Chūō Main Line

Chūō Main Line
JB JC CO
E353 Series Kaiji on the Chuo Main Line.
Overview
Native name中央本線
LocaleTokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Aichi prefectures
Termini
Stations112
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Passenger/Freight Rail
Intercity rail, Regional rail, Commuter rail
Operator(s)JR East, JR Central
History
Opened11 April 1889; 135 years ago (1889-04-11) (Shinjuku–Tachikawa)
Technical
Line length424.6 km (263.8 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC (Overhead lines)
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph)
Maximum incline2.5%
Route map

The Chūō Main Line (Japanese: 中央本線, Hepburn: Chūō-honsen), commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It connects Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is currently the fastest rail link between the cities.

The eastern portion, the Chūō East Line (中央東線, Chūō-tōsen), is operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), while the western portion, the Chūō West Line (中央西線, Chūō-saisen), is operated by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). The dividing point between the two companies is Shiojiri, where express trains from both operators continue north onto the Shinonoi Line towards the cities of Matsumoto and Nagano. Compared to the huge urban areas at either end of the Chūō Line, its central portion is lightly traveled; the Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa corridor is only served by one limited express and one local service per hour.

The Chūō Main Line passes through the mountainous center of Honshu. Its highest point (near Fujimi) is about 900 meters (3,000 ft) above sea level and much of the line has a gradient of 25 per mil (2.5% or 1 in 40). Along the Chūō East Line section, peaks of the Akaishi and Kiso as well as Mount Yatsugatake can be seen from trains. The Chūō West Line parallels the old Nakasendō highway (famous for the preserved post towns of Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku) and the steep Kiso Valley.

Routes

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  • Entire Route (Tokyo - Nagoya including branch): 424.6 km (263.8 mi)
  • East Line (Tokyo - Shiojiri): 222.1 km (138.0 mi)
    • Tokyo - Kanda: 1.3 km (0.81 mi) (officially part of the Tōhoku Main Line)
    • Kanda - Yoyogi: 8.3 km (5.2 mi)
    • Yoyogi - Shinjuku: 0.7 km (0.43 mi) (officially part of the Yamanote Line)
    • Shinjuku - Shiojiri: 211.8 km (131.6 mi)
  • East Line - Tatsuno branch line (Okaya - Tatsuno - Shiojiri): 27.7 km (17.2 mi)
  • West Line (Shiojiri - Nagoya): 174.8 km (108.6 mi)
    • Shiojiri - Kanayama: 171.5 km (106.6 mi)
    • Kanayama - Nagoya: 3.3 km (2.1 mi) (alongside Tōkaidō Main Line)

Stations and services

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This section lists all stations on the Chūō Main Line and generally explains regional services on the line. In addition, there are limited express services connecting major cities along the line, namely Azusa, Super Azusa, Kaiji, Hamakaiji, Narita Express and Shinano. For details of the limited express trains, see the relevant articles.

Tokyo - Mitaka

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Main articles: Chūō Line (Rapid) and Chūō-Sōbu Line
0 kilometer post at Tokyo Station

The section between Tokyo and Mitaka is grade-separated, with no level crossings. Between Ochanomizu and Mitaka, the Chūō Main Line has four tracks; two of them are local tracks (緩行線, kankō-sen) with platforms at every station; the other two are rapid tracks (快速線, kaisoku-sen)[citation needed] with some stations without platforms. The local tracks are used by the Chūō-Sōbu Line local trains, while the rapid tracks carry rapid service and limited express trains. The Tokyo-Mitaka portion is a vital cross-city rail link.

The commuter services on the rapid tracks are collectively called the Chūō Line (Rapid) in comparison with the Chūō Line (Local) (中央線各駅停車, Chūō-sen-kakuekiteisha) or the Chūō-Sōbu Line on the local tracks. The former is usually referred to simply as the Chūō Line and the latter the Sōbu Line. Separate groups of trainsets are used for these two groups of services: cars with an orange belt for the rapid service trains and cars with a yellow belt for the local service trains. Signs at stations also use these colors to indicate the services.

This section is located entirely within Tokyo.

Mitaka - Takao

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Main article: Chūō Line (Rapid)

The four-track section ends at Mitaka. Most of the section between Mitaka and Tachikawa had been elevated between 2008 and 2011 to eliminate level crossings. Plans have been proposed to add another two tracks as far as Tachikawa, but were not included in the track elevation.

Takao - Shiojiri

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Most of the rapid service trains from Tokyo terminate at Takao, where the line exits the large urban area of Tokyo. The section between Takao and Ōtsuki still carries some commuter trains as well as long distance local trains and Limited Express trains. The Kaiji limited express terminates at Kōfu, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture, while the Azusa continue beyond Shiojiri to Matsumoto via the Shinonoi Line.

