The is a major Japanese railway line of the
Japan Railways Group (JR Group) network, connecting and stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities. The high-speed
Tōkaidō Shinkansen largely parallels the line.
The term "Tōkaidō Main Line" is largely a holdover from pre-Shinkansen days; now various portions of the line have different names which are officially used by JR East, JR Central, and JR West. Today, the only daily passenger train that operate over the entire length of the line is the combined overnight-train
Sunrise Izumo -
Sunrise Seto. During the day longer intercity trips require several transfers along the way.
The Tokaido Main Line is owned and operated by three JR companies:
*
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) ( - ) Tōkaidō Line
*
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) ( - ) Tōkaidō Line
*
West Japan Railway Company (JR West) ( - ) Biwako Line, JR Kyoto Line, JR Kobe Line
Basic data
*Total distance: (including branch lines; Tokyo – Kōbe is )
**
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (Services and tracks)
***Tokyo – Atami:
***
Shinagawa –
Shin-Kawasaki – Tsurumi:
***
Hamamatsuchō – Tokyo Freight Terminal – Kawasaki Freight Terminal – Hama-Kawasaki: (
Tōkaidō Freight Line)
***Tsurumi – Hatchō-Nawate: (Tōkaidō Freight Line)
***Tsurumi – Higashi-Takashima – Sakuragichō: (
Takashima Line)
***Tsurumi – Yokohama-Hazawa – Higashi-Totsuka: (Tōkaidō Freight Line)
**
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) (Services and tracks)
***Atami – Maibara: ( between Kanayama – Nagoya overlaps with Chuo Main Line)
***Ōgaki – Mino-Akasaka: (Mino-Akasaka branch line)
***Ōgaki – (Shin-Tarui) – Sekigahara: (Shin-Tarui Line)
**
West Japan Railway Company (JR West) (Services and tracks)
***Maibara – Kōbe:
***Kyōto Freight Terminal – Tambaguchi: (not in use by passenger trains)
***Suita – (Miyahara Rail Yard) – Amagasaki: (Hoppō Freight Line)
***Suita – Umeda – Fukushima: (Umeda Freight Line, used by ''
Haruka'' and ''
Kuroshio'' limited expresses)
**
Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) (Tracks and services)
***Sannō Signal – Nagoya-Minato: (Nagoya-Minato Line)
***Suita Signal – Osaka Freight Terminal: (Osaka Terminal Line)
**Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) (Services only)
***Shinagawa – Atami:
***Shinagawa – Shin-Tsurumi Signal:
***Tokyo Freight Terminal – Hama-Kawasaki:
***Tsurumi – Yokohama-Hazawa – Higashi-Totsuka:
***Tsurumi – Hatchō-Nawate:
***Tsurumi – Shinkō – Sakuragichō:
***Atami – Maibara:
***Minami-Arao Signal – Sekigahara:
***Minami-Arao Signal – Mino-Akasaka:
***Maibara – Kōbe: (via Hoppō Freight Line)
***Kyōto Freight Terminal – Tambaguchi:
***Suita – Umeda – Fukushima:
*
Gauge:
Narrow gauge railway
*Stations:
** Passenger: 166 (does not include Shinagawa – Shin-Kawasaki – Tsurumi section or branches other than Mino-Akasaka branch line)
*** JR East: 34
*** JR Central: 82
*** JR West: 50
** Freight only: 14
*Tracks:
** Four or more
*** Tokyo – Odawara:
*** Nagoya – Inazawa:
*** Kusatsu – Kōbe:
** Two
*** Odawara – Nagoya
*** Inazawa – Kusatsu
*** Shinagawa – Shin-Kawasaki – Tsurumi
*** Hamamatsuchō – Tokyo Freight Terminal – Kawasaki Freight Terminal – Hama-Kawasaki
*** Tsurumi – Hatchō-Nawate
*** Tsurumi – Higashi-Takashima
*** Tsurumi – Yokohama-Hazawa – Higashi-Totsuka
*** Suita – Umeda
*** Suita – (Miyahara Rail Yard) – Amagasaki
** Single-track: All other sections
*
Electrification
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source.
The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic histo ...
: 1,500
V DC (except for Sannō Signal – Nagoya-Minato)
*
Railway signalling
Railway signalling (), also called railroad signaling (), is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails, making them uniquely susceptible to collision. This susceptibility is exacerbated by the enor ...
