■ |
|
Musashino | ||||
| JB01 | Mitaka 三鷹 |
1.6 (0.99) | 60.2 (37.4) | 24.1 (15.0) | ● | ● | ■ | Mitaka | ||||
Rolling stock
[edit]Chūō-Sōbu Line
[edit]Trains used on the line are based at Mitaka Depot.
- E231-0 series 10-car EMUs (yellow stripe) (since February 2000)[4]
- E231-500 series 10-car EMUs (yellow stripe) (since 1 December 2014)[5]
Tozai Line - Toyo Rapid Line through service
[edit]Trains run between Mitaka and Tsudanuma (Chūō-Sōbu Line) or Toyo-Katsutadai (Toyo Rapid Line), all via the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line between Nakano and Nishi-Funabashi.
- E231-800 series 10-car EMUs (light blue and blue stripe) (Does not run on the Toyo Rapid Line)
- Tokyo Metro 05 series 10-car EMUs (light blue stripe)
- Tokyo Metro 07 series 10-car EMUs (light blue stripe)
- Tokyo Metro 15000 series 10-car EMUs (light blue stripe)
- JR East E231-0 series
- JR East E231-500 series
- Tokyo Metro 05 series
- Tokyo Metro 15000 series
- Tokyo Metro 07 series
- JR East E231-800 series
Former rolling stock
[edit]Chūō-Sōbu Line
[edit]- 101 series EMUs (yellow livery) (from 1963 until November 1988)[4]
- 103 series 10-car EMUs (yellow livery) (from 1979 until March 2001)[4]
- 201 series 10-car EMUs (yellow livery) (from 1982 until November 2001)[4]
- 205 series 10-car EMUs (yellow stripe) (from August 1989 until November 2001)[4]
- 209-500 series 10-car EMUs (yellow stripe) (from December 1998 until 19 April 2019)[citation needed]
- E231-900 series 10-car EMU (yellow stripe) (from 27 March 1999 as 209-950 series, until 25 February 2020)[6]
Tozai Line - Toyo Rapid Line through service
[edit]- 301 series 10-car EMUs (light blue stripe) (on Tozai Line inter-running services from 1966 until 2003)
Chūō Line (Early morning / Late night)
[edit]- See Chūō Line (Rapid)#Rolling stock for the train types which operated this service until 13 March 2020.
- A Chūō-Sōbu Line 101 series EMU in August 1978
- A Chūō-Sōbu Line 201 series EMU in May 2001
- A Chūō-Sōbu Line 301 series EMU in February 2003
- A Chūō-Sōbu Line 205 series EMU
- A Chūō-Sōbu Line 209-500 series EMU in April 2009
- The sole E231-900 series EMU in June 2019
Future rolling stock
[edit]- E235-0 series 10-car EMUs (yellow stripe) (since March 2027)[7][8]
- E231-0 series which is not corresponded to one-person operation will have withdrew from Chuo-Sobu Line until 2027. Because one-person operation commences since March 2027.
Timeline
[edit]History
[edit]This section needs more citations. (January 2023) |
Women-only cars, designed to prevent gropers, were introduced on this line during morning peak periods starting on 20 November 2006.
On 20 August 2016, station numbering was introduced to the Chuo-Sobu line with stations being assigned station numbers between JB01 and JB39.[9][10] Numbers increase towards in the eastbound direction towards Chiba.
On March 2027, one-person operation commences on a wholy line excluding Tozai Line trains which run as though-service between Funabashi and Tsudanuma, and between Nakano and Mitaka. Therefore, E231-0 series which is not corresponded to one-person operation will withdraw from Chuo-Sobu Line.
References
[edit]- ↑ "平成27年 大都市交通センサス 首都圏報告書" (PDF). P.92. 国土交通省.
- 1 2 "20231215_c01.pdf" (PDF). East Japan Railway Company. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ↑ "2020年3月ダイヤ改正について (Schedule changes for March 2020)" (PDF). 13 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 5 JR首都圏通勤電車図鑑. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 48, no. 570. Koyusha Co., Ltd. October 2008. p. 27.
- ↑ 中央総武緩行線でE231系500番台が営業運転を開始 [E231-500 series enters revenue service on Chuo-Sobu Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ 特集 209系 第2章へ [209 series - The second chapter]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 49, no. 576. Koyusha Co., Ltd. April 2009. pp. 9–47.
- ↑ About future of E231-0 series runs on Chuo-Sobu Line
- ↑ One-person operation commences on Chuo-Sobu Line since March 2027
- ↑ "⾸都圏エリアへ 「駅ナンバリング」を導⼊します" [Introduce “station numbering” to the Tokyo metropolitan area] (PDF). jreast.co.jp (in Japanese). 6 April 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ↑ Kusamachi, Yoshikazu (7 April 2016). "JA・JK・JT・AKB…JR東日本、首都圏で駅ナンバリングなど導入へ" [JA, JK, JT, AKB … JR East to introduce station numbering in the Tokyo metropolitan area]. Response Automotive Media (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
External links
[edit]- Chūō-Sōbu Line (Japan Visitor) (in English)