All stations from Tachikawa to Shiojiri are served by the Chūō Main Line Local. Local trains from Tachikawa and Takao run as far as Matsumoto or even Nagano.

Legends:

  • ●: All trains stop
  • ▲: Stop, eastbound services only
  • ▼: Stop, westbound services only
Station No. Name Japanese Distance (km) Chūō Main Line Local Rapid Comm.
Rapid 		Chūō Special
Rapid 		Comm.
Special
Rapid 		Transfers Location
Between stations Total
Through service to Chūō Line (Rapid) for: Tachikawa Tachikawa, Shinjuku and Tokyo
JC24 Takao 高尾 3.3 53.1 ● ● ▼ ● ▲ JC Chūō Line (Rapid)
Keiō Takao Line 		Hachiōji Tokyo
JC25 Sagamiko 相模湖 9.5 62.6 ● ● ▼ ● ▲ Sagamihara Kanagawa
JC26 Fujino 藤野 3.7 66.3 ● ● ▼ ● ▲
JC27 Uenohara 上野原 3.5 69.8 ● ● ▼ ● ▲ Uenohara Yamanashi
JC28 Shiotsu 四方津 4.2 74.0 ● ● ▼ ● ▲
JC29 Yanagawa 梁川 3.6 77.6 ● ● ▼ ● ▲ Ōtsuki
JC30 Torisawa 鳥沢 3.6 81.2 ● ● ▼ ● ▲
JC31 Saruhashi 猿橋 4.1 85.3 ● ● ▼ ● ▲
JC32 Ōtsuki 大月 2.5 87.8 ● ● ▼ ● ▲ Fujikyuko Line (some through trains to/from Kawaguchiko)
Through service to: Chūō Main Line for Kōfu (see below) Some to Fujikyuko Line for Kawaguchiko /
Station No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
JC32 Ōtsuki 大月 87.8 Fujikyuko Line Ōtsuki Yamanashi
CO33 Hatsukari 初狩 93.9  
CO34 Sasago 笹子 100.4  
CO35 Kai-Yamato 甲斐大和 106.5   Kōshū
CO36 Katsunuma-budōkyō 勝沼ぶどう郷 112.5  
CO37 Enzan 塩山 116.9  
CO38 Higashi-Yamanashi 東山梨 120.1   Yamanashi
CO39 Yamanashishi 山梨市 122.2  
CO40 Kasugaichō 春日居町 125.0   Fuefuki
CO41 Isawa-onsen 石和温泉 127.8  
CO42 Sakaori 酒折 131.2   Kōfu
CO43 Kōfu 甲府 134.1 Minobu Line
CO44 Ryūō 竜王 138.6   Kai
CO45 Shiozaki 塩崎 142.7  
CO46 Nirasaki 韮崎 147.0   Nirasaki
CO47 Shimpu 新府 151.2  
CO48 Anayama 穴山 154.7  
CO49 Hinoharu 日野春 160.1   Hokuto
CO50 Nagasaka 長坂 166.3  
CO51 Kobuchizawa 小淵沢 173.7 Koumi Line
Shinano-Sakai 信濃境 178.2   Fujimi Nagano
Fujimi 富士見 182.9  
Suzurannosato すずらんの里 186.1  
Aoyagi 青柳 188.0   Chino
Chino 茅野 195.2  
Fumonji Junction 普門寺信号場 (198.9)   Suwa
Kami-Suwa 上諏訪 201.9  
Shimo-Suwa 下諏訪 206.3   Shimosuwa
Okaya 岡谷 210.4 Chūō Line (For Tatsuno) Okaya
Midoriko みどり湖 218.2   Shiojiri
Shiojiri 塩尻 222.1

Okaya – Shiojiri

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The Okaya-Shiojiri branch is an old route of the Chūō Main Line. It carries a small number of shuttle trains and trains from/to the Iida Line, which branches off at Tatsuno.

Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
Okaya 岡谷 210.4 Chūō Line (for Kami-Suwa, Midoriko) Okaya Nagano
Kawagishi 川岸 213.9  
Tatsuno 辰野 219.9 Iida Line Tatsuno
Shinano-Kawashima 信濃川島 224.2  
Ono 小野 228.2  
Shiojiri 塩尻 238.1 Chūō Line (for Midoriko)

Shinonoi Line

Chūō Line (for Kiso-Fukushima)

Shiojiri

Prior to the opening of the new route between Okaya and Shiojiri, there was a junction (Higashi-Shiojiri Junction (東塩尻信号場)) between Ono and Shiojiri stations. It had a reversing layout. The signal station was closed on 12 October 1983.

Shiojiri - Nakatsugawa

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