: Automatic Train Control
*Maximum speed:
**Tokyo – Ōfuna, Odawara – Toyohashi:
**Ōfuna – Odawara, Toyohashi – Maibara:
**Minami-Arao Signal – Tarui – Sekigahara, Minami-Arao Signal – Mino-Akasaka:
**Maibara – Kōbe: (Special Rapid Shin-Kaisoku only, local trains max at 120 km/h or 75 mph)
Station list
JR East

The section between Tokyo and Atami is operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and it is located in the
Greater Tokyo Area. It has local services ( ja, 普通, links=no,) and a rapid service called ''Rapid Acty'' ( ja, 快速アクティー, links=no, ). It runs on dedicated tracks parallel to the
Yamanote Line between Tokyo and Shinagawa, the
Keihin-Tōhoku Line between Tokyo and Yokohama, and the
Yokosuka Line between Yokohama and Ōfuna. Some
Shōnan–Shinjuku Line trains share the segment south of
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
to
Ōfuna and
Odawara. Until 12 March 2021, there were also commuter rapid ( ja, 通勤快速, links=no, ) and Shōnan Liner ( ja, 湘南ライナー, links=no, ) services.
The
Ueno–Tokyo Line, a JR East project, extended the services of the
Utsunomiya Line, the
Takasaki Line, and the
Joban Line to Tokyo Station, allowing for through services to and from the Tōkaidō Line from March 2015.
Almost all trains along this section of the line have bi-level "Green Cars" with forward-facing seats, with each set of trains having 2 of them. Green Cars can be used after paying an additional fee.
A new station between Ōfuna and Fujisawa is being planned to serve passengers near the former JR Freight ''Shōnan Freight Terminal. C''onstruction is expected to start in early 2022. The new station is expected to open for service in 2032.
Legend:
* ● : a station that all trains stop
*| :a station that all trains pass
* ▲ : a station that Shōnan–Shinjuku Line trains use Yokosuka Line platforms
* Some trains run through services beyond Atami, as far as Numazu.
*With the
Ueno-Tokyo Line,
Utsunomiya Line Rapid ''Rabbit'' and
Takasaki Line Rapid ''Urban'' services now run along the Tokaido Line, and stop at all stations on this line. As such, the two services are classified as 'Local' service trains within the Tokaido Line.
*Tokaido Line Rapid ''Acty'' services operate only evening services from Tokyo to Odawara. Rapid ''Acty'' services will be discontinued effective the timetable revision on 18 March 2023 after 34 years of operation.
*''
Shōnan'' Limited Express services are special, all-reserved commuter express trains with comfortable seating. They operate from Odawara to Tokyo on weekday mornings, with a few services terminating in Shinagawa. Return services run from Tokyo to Odawara on weekday evenings. Like commuter rapid trains, Shōnan Liner services normally make no stops between Shinagawa and Fujisawa. Between Fujisawa and Odawara, varying stops are made. In addition to the standard fare, a reserved seat fee of ¥500 is required to use the ''Shōnan Liner''.
*
Keihin-Tōhoku Line stations between Tokyo and Yokohama officially are a part of the Tōkaidō Main Line. These stations are: , , , , , , , , and .
*
Yokosuka Line stations between Tokyo and Ōfuna officially are a part of the Tōkaidō Main Line. These stations are: , , , , and . The route of the Yokosuka Line between Shinagawa and Tsurumi is separate from the main line and is referred to as the
Hinkaku Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).
The Yokosuka Line connects Tokyo Station with in Yokosuka, Kanagawa. Officially, the name Yokosuka Line is assigned to the 23.9 km segment between an ...
, on which Nishi-Ōi, Musashi-Kosugi, and Shin-Kawasaki stations are located.
*
Shōnan–Shinjuku Line operates through services to the Tōkaidō Main Line. Trains operate from the
Takasaki Line to and enter the Yokosuka Line at to then switches tracks to the Tōkaidō Main Line towards , and vice versa. Rapid Service stop at all stations on the Tōkaidō Main Line (Totsuka - Odawara), while Special Rapid Service operate the same pattern as a ''Rapid Acty'' Service.
