The Osaka Line (大阪線, Ōsaka-sen) is a railway line in Japan owned by Kintetsu Railway, connecting Osaka and Mie Prefecture via Nara Prefecture. The line is the longest double-tracked railway of non-JR operators. Together with the Nagoya Line, this line forms the route for Kintetsu limited express services connecting Osaka and Nagoya in competition with the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Osaka Line
21000 series EMU on a limited express service passing New Aoyama Tunnel
Overview
OwnerThe logo of the Kintetsu Railway Company. Kintetsu Railway
Line numberD
LocaleKansai (Osaka, Nara and Mie Prefectures
Termini
Stations48
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Intercity rail
Operator(s)Kintetsu Railway
Depot(s)Takayasu
(Branch: Goido, Nabari, Aoyamacho)
Goido (workshop)
History
Opened30 April 1914; 109 years ago (1914-04-30)
Technical
Line length108.9 km (67.7 mi)
Track length107.6 km (66.9 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Minimum radius400 m (1,300 ft)
Electrification1,500 V DC (overhead line)
Operating speed130 km/h (80 mph)
(some limited express trains)
120 km/h (75 mph)
(limited express trains)
110 km/h (70 mph)
(other trains)
SignallingAutomatic closing block
Train protection systemKintetsu ATS, ATS-SP
Maximum incline3.56%
Route map

0.0*
km via the former route

0.0
D03 Osaka Uehommachi
S19 as Sennichimae Line
JR West: Left arrow Osaka Loop Line Right arrow
1.1
D04 Tsuruhashi
2.8
D05 Imazato
Sennichimae Line
4.1
D06 Fuse
5.1
D07 Shuntokumichi
6.2
D08 Nagase
7.4
D09 Mito
8.3
D10 Kyūhōjiguchi
9.2
Kintetsu Yao
-1978
9.6
D11 Kintetsu Yao
1978-
11.1
D12 Kawachi-Yamamoto
Takayasu Inspection Depot / Workshop
12.2
D13 Takayasu
Takayasu Depot
13.3
D14 Onji
14.9
D15 Hōzenji
15.7
D16 Katashimo
16.6
D17 Andō
Left arrow Kashiwara (temporary)
Yamatoji Line Right arrow
18.2
D18 Kawachi-Kokubu
19.8
D19 Ōsaka-Kyōikudai-mae
Tamateyama Tunnel
22.0
D20 Sekiya
24.1
D21 Nijō
25.7
D22 Kintetsu Shimoda
Goidō Workshop/
Takayasu Inspection Goido Depot
27.1
D23 Goidō
28.8
D24 Tsukiyama
29.9
D25 Yamato-Takada
(Left arrow *Takada)
JR West: Left arrow Wakayama Line
31.8
D26 Matsuzuka
32.8
D27 Masuga
Ninokuchi Bypass Right arrow
B40 Yagi-nishiguchi [* 1]
34.8
D39 Yamato-Yagi
Unebi
36.9
D40 Miminashi
38.2
D41 Daifuku
Yamato RailwayRight arrow
39.8
D42 Sakurai
Up arrow
Sakurai Line
(Man-yo Mahoroba Line)
Right arrow
Daiki: Hase Line Right arrowDown arrow
41.9
D43 Yamato-Asakura
Hase
45.6
D44 Hasedera
50.1
D45 Haibara
57.2
D46 Murōguchi-Ōno
59.7
D47 Sambommatsu
64.0
D48 Akameguchi
Nishi-Nabari
67.2
D49 Nabari
Takayasu Inspection Nabari Depot
70.0
D50 Kikyōgaoka
73.1
D51 Mihata
75.5
D52 Iga-Kambe
77.9
D53 Aoyamachō
Takayasu Inspection Aoyamacho Depot
80.6
D54 Iga-Kōzu
Miyashita Tunnel
Kitayama Tunnel
Tanioku Tunnel
Sangen-ya Tunnel
83.4*
Sangen-ya Signal Box
-1973
83.8
D55 Nishi-Aoyama
1975-
Up arrow Osaka Transportation Department
84.048
Down arrow Nagoya Transportation Department
85.3*
Nishi-Aoyama
-1975
New Aoyama Tunnel
5,652 m
Aoyama Tunnel
89.1*
Higashi-Aoyama
-1975
Kaito Tunnel
Takiguchi Tunnel
Mizoguchi Tunnel
Nikawa Tunnel
91.8*
Kaito-nishi Signal Box
-1975
91.5
D56 Higashi-Aoyama
1975-
93.1*
Kaito-higashi Signal Box
-1975
Sōdani Tunnel
Kajigahiro Tunnel
95.4
D57 Sakakibara-Onsenguchi
97.6
D58 Ōmitsu
100.1
Kametani Signal Box
-1974
101.6
D59 Ise-Ishibashi
Left arrow Chusei Railway Right arrow
Kumozu River
Takano Signal Box
-1974
104.4
D60 Kawai-Takaoka
108.2
Miyako Junction
Nakagawa Bypass for limited express trains
Nakamura River
Up arrowLeft arrow Osaka Line
108.9
D61 Ise-Nakagawa
  1. ^ Same station as Yamato-Yagi

Rapid service edit

Along with charged Limited express, non-charged local and rapid services are operated on the line.

