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Biwako Line
Biwako Line
Overview
Native name琵琶湖線
Owner JR West
Locale Kyoto Prefecture and Shiga Prefecture
Termini
  • Maibara
  • Kyoto (Tōkaidō Line)
    Nagahama (Hokuriku Line)
Stations23
Service
TypeHeavy rail
SystemUrban Network
Operator(s)JR West
JR Freight
History
OpenedMay 1, 1882 (as part of Tōkaidō Main Line)
March 13, 1988 (renamed as Biwako Line)
Technical
Line length75.4 km (46.9 mi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead line
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map

Legend
Hokuriku Main Line
for Fukui, Naoetsu
Tōkaidō Main Line
to Sekigahara
7.7
 Nagahama
4.7
 Tamura
2.4
 Sakata
0.0
Tokyo
JR Central/ JR West boundary
445.9
0.0
 Maibara
451.9
6.0
 Hikone
Ohmi Railway Main Line
for Yōkaichi, Kibukawa
455.2
9.3
 Minami-Hikone
458.3
12.4
 Kawase
462.0
16.1
 Inae
465.7
19.8
 Notogawa
470.8
24.9
 Azuchi
Ohmi Railway Yōkaichi Line
for Yōkaichi
474.3
28.4
 Ōmi-Hachiman
478.3
32.4
 Shinohara
483.9
38.0
 Yasu
Yasu River
487.0
41.1
 Moriyama
489.1
43.2
 Rittō
Kusatsu Line
to Kibukawa, Tsuge
491.4
45.5
 Kusatsu
Kusatsu River
493.9
48.0
 Minami-Kusatsu
496.6
50.7
 Seta
Seta River
Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line
499.1
53.2
 Ishiyama
501.9
56.0
 Zeze
Hama-Ōtsu
503.6
57.7
 Ōtsu
Ōtsu Port
Keishin Line
Ishiyama Sakamoto Line
to Sakamoto
Ōsakayama Tunnel
 Ōtani
Kosei Line
to Ōmi Shiotsu
Shiga/ Kyoto border
508.1
62.2
 Yamashina
(old) Yamashina
Higashiyama Tunnel
Nara Line
to Kizu
 Inari
Keihan Main Line
left to Sanjō
Tōfukuji
Kamo River
513.6
67.7
 Kyoto
Sanin Main Line
to Hatabu
JR Kyoto Line
To Osaka

The Biwako Line (琵琶湖線, Biwako-sen) is the nickname used by the operator of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) to refer to the portion of the Tōkaidō Main Line (between Maibara Station and Kyoto Station) and the Hokuriku Main Line (between Maibara Station and Nagahama Station). The section, along with JR Kyoto Line and JR Kobe Line, forms a contiguous service that is the main trunk of JR West's "Urban Network" commuter rail network in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area. [1]

Overview

The line is named after Lake Biwa (琵琶湖, Biwa-ko), which the route runs along. Line nicknames were introduced when the newly privatized JR West intended to use "familiar" names over official line names, such as Tōkaidō Main Line and Fukuchiyama Line. Biwako Line did not appear on the first list, and instead The JR Kyoto Line was to be called up to Maibara. A move in Shiga Prefecture opposed the name, claiming that the name of Kyoto Line in Shiga sounds like an auxiliary, requiring its own name in the prefecture. Biwako Line was thus made to refer to the section between Maibara and Kyoto.

The section of the name was extended to Nagahama, on the alteration of electric supply from 20 kV AC to 1,500 V DC, which enabled through operation to Kyoto and Osaka.

Although the "Biwako Line" nickname is used by the operator JR West for passenger announcements, the official status of Tōkaidō Main Line has not been changed or discussed. The counterpart for the line, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) uses its official name "Tōkaidō Main Line" for the section of JR West, at the connections of Kyoto and Maibara. The "Biwako Line" nickname appears in some local newspapers and real estate advertisements. Frequent passengers understand that the Biwako, JR Kyoto, JR Kobe lines are in fact one line, however, public recognition of the name is still in question, especially among non-users along the line.

Trains

  • Special Rapid Service (新快速):
    • Trains terminate at Nagahama, Maibara and Yasu (some trains continue on Hokuriku Line to Omi-Shiotsu and Tsuruga). Stops at Nagahama, Tamura, Sakata, Maibara, Hikone, Notogawa, Omi-Hachiman, Yasu, Moriyama, Kusatsu, Minami-Kusatsu, Ishiyama, Otsu, Yamashina, and Kyoto. Continues on JR Kyoto Line to Osaka and beyond.
  • Local trains (普通)
    • Operated as rapid service trains when running in the west of Takatsuki (Kyoto in the morning) (3 doors par car)
      • These local trains are mainly operated on the Biwako Line and make every stop on the line. They terminate at Maibara and Yasu.
    • JR Kyoto Line local trains (4 doors par car)
      • JR Kyoto Line local service extends to Yasu during rush hour on weekdays.

