Chitose Line

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.

Chitose Line
A 721 series EMU on an Airport rapid service at Minami-Chitose Station
Overview
Native name千歳線
TypeAirport rail link
Commuter rail
LocaleHokkaido
TerminiNumanohata
Shiroishi
Stations15
Operation
Opened1926
Owner JR Hokkaido
Technical
Line length56.6 km (35.2 mi)
Number of tracksDouble
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification20 kV AC, overhead catenary
Route map

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 trains Special Rapid Airport and Rapid Airport run approximately once every 12 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
SRA: Special Rapid Airport
A: Rapid Airport
L: Local
All rapid trains stop at stations signed "+", some at "◌", and all skip stations marked "-".[2] Local trains stop at most stations but some skip stations signed "◌".
No.Station nameJapaneseDistance (km)SRAALTransfersLocation (all in Hokkaido)
Tomakomai to Numanohata: officially Muroran Main Line
 H18 Tomakomai苫小牧-8.8+
 Tomakomai
Chitose Line (Main Line)
 H17 Numanohata沼ノ端0.0+■ Muroran Main Line (for Oiwake)Tomakomai
 H16 Uenae植苗6.4◌
 H14 Minami-Chitose南千歳18.4 +++
 Chitose
 H13 Chitose千歳21.4 -++
 H12 Osatsu長都24.9 --+
 H11 Sapporo Beer Teienサッポロビール庭園27.1 --◌Eniwa
 H10 Eniwa恵庭29.4 -++
 H09 Megumino恵み野31.9 --+
 H08 Shimamatsu島松34.1 --+
 H07 Kitahiroshima北広島40.6 -++Kitahiroshima
 H06 Kami-Nopporo上野幌48.6 --+Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo
 H05 Shin-Sapporo新札幌51.5 +++ Subway Tōzai Line ( T19 )
 H04 Heiwa平和54.4 --+Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
Shiroishi to Sapporo: officially Hakodate Main Line
 H03 Shiroishi白石56.6 -◌+■ Hakodate Main Line (for Asahikawa)Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
 H02 Naebo苗穂60.2 --+Chūō-ku, Sapporo
 01 Sapporo札幌62.4 +++
 Kita-ku, Sapporo

    Airport Branch Line
    No.Station nameJapaneseDistance (km)SRAALTransfersLocation (all in Hokkaido)
     AP14 Minami-Chitose南千歳0.0 +++■ Chitose Line (Main Line), ■ Sekishō LineChitose
     AP15 Shin-Chitose-Kūkō (New Chitose Airport)新千歳空港2.6 +++

    Rolling stock
    • A 721 series EMU on the Chitose Line, June 2008
    • A 731 series EMU on the Chitose Line, July 2006
    • A 733 series EMU on the Chitose Line, February 2014
    • 735 series EMUs, May 2012

    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.

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    See also

    References
    1. "Train Guide". Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved 2016-11-20.
    2. "New Chitose Airport => Sapporo Travel Information". Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
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