Local (普通, Futsū) (L)
Mostly using 6-car trains, operations are divided at Nabari. In the west trains normally run between Osaka Uehommachi and Takayasu or Kawachi-Kokubu. During the day, 6 trains operate per hour, 5 between Osaka Uehommachi and Takayasu, and one between Osaka Uehommachi and Kawachi-Kokubu. In the east, local trains run between Nabari or Aoyamacho and Ise-Nakagawa. Some trains continues as other train types west of Nabari.
Suburban Semi-Express (区間準急, Kukan Junkyū) (SSE)
The service started on March 20, 2012.[1] These operate using 6-car trains, between Osaka Uehommachi and Yamato-Asakura, Haibara, or Nabari, during off-peak hours.
Semi-Express (準急, Junkyū) (SE)
Between Osaka Uehommachi and Takayasu, Haibara or Nabari, peak hours only, replacing suburban semi-express services, using 10-, 8-, or 6-car formations.
Express (急行, Kyūkō) (Ex)
Operated at all times except during rush hours in the peak direction, connecting Osaka Uehommachi and Aoyamachō or Isuzugawa on Toba Line, one and two services per hour respectively. These trains use short 6-car formations due to the lengths of platforms at Kawachi-Kokubu and Sambommatsu. Makes a connection to express train on Nagoya Line at Ise-Nakagawa.
Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō) (RE)
Long distance rapid service replacing express trains at rush hours, between Osaka Uehommachi and Aoyamachō, or Matsusaka, Ujiyamada, Isuzugawa or Toba on Toba Line in Mie Prefecture. To the west of Nabari, they operate with up to 10 cars, to the west of Aoyamachō with up to 8 cars, and 4 or 6 cars in the eastern section.
After the schedule change on March 20, 2012, these trains were integrated with suburban rapid express trains (区間快速急行, 区間快速, Kukan Kaisoku Kyūkō, Kukan Kaisoku). Muroguchi-Ono and Akameguchi stations became stops of rapid express trains, but Iga-Kozu, Nishi-Aoyama, and Higashi-Aoyama stations are skipped.[1]
After the schedule change on March 14, 2020, morning westbound trains are shortened between Aoyamacho and Osaka Uehommachi, and trains from the Yamada Line and the Toba Line are operated as express trains until Nabari. A timetable revision scheduled for 16 March 2024 looks to mark the end of operation with 10-car trains.[2]
Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū)
Seat reservation required for an extra charge, between Osaka Uehommachi or Osaka Namba on the Kintetsu Namba Line in Osaka and Nagoya or the Ise - Shima region.

Stations edit

  • 〇 : All trains stop.
  • ▲ : Most trains stop
  • △ : Some trains stop
No. Stations Japanese Distance

(km)

SSE SE Ex RE LE Transfers Location
 D03  Ōsaka Uehommachi 大阪上本町 0.0
Tennōji-ku, Osaka Osaka Prefecture
 D04  Tsuruhashi 鶴橋 1.1
Ikuno-ku, Osaka
 D05  Imazato 今里 2.8
 D06  Fuse 布施 4.1 A Kintetsu-Nara Line (A06) Higashiōsaka
 D07  Shuntokumichi 俊徳道 5.1 F Osaka Higashi Line (JR Shuntokumichi) (JR-F11)
 D08  Nagase
(Kindai University)
長瀬 6.2
 D09  Mito 弥刀 7.4
 D10  Kyūhōjiguchi 久宝寺口 8.3 Yao
 D11  Kintetsu Yao 近鉄八尾 9.6
 D12  Kawachi-Yamamoto 河内山本 11.1 J Shigi Line (J12)
 D13  Takayasu 高安 12.2
 D14  Onji 恩智 13.3
 D15  Hōzenji 法善寺 14.9 Kashiwara
 D16  Katashimo 堅下 15.7
 D17  Andō 安堂 16.6
 D18  Kawachi-Kokubu
(Kansai University of Welfare Sciences)
河内国分 18.2
 D19  Ōsaka-Kyōikudai-mae
(Ōsaka Kyōiku University)
大阪

