Kitakyushu monorail
| Kitakyushu Monorail | |
| 300px | |
| Location | Kitakyushu, Japan |
| Type | straddle-beam |
| Builder | Hitachi, Ltd. |
| Length | 8.8 kilometres |
| Inaugration | January 9, 1985 |
| Lines | 1 |
| Stations | 13 |
| Daily ridership | 31,700 |
| Operator | Kitakyushu Urban Monorail Co. Ltd. |
| Operational mode | With driver |
The Kitakyushu monorail is a monorail in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan, run by the Kitakyushu Urban Monorail Co. Ltd. (北九州高速鉄道株式会社, Kitakyushu Kosoku Kabushiki gaisha, literally "Kitakyushu High Speed Railway Co. Ltd.").
The Kitakyushu High Speed Kokura Line (北九州高速鉄道小倉線, Kitakyushu Kosoku Kokura sen) is currently the only line. It runs the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) between Kokura station and Kikugaoka station in Kokura Minami ward in about 18 minutes. It was opened on January 9, 1985 between the station now called Heiwadori and Kikugaoka, and extended about 300 metres (1000 ft) to Kokura station from Heiwadori on April 1, 1998.
The monorail is owned by the city of Kitakyushu, and did not begin to make a profit until the extension to Kokura station was completed. This had been resisted by the businesses in Uomachi shopping district who feared they would lose customers, but that did not happen.
Once a year there are beer parties and wine parties held on the monorail, bookings made in advance. Santa Claus boards the train on December 24.
There is apparently no plan to build a new line or extend the existing one at this time.
Stations
- Kokura Station - north terminus
- Heiwadori Station
- Tanga Station
- Kawaraguchi Mihagino Station
- Katano Station
- Jono Station
- Kitagata Station
- Keibajomae Station - for Kokura race course and the University of Kitakyushu
- Moritsune Station
- Tokuriki Kodanmae Station
- Tokuriki Arashiyamaguchi Station
- Shii Station
- Kikugaoka Station - south terminus
See also
External links
- Kitakyushu monorail (Official page in Japanese)
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