JR Central
The point between JR East and JR Central operation is divided at
Atami station, where section between
Atami and
Maibara
is a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 38,259 in 14761 households and a population density of 150 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Maibara is located in northcentral Shiga Pr ...
is operated by
JR Central, and covers the
Tōkai region -
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the north ...
,
Aichi Prefecture, and
Gifu Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,991,390 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...
. Some services from Odawara on the JR East section continues to travel on this section until Numazu station.
Shizuoka Block
Nagoya Block Main Line
Maibara is shared by JR Central and JR West; JR West manages the station
Before March 2016, JR West operated trains from Maibara as far as Ogaki on JR Central territory. After the two companies realized this invasion, on 25 March 2016, all JR West departures were changed to JR Central trains to Maibara station.
Branch lines

Both the Mino-Akasaka and Tarui branch lines separate from the Main Line at , located 3.1 km west of Ōgaki Station.
=Mino-Akasaka Branch Line
=
=Tarui Branch Line
=
Between Ōgaki and Sekigahara, there is a 25 per mil grade. In 1944, a single track bypass was built to avoid this steep slope of the main line and the old westbound track was removed.
JR West
The western part of the Tōkaidō Main Line from
Maibara
is a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 38,259 in 14761 households and a population density of 150 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Maibara is located in northcentral Shiga Pr ...
to
Kōbe is operated by
JR West and forms the main trunk of the company's Urban Network in the
Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. Although the line is divided into three segments, known as the
Biwako Line,
JR Kyoto Line, and
JR Kobe Line, they are part of a single contiguous network, with many services traversing multiple sections. The Biwako Line includes a segment of the
Hokuriku Main Line. Some services on the
Kosei,
JR Takarazuka and
Gakkentoshi lines run through onto the Tōkaidō Main Line.
Biwako Line
The section between Maibara and
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ...
is known as the Biwako Line.
*●: Trains stop.
*○: Limited stop, early morning and late night only
*
, : Trains pass.
*Local (4-door Commuter trains): JR Kyoto Line local trains
*Local (3-door Suburban trains): Operate as Rapid service trains west of Takatsuki (west of Kyoto in the morning)
JR Kyoto Line
The section between Kyoto and
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
is known as the JR Kyoto Line. Trains from the Biwako and Kosei lines travel through onto the JR Kyoto Line and continue west towards the
JR Kobe Line at Osaka.
Legend:
* ● : All trains stop
* , : All trains pass
* ▲ : Trains only after morning rush stop
Local trains stop at all stations. Rapid trains in the morning skip some stops between Kyoto and Takatsuki.
JR Kobe Line
The westernmost section between Osaka and Kōbe is part of the JR Kobe Line, which continues west to on the
San'yō Main Line. Although Kōbe is the official terminus of the Tōkaidō Main Line, most trains continue to
Nishi-Akashi,
Himeji and beyond.
●: Trains stop at all times
|: Trains pass at all times
▲: Eastbound trains pass in the morning
○:Trains stop at morning
of Weekdays only
Limited express services
In addition to standard local, rapid, and special rapid service trains, the Tōkaidō Main Line also hosts a number of limited express services.
Daytime trains
*''
Biwako Express'': Maibara – Osaka
*''
Fujikawa'': Shizuoka – Fuji – (
Minobu Line) – Kōfu
*''
Haruka'': Yasu - Kyoto – Shin-Osaka – (
Osaka Loop Line) – Tennōji – (
Hanwa Line) – Hineno – (
Kansai Airport Line
The is a railway line between Hineno Station and Kansai Airport Station in Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and owned by Kansai International Airport Co., Ltd. between Rinkū Town and Kansai Airport. It opened on 15 Ju ...
) –
Kansai International Airport
*''
Hida'': Nagoya / Osaka – Gifu – (
Takayama Main Line) – Takayama
*''
Odoriko'': Tokyo – Atami – (
Itō Line) – Itō – (
Izu Kyūkō) – Shimoda; Tokyo – Mishima – (
Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line) – Shuzenji
*''
Thunderbird'': Osaka – Kyoto – (
Kosei Line) – Tsuruga – (
Hokuriku Main Line) – Kanazawa
*''
Saphir Odoriko
Odoriko ( ja, 踊り子) is a limited express train service in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), Izukyū Corporation, Izukyu Corporation, and Izuhakone Railway, which runs bet ...