教育大前

19.8
 D20  Sekiya 関屋 22.0 Kashiba Nara Prefecture
 D21  Nijō 二上 24.1
 D22  Kintetsu Shimoda 近鉄下田 25.7
 D23  Goidō
(Mamigaoka New Town)
五位堂 27.1
 D24  Tsukiyama 築山 28.8 Yamatotakada
 D25  Yamato-Takada 大和高田 29.9
 D26  Matsuzuka 松塚 31.8
 D27  Masuga 真菅 32.8 Kashihara
 D39  Yamato-Yagi 大和八木 34.8 B Kashihara Line (B39)
 D40  Miminashi 耳成 36.9
 D41  Daifuku 大福 38.2 Sakurai
 D42  Sakurai 桜井 39.8 U Man-yō Mahoroba Line (Sakurai Line)
 D43  Yamato-Asakura 大和朝倉 41.9
 D44  Hasedera 長谷寺 45.6
 D45  Haibara 榛原 50.1 Uda
 D46  Murōguchi-Ōno 室生口大野 57.2
 D47  Sambommatsu 三本松 59.7
 D48  Akameguchi 赤目口 64.0 Nabari Mie Prefecture
 D49  Nabari 名張 67.2
 D50  Kikyōgaoka 桔梗が丘 70.0
 D51  Mihata 美旗 73.1
 D52  Iga-Kambe 伊賀神戸 75.5 Iga Railway Iga Line Iga
 D53  Aoyamachō 青山町 77.9
 D54  Iga-Kōzu 伊賀上津 80.6
 D55  Nishi-Aoyama 西青山 83.8
 D56  Higashi-Aoyama 東青山 91.5 Tsu
 D57  Sakakibara-Onsenguchi 榊原温泉口 95.4
 D58  Ōmitsu 大三 97.6
 D59  Ise-Ishibashi 伊勢石橋 101.6
 D60  Kawai-Takaoka 川合高岡 104.4
 D61  Ise-Nakagawa 伊勢中川 108.9
Matsusaka

History edit

The Osaka Electric Railway opened the Osaka Uehommachi to Fuse section as 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) gauge dual track electrified at 600 V DC (as were all further sections unless otherwise noted) in 1914. The line was extended to Kintetsu Yao in 1924, and to Onji the following year. The Yamato-Takada to Yamato-Yagi section opened (with a single track) the same year, and was then linked to Onji and duplicated in 1927. The line was then extended to Sakurai in 1929 and the voltage on the Sakurai to Fuse section increased to 1,500 V DC to permit through-running with the Sangu Express Railway line (see below).

The Sangu Express Railway opened the Sakurai to Hase section in 1929, electrified at 1,500 V DC, and extended the line to Ise-Nakagawa the following year, single track beyond Nabari. The two companies became part of Kintetsu between 1941 and 1944.

The voltage on the Osaka Uehommachi to Fuse section was increased to 1,500 V DC in 1956, the Nabari to Iga-Kozu section was double-tracked between 1959 and 1961, and the rest of the line double-tracked between 1967 and 1975, when the 5,652 m Shin Aoyama tunnel was opened, at the time the longest tunnel built in Japan by a private railway.

Former connecting lines edit

  • Sakurai Station: The Hase Railway opened a 6 km (3.7 mi) 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge line to Hase in 1909. The company merged with the Osaka Electric Railway in 1928, the year before the Sangu Express Railway opened the Sakurai to Hase line in 1929, and the line closed in 1938. The Yamato Railway operated an 8 km (5.0 mi) 1,067 mm gauge line electrified at 600 V DC to Nishi-Tawaramoto on the Kashihara Line between 1923 and 1958.
  • Iga-Kambe Station: The (first) Iga Railway opened a 26 km (16 mi) 1,067 mm gauge line between Iga-Ueno on the Kansai Main Line and Nishi-Nabari in 1922, including a connection at this station. The line was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1926. The section to Nishi-Nabari closed in 1964, with the Iga Line operated by the (second) Iga Railway after Kintetsu transferred operation of the line in 2007.
  • Ise-Ishibashi Station: The Dainippon Railway operated a 15 km (9.3 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line between Hisai on the Nagoya Line and Ise-Kawaguchi on the Meisho Line that connected here between 1925 and 1943.

References edit

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  1. ^ a b 平成24年のダイヤ変更について (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Kintetsu Corporation. January 20, 2012. p. 3. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  2. ^ "大阪線「10両快速急行」廃止に 近鉄3月ダイヤ改正 五位堂→上本町の急行&準急増発も". Traffic News (in Japanese). 18 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.