Keiyō Line

From TrainSpottingWorld, for Rail fans everywhere
Keiyo and Sotobo Line trains at Soga Station

The Keiyō Line (京葉線 Keiyō-sen?) is a 43 km narrow gauge (1067 mm) railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba, Japan, running mainly along the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

The line was partially opened in 1986 and was completed in 1990. It is the main rail access to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center.

The terminus at Tokyo Station is located underground, some distance to the south of the main station complex about half way to Yurakuchō Station. This means transfer between other lines at Tokyo Station can take between 15 and 20 minutes. The platforms at Tokyo Station were originally built to accommodate the Narita Shinkansen, a planned (but never built) high-speed rail line between Tokyo and Narita International Airport.

The name Keiyō is derived from the second characters of the names of the cities linked by the line, Tōkyō (東) and Chiba (千). It is occasionally confused with the Keiō Line, a different railway line in western Tokyo.

Services

  • Keiyo Line local trains make all stops between Tokyo and Soga except Nishi-Funabashi.
  • Keiyo Line rapid service trains stop at Tokyo, Hatchobori, Shin-Kiba, Maihama, Shin-Urayasu, Minami-Funabashi, Kaihin-Makuhari and all stops up to Soga.
  • Musashino Line local trains stop at Nishi-Funabashi, Minami-Funabashi, Shin-Narashino and Kaihin-Makuhari.
  • Musashino Line rapid service trains make all stops between Tokyo and Nishi-Funabashi before continuing to the Musashino Line.
  • Commuter rapid service (通勤快速 tsūkin-kaisoku?) trains stop at Tokyo, Hatchobori, Shin-Kiba and Soga.

Stations

Station Ward / City Transfers
Tokyo Chiyoda, Tokyo Shinkansen, Yamanote Line, Tōkaidō Main Line, Chūō Main Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Sobu Line, Yokosuka Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Hatchobori Chūō, Tokyo Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Etchujima Koto, Tokyo
Shiomi Koto, Tokyo
Shin-Kiba Koto, Tokyo Rinkai Line, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
Kasairinkai-Koen Edogawa, Tokyo
Maihama Urayasu, Chiba Disney Resort Line
Shin-Urayasu Urayasu, Chiba
Ichikawa-Shiohama Ichikawa, Chiba
Nishi-Funabashi Funabashi, Chiba Musashino Line (through service), Sobu Line, Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, Toyo Rapid Railway, Keisei Main Line (Keisei Funabashi Station)
Futamata-Shinmachi Ichikawa, Chiba
Minami-Funabashi Funabashi, Chiba
Shin-Narashino Narashino, Chiba
Kaihin-Makuhari Mihama-ku, Chiba
Kemigawahama Mihama-ku, Chiba
Inagekaigan Mihama-ku, Chiba
Chiba-Minato Chūō-ku, Chiba Chiba Monorail
Soga Chūō-ku, Chiba Uchibo Line, Sotobo Line

Rolling stock

All Keiyō Line rolling stock is based at the Keiyō Rolling Stock Center near Shin-Narashino Station

Rolling stock currently used

  • 201 series 10-car EMUs (x7) (sky blue livery) (from August 2000)
  • 205 series 10-car EMUs (magenta stripe) (from March 1990)
  • E331 series 14-car EMU (x1) (magenta stripe) (from March 2007)

Rolling stock used in the past

  • 103 series 10-car EMUs (sky blue livery) (from 1986 until November 2005)
  • 165 series 3-car EMU (x1) "Shuttle Maihama" (from 1990 until 1995)