'': Tokyo – Atami – (
Itō Line) – Itō – (
Izu Kyūkō) – Izukyu-Shimoda
*''
Shirasagi'': Nagoya – Maibara – (Hokuriku Main Line) – Kanazawa
*''
Shōnan'': Tokyo – Odawara
Overnight trains
Overnight trains on the Tōkaidō Line go from Tokyo to western
Honshū
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island ...
and
Shikoku.
*''
Sunrise Izumo'' (Tokyo – Izumo via Okayama) ''(Operates daily)''
*''
Sunrise Seto'' (Tokyo – Takamatsu) ''(Operates daily)''
Discontinued trains
*Overnight limited express ''Sakura'' (Tokyo – Nagasaki (discontinued March 2005), Tokyo – (discontinued 1999))
*Overnight limited express ''Izumo'' (Tokyo – Izumo via Tottori), discontinued March 2006
*Limited express ''
Wide View Tōkai'' (Tokyo – Shizuoka), discontinued March 2007
*Overnight express ''
Ginga Ginga may refer to:
Japanese Other
* "Ginga" (single), a 2005 single from Japanese rock band Fujifabric
* Yokosuka P1Y ''Ginga'', a Japanese bomber aircraft
TV
* Ginga (middleware), a Japanese-Brazilian digital TV middleware
Series
* Ginga N ...
'' (Tokyo – Osaka), discontinued March 2008
*Overnight limited express ''
Fuji'' (Tokyo – Ōita), discontinued March 2009
*Overnight limited express ''
Hayabusa'' (Tokyo – Kumamoto), discontinued March 2009
*Overnight limited express ''Sunrise Yume'' (Tokyo – Hiroshima), discontinued March 2009
*''
Moonlight Nagara'' (Tokyo – Ōgaki) ''(Operates seasonally - rapid service with reserved seats), discontinued March 2020''
*''
Super View Odoriko'', ''
Resort Odoriko
A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...
'', ''
Fleur Odoriko'' (Tokyo – Izukyu-Shimoda), discontinued March 2020
Rolling stock for local and rapid services
JR East

*
E231-1000 series (Tokyo – Atami – Numazu, through services onto the Itō Line)
*
E233-3000 series (Tokyo – Atami – Numazu, through services onto the Itō Line)
*
E257-2000/2500 series (''Odoriko'', ''Shōnan'': Ikebukuro/Tokyo – Atami, through service onto the Itō Line)
*
E261 series (''Saphir Odoriko'': Shinjuku/Tokyo – Atami, through service onto the
Itō Line)
JR Central

*
211-5000 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the
Gotemba Line)
*
211-6000 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the
Minobu Line)
*
311 series 311 may refer to:
* 311 (number), a natural number
* AD 311, a year of the Julian calendar, in the fourth century AD
* 311 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar
* 311 (band), an American band
** ''311'' (album), band 311's self-titled alb ...
(Shizuoka – Kakegawa – Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu)
*
313-0 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki)
*
313-300 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki, Ōgaki – Mino-Akasaka)
*
313-2300 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the
Gotemba Line, through services onto the
Minobu Line)
*
313-2500 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
*
313-2600 series (Atami – Toyohashi, through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
*
313-3000 series (through services onto the
Gotemba Line, through services onto the
Minobu Line)
*
313-3100 series (through services onto the Gotemba Line, through services onto the Minobu Line)
*
313-5000 series (Hamamatsu – Toyohashi – Gifu – Ōgaki – Maibara)
*
373 series
The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) on mid-distance limited express and ''Homeliner'' services in Japan since October 1995.
Design
The trains were built jointly by Hitachi an ...
(Atami – – Shizuoka, Hamamatsu – Toyohashi, Ōgaki – Maibara)
*
KiHa 85 series (Nagoya / Osaka – Gifu, through service on the Takayama Main Line)
*
HC85 series (Nagoya / Osaka – Gifu, through service on the Takayama Main Line)
JR West

*
681 series (Nagoya – Ōgaki – Sekigahara)
*
683-8000 series (Nagoya – Ōgaki – Sekigahara)
*
281 series 81 may refer to:
* 81 (number)
* one of the years 81 BC, AD 81, 1981, 2081
* Nickname for the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. "H" is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and "A" is the first. See also
*
* List of highways numbered
A ''list'' is ...
