Utsunomiya Line

The Utsunomiya Line (宇都宮線, Utsunomiya-sen) is the service name used by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) for the 163.5-kilometer (101.6-mile) section of the Tōhoku Main Line between Tokyo Station in Tokyo and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan. In regular service, the remaining northern section of the Tōhoku Main Line is referred to as the Tōhoku Line. Separate service names are used because the line is electrified at south of Kuroiso and north of the station, meaning there are no regularly scheduled passenger services operating through Kuroiso Station.

Services

Services on the Utsunomiya Line are typically divided into three categories: services to or from Ueno, Shōnan–Shinjuku Line services, and Ueno–Tokyo Line services. Between Ueno and Ōmiya, trains share the track with the Takasaki Line, both of which serve as de facto express services compared to the parallel Keihin–Tōhoku Line.

• Northbound services mostly terminate at or , with some at .
• Southbound trains mostly travel through to either the Shōnan–Shinjuku Line to on the Yokosuka Line, or the Ueno–Tokyo Line to either Shinagawa, Ōfuna, Odawara, Hiratsuka, Kozu, Odawara, , or Itō on the Tōkaidō Line, with a few trains terminating at Ueno.

The fastest service on the line, the rapid Rabbit, makes the run between Ueno and Utsunomiya in 1 hour and 26 minutes.

Service on the line is generally divided at Utsunomiya, though the number of through trains had been increasing steadily over the years. South of Utsunomiya, 10- and 15-car E231-1000/E233-3000 series four-door suburban commuter EMUs with Green cars attached service the line, while to the north service was provided chiefly by 4-car 205-600 series four-door EMUs. Starting 12 March 2022, all services north of Utsunomiya until Kuroiso use E131-600/-680 series EMUs, and through services using suburban 10/15-car trains ceased to operate.

Limited express

Limited express services use the line, including:

• Nikkō / Spacia Nikkō / Kinugawa / Spacia Kinugawa (from Ikebukuro/Shinjuku to Kurihashi and on to the Tōbu Nikkō Line)

Local/rapid services

Rapid Rabbit

Since March 2015, Rapid Rabbit services now run from on the Tōkaidō Line, through the Ueno–Tokyo Line, to Utsunomiya. This service stops at every station on the Tōkaidō Line, and skips some stations on the Utsunomiya Line. Rabbit trains were first operated by the Japanese National Railways as an hourly/half-hourly rapid service. From October 2004, Rabbit services ran only twice during the morning; on weekends, they replaced the weekday commuter rapid service. From March 2021, the commuter rapid service was consolidated into the rapid Rabbit service, which now operate two trains one-way from the Tōkaidō Line (one from and one from Kōzu) to Utsunomiya in the morning, and between three and five trains each way between Ueno and Utsunomiya in the evening.^[1] From the start of March 2024 timetable revision, all southbound Rabbit services to Ueno were discontinued, resulting in these services fully becoming one-way operation. Following this, evening northbound services were reduced to two trains from Ueno to Utsunomiya.^[2]

Southbound rapid services are exclusively ran on the Shōnan–Shinjuku Line, terminating at Zushi.

Local

• Northbound local trains terminate at either Koga, Koganei, or Utsunomiya. The first train leaves Ueno during the 5 o'clock hour in the morning, and the last train leaves Tokyo during the 11 o'clock hour.
• During the morning peak (7/8 o'clock hour), Ueno-bound trains run at intervals of 4–6 minutes. Most trains continue south to the Tōkaidō Line through the Ueno–Tokyo Line, while some trains terminate at Ueno.

Shōnan–Shinjuku Line services

Within the Utsunomiya Line, Shōnan–Shinjuku Line rapid and local trains are each operated once per hour. They do not stop at Saitama-Shintoshin Station since it has no platforms available. They operate between Zushi on the Yokosuka Line and Utsunomiya.

Rapid

Rapid trains operate once hourly, making limited stops. The travel time between Shinjuku and Utsunomiya is about 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Local

Local trains operate once hourly (twice hourly during the morning), stopping at all stations. The travel time between Shinjuku and Ōmiya is about 32 minutes.

Utsunomiya – Kuroiso services

Between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso, local trains stop at every station. Trains operate approximately two times per hour, traveling between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso in approximately 50 minutes. All trains use E131-600/-680 series EMUs.^[3]

Past services

Commuter rapid

Commuter rapid services for Utsunomiya made fewer stops than the Rabbit rapid services. They were operated only on weekday evenings, between Ueno and Utsunomiya. Trains departed Ueno between 18:00 and 22:00, and Utsunomiya between 16:00 and 21:00, with approximately one round-trip per hour. All trains were E231/E233 series 10- or 15-car EMUs. This service ended on 12 March 2021.^[1]

Rapid Acty

From March 2015, with the Ueno–Tokyo Line opening, Tōkaidō Line Rapid Acty services ran up along the Utsunomiya Line. Services stopped at every station on the Utsunomiya Line, and skipped some stations on the Tōkaidō Line. Since 13 March 2021, Acty services stopped running through to the Utsunomiya Line.^[4]

Limited Express

• Ohayō Tochigi・Hometown Tochigi
• Hokutosei, Cassiopeia (once or twice daily night trains)

Home Liner Koga

Two trains bound for Koga depart Ueno every weekday evening. Passengers can board only at Ueno; all other stations are for disembarking only. Stops include: Ueno, Urawa, Ōmiya, Higashi-Ōmiya, Hasuda, Kuki, and Koga. Service is provided by 7-car 185 series and 9-car 489 series EMUs.

Station list

• Local trains, excluding Shōnan–Shinjuku Line through trains, stop at all stations within the Utsunomiya Line (except Nippori)
• For limited express services, please see their respective articles.

Legends:

• ● : All trains stop
• ｜: All trains pass (↓: Indicates the direction of Rapid Rabbit trains passing)
• ▼: Rapid Rabbit trains stop (Northbound only)
• ■: Shōnan–Shinjuku Line trains stop, but use dedicated platforms on the Tōhoku Freight Line
• ∥ : Shōnan–Shinjuku Line trains do not travel within this section

Rolling stock

Tokyo—Ueno—Utsunomiya

• E231-1000 series EMUs
• E233-3000 series EMUs

Oyama—Utsunomiya—Kuroiso

• E131