Stations

Stations are listed from east to west. The distance of Tokyo – Maibara is 445.9 km (277.1 mi), and that of Tokyo – Kyoto is 513.6 km (319.1 mi). Historically, the Tōkaidō Main Line continued from Tokyo to Kyoto and beyond, through Maibara. In the Japanese timetable books, the distances from Tokyo are still shown in the table, although the Biwako Line's officially begins at Maibara.

  • ●: 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): Operated as Rapid service trains west of Takatsuki (west of Kyoto in the morning)
Official line name No. Station Japanese Stop Transfers Location
Local
(Commuter) 		Local
(Suburban) 		Special Rapid Ward, City Prefecture
Through service from/to Hokuriku Main Line
Hokuriku Main Line  JR-A09  Nagahama 長浜 ● ● Hokuriku Main Line for Ōmi-Shiotsu and Tsuruga Nagahama Shiga
 JR-A10  Tamura 田村 ● ●
 JR-A11  Sakata 坂田 ● ● Maibara
 JR-A12  Maibara 米原 ● ● JR Central:

■ Ohmi Railway Main Line

Tōkaidō Main Line
 JR-A13  Hikone 彦根 ● ● ■ Ohmi Railway Main Line Hikone
 JR-A14  Minami-Hikone 南彦根 ● |
 JR-A15  Kawase 河瀬 ● |
 JR-A16  Inae 稲枝 ● |
 JR-A17  Notogawa 能登川 ● ● Higashiōmi
 JR-A18  Azuchi 安土 ● | Ōmihachiman
 JR-A19  Ōmi-Hachiman 近江八幡 ● ● ■ Ohmi Railway Yōkaichi Line
 JR-A20  Shinohara 篠原 ● |
 JR-A21  Yasu 野洲 ○ ● ● Yasu
 JR-A22  Moriyama 守山 ○ ● ● Moriyama
 JR-A23  Rittō 栗東 ○ ● | Rittō
 JR-A24  Kusatsu 草津 ● ● ● Kusatsu Line Kusatsu
 JR-A25  Minami-Kusatsu 南草津 ● ● ●
 JR-A26  Seta 瀬田 ● ● | Ōtsu
 JR-A27  Ishiyama 石山 ● ● ● OT Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line (OT03: Keihan Ishiyama Station)
 JR-A28  Zeze 膳所 ● ● | OT Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line (OT09: Keihan Zeze Station)
 JR-A29  Ōtsu 大津 ● ● ●
 JR-A30  Yamashina 山科 ● ● ● Kosei Line (JR-B30)
Kyoto Municipal Subway Tōzai Line (T07)
OT Keihan Keishin Line (OT31: Keihan Yamashina Station) 		Yamashina-ku, Kyoto Kyoto
 JR-A31  Kyoto 京都 ● ● ● Tōkaidō Shinkansen
JR Kyoto Line
Nara Line (JR-D01)
Sagano Line ( Sanin Main Line) (JR-E01)
 B  Kintetsu Kyoto Line (B01)
Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line (K11) 		Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
Through service from/to JR Kyoto Line
Within JR Kyoto Line: Local

(Northbound only)

Rapid Special Rapid

Rolling stock

Local

  • 113 series (Kusatsu – Kusatsu – Kyoto, through service with Kusatsu Line and Kosei Line)
  • 117 series (Kusatsu – Kusatsu – Kyoto, through service with Kusatsu Line and Kosei Line)
  • 125 series (Nagahama – Maibara, through service with Hokuriku Line)
  • 207 series (Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto, through service with Kosei Line)
  • 221 series (through service with Kosei Line)
  • 223-6000 series (through service with Kosei Line)
  • 321 series (Yasu – Kusatsu – Kyoto, through service with Kosei Line)
  • 521-0 series (Nagahama – Maibara, through service with Hokuriku Line)

Special Rapid and Local

  • 223–1000 series (through service with Kusatsu Line, Kosei Line, Hokuriku Line)
  • 223-2000 series (through service with Kusatsu Line, Kosei Line, Hokuriku Line)
  • 225-0 series (through service with Kusatsu Line, Kosei Line, Hokuriku Line)
  • 225-100 series (through service with Kusatsu Line, Kosei Line, Hokuriku Line)

Limited Express

Former

References

  1. ^ KyoTravellers (2023-04-01). "JR line | Kyoto Bus & Train Guide". Retrieved 2023-09-24.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Biwako Line.
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