,
271 series (Yasu - Shin-Osaka)
*
207 series,
321 series
The is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in the Kansai Region of Japan.
Overview
The 321 series was developed from the earlier 207 series to replace the ageing 201 series a ...
(Kusatsu - Kobe)
*
221 series
The is a suburban electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in the Kansai Region of Japan since March 1989.
Operations
* Tōkaidō Main Line (Biwako Line, JR Kyoto Line, JR Kobe Line) ( - , until ...
,
223 series
The is a suburban electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in the Kansai Region, Chūgoku region and Shikoku of Japan. Multiple batches of the train have been built with varying differences (part ...
,
225 series(Maibara - Kobe)
Former rolling stock
*
KiHa 75 (through services onto the Taketoyo Line, 1999 - March 2015)
*
113-1000 series (April 1972 - March 2006)
*
185 series (Tokyo – Atami, Misima through services onto the
Itō Line, March 1981 - March 2021)
*
211 series (Tokyo – Atami – Numazu, through services onto the Itō Line, 1985 - April 2012)
*
215 series
Fifteen or 15 may refer to:
*15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16
*one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015
Music
*Fifteen (band), a punk rock band
Albums
* 15 (Buckcherry album), ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005
* 15 ...
(Tokyo – Atami, 1992 - March 2021)
*
E217 series (Tokyo – Atami, March 2006 - March 2015)
*
251 series
The 251 series ( ja, 251系) was a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on Tokaido Main Line '' Super View Odoriko'' limited express services in Japan between April 1990 and March 2020.
O ...
(Ikebukuro/Tokyo, Atami, through service onto the
Itō Line, April 1990 - March 2020)
*
651 series (''Izu Craile'' services: Odawara – Atami, through service onto the
Itō Line, July 2016 - June 2020)
File:Jre E217F.jpg, E217 series in Tokaido Line ''Shōnan'' livery, April 2007
File:113sayonara.jpg, A 113 series approaching Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
, March 2006.
History

The Tōkaidō route takes its name from the
ancient road connecting the
Kansai region (Kyoto, Osaka) with the
Kantō region (Tokyo, then Edo) through the
Tōkai region (including Nagoya). Literally, it was the Tōkai road, or Road through Tōkai. The Tōkaidō Line does not follow the old road exactly, since the latter diverges at Nagoya toward the
Mie Prefecture coastline; to follow it by train, the
Kansai Main Line and
Kusatsu Line would have to be followed from
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most p ...
to
Kusatsu. The largest population centers in Japan are along this route - Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. These centers have grown to occupy an ever more dominant role in the country's government, financial, manufacturing and cultural life.
Historically, one of the first priorities of Japanese railway planners was to build a line from Tokyo to the
Kansai region, either following the Tokaido route or the northern
Nakasendō
The , also called the ,Richard Lane, ''Images from the Floating World'' (1978) Chartwell, Secaucus ; pg. 285 was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 ...
route. This decision remained unresolved as regional needs were addressed. The first railway in Japan was the line from
Shimbashi
, sometimes transliterated Shimbashi, is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Name
Read literally, the characters in Shinbashi mean "new bridge".
History
The area was the site of a bridge built across the Shiodome River in 1604. The river was l ...
to
Sakuragicho in Yokohama, which opened in 1872; another segment of today's Tokaido Main Line, between Kyoto and Kobe, opened in 1877.
In 1883, the government decided to use the Nakasendo route, and construction of several segments commenced (including the modern-day
Takasaki Line). Railways were opened between Ogaki and Nagahama (1884) and between Nagoya and Kisogawa (1886) in line with the Nakasendo plan. However, by 1886, it was clear that the Tokaido route would be more practical, and so the Nakasendo plan was abandoned.
The lines between
Kisogawa and
Ogaki,
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
and
Kozu, and
Hamamatsu and
Obu were completed in 1887, and the first line from Tokyo to Kobe was completed in 1889, when Kozu and Hamamatsu were connected through the present-day Gotemba Line corridor, and the final segments were completed between Kasumigahara and Otsu. At the time, there was one Tokyo-Kobe train in each direction per day, taking over 20 hours each way.
The "Tokaido Line" name was formally adopted in 1895. In October 1895, following the
Sino-Japanese War, through service to the Sanyo Railway (now
Sanyo Main Line) began. Express service between Tokyo and Kobe began in 1896, sleeper service in 1900, and dining car service in 1901.
In 1906,
all privately run main lines were nationalized under the newly created
Japanese Government Railways, which, at the time had a network of just over . Automatic couplers were introduced on all freight wagons in 1926. In 1930, the first ''
Tsubame'' ("swallow") express was introduced, reducing the Tokyo - Kobe travel-time to nine hours - a significant reduction from the twenty hours required in 1889 and fifteen in 1903.
Infrastructure improvements included the completion of double track on this route in 1913, and the opening of the long
Tanna Tunnel, which shortened the route by omitting a detour round the mountains between
Atami and
Numazu. This was the last major change to the alignment of the route.
By the early 1950s the Tōkaidō Line had become the main transportation artery of Japan. Although it was only 3% of the railway system by length, it carried 24% of JNR's passenger traffic and 23% of its freight, and the rate of growth was higher than any other line in the country. By 1956 electrification was completed along the Tokyo-Osaka section and with the introduction of new ''
Kodama'' trains, travel time was reduced to six and a half hours. The line became so popular that tickets regularly sold out within ten minutes of being put on sale, one month in advance of the travel date.
The capacity constraints on the Tokaido Main Line had been clear prior to World War II, and work started on a new standard gauge "bullet train" line in 1940. Intercity passenger traffic between Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka largely transferred to the
Tōkaidō Shinkansen after it was completed in 1964. Since then, the Tokaido Main Line has been used as a commuter and freight line, serving a very small number of long-distance passenger trains (mainly overnight and sleeper services).
Following the
Hanshin earthquake on 17 January 1995, the line was shut down between Takatsuki and Kobe, with certain segments remaining impassable until 1 April of that year.
Former connecting lines
Kanagawa Prefecture
* Ninomiya Station: The Shonan Horse-drawn Tramway opened a line to Hatano in 1906 to haul tobacco. Steam locomotion was introduced in 1913. Passenger services ceased in 1933, and the line closed in 1935.
* Odawara Station: The
Japan Tobacco and Salt Public Corporation operated an approximately 1 km line to its factory, electrified at 1,500 V DC, between 1950 and 1984. The line was also serviced by the adjoining
Odakyu Odawara Line from its Ashigara station.
Shizuoka Prefecture
* Atami Station: In 1895, a gauge
handcar line opened to Yoshihama, and was extended to Odawara the following year. In 1907, the line was converted to gauge and steam locomotives were introduced. The line closed in 1923 as a result of the
Great Kanto earthquake
Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements
* Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size
* Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent
People
* List of people known as "the Great"
*Artel Great (born ...
.
* Numazu Station: The Sunzu Electric Railway opened a line to Mishima-Tamachi on the
Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line in 1906. In 1915, the line was truncated 1 km to connect at Mishima-Hirokoji, and the line was electrified at 600 V DC in 1919. The line closed in 1961 following the destruction of the Kisegawa bridge during a flood.
* Yoshiwara Station: The opened a gauge line to Ōmiya (presentday
Fujinomiya) in 1890. The purchased the tramway in 1912, converted it to a gauge steam railway the following year and gradually extended it (eventually becoming the
Minobu Line). In 1924, the company built a new alignment which connected to Fuji station on the Tokaido main line, at which time the original section from Omiya to Yoshiwara closed.
* Shimizu Station:
Shimizukō Line from 1916 to 1984.
* Shizuoka Station:
** The Abe Railway opened a gauge line from Inomiya (approximately 2 km from Shizuoka) to Ushizuma in 1914 to haul timber. Plans to extend the line to Shizuoka did not eventuate and the line closed in 1934.
**The Shizuoka Electric Railway opened a line to Anzai, connecting to its
Shimizu Line, electrified at 600 V DC, between 1922 and 1926. The line closed in 1962.
* Yaizu Station: A handcar line operated to Fujieda between 1891 and 1900.
* Fujieda Station: The Tōsō Railway opened a gauge line to Ote in 1913, and by 1926 had extended the line progressively in both directions for a length of from Jitogata to Suruga-Okabe, although in 1936 the section from Suruga-Okabe to Ote was closed. In 1943, the company merged with the Shizuoka Railway (see Fujiroi Station below), and in 1948, a line between Mitsumata and Jitogata opened, linking the two sections. This section of the combined line closed between 1964 and 1970.
* Shimada Station: The Fuji Prefectural Government opened a gauge handcar line in 1898 to haul timber. In 1944, following the destruction of the nearby Tokaido Line bridge over the Oigawa, it was proposed to use the alignment of this line as a replacement, including a wooden bridge over the river. The bridge was about 25% completed when the end of the war resulted in the termination of the proposal. A diesel locomotive was introduced in 1955 to haul construction material for the construction of the adjacent national highway, and the line closed in 1959.
* Kikukawa Station: The Joto horse-drawn tramway opened a gauge line to Ikeshinden in 1899. In 1923, the line was converted to gauge, and a single-cylinder diesel locomotive introduced. The line closed in 1935.
* Fukuroi Station:
**The Akiba horse-drawn tramway opened a gauge line to Enshumori-Cho in 1902. In 1926, the company renamed itself the Shizuoka Electric Railway, converted the line to gauge and electrified it at 600 V DC. The line closed in 1962.
**The Shizuoka Railway opened a gauge line to Yokosuka in 1914, extending it to Mitsumata in 1927. The company merged with the Fuji-sho Railway in 1943 (see Fujieda Station above), and in 1948, a line between Mitsumata and Jitogata opened, linking the two sections. This section of the combined line closed between 1964 and 1967.
* Hamamatsu Station: The Dainippon Railway opened a , gauge line to Kuniyoshi in 1909. In 1919, the line was acquired by the
Enshu Railway Line, which closed the first of the line in 1925, so the new connecting station became Enshu-Magome. The line closed in 1937 while the secion to Enshu-Magome would close in 1985.
Aichi Prefecture
* Okazaki Station:
** The Nishio Railway opened a gauge line to Nishio in 1911, and extended it to Kira-Yoshida on the
Meitetsu Gamagōri Line between 1915 and 1916. In 1926, the company merged with the Aichi Electric Railway, which between 1928 and 1929 converted the line to gauge, electrified it at 600 V DC, and connected it to the line from Shin-Anjō on the
Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line at Nishioguchi. The line to Nishio closed in 1962.
**A tram line connected to the Meitetsu Koromo line at Okazaki-Ida Station, which between 1929 and 1962 connected to the
Meitetsu Mikawa Line at Uwagoromo, the tramway also closing in 1962.
* Owari-Ichinomiya Station: The Meitetsu line to Okoshi, electrified at 600 V DC, opened in 1924. When the voltage on the Meitetsu main line was increased to 1,500 V DC in 1952, services were suspended on this line. The substitute bus service proved so popular the line was closed rather than upgraded.
Gifu Prefecture
* Ogaki Station: The
Seino Railway opened a line from Mino-Akasaka to Ichihashi in 1928, and operated a passenger service from 1930 to 1945.
* Arao Station (on the Mino Akasaka branch): A freight-only line to the Mino Okubo limestone quarry operated between 1928 and 1990.
Hyōgo Prefecture
* Nishinomiya Station: A freight-only line was opened in 1944 to connect to Mukogawa Station on the
Hanshin Main Line
{{BS-map
, title=Route map
, title-bg=orangered
, title-color=white
, collapsible=yes
, collapse=yes
, map=
{{BS, , , Lines are of Hanshin unless noted, }
{{BS5, , hBHF, , , tBHF, , , {{STN, Osaka/{{STN, Kitashinchi}
{{BS5, , hSTR, exKBHFa, tKACC ...
. As the former was gauge, and the latter gauge, some tracks at Mukogawa were dual gauge. Service on the line ceased in 1958, but it was not formally closed until 1970.
* Rokkomichi Station: A line to Kobe Port opened in 1907, electrified at 1,500 V DC. Passenger services ceased in 1974, and the line closed in 2003.
References
External links
Stations of the Tōkaidō Main Line(JR East)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tokaido Main Line
Lines of East Japan Railway Company
Railway lines in Tokyo
Lines of Central Japan Railway Company
Lines of West Japan Railway Company
1067 mm gauge railways in Japan
Railway lines opened in 1872
1872 establishments in Japan
1500 V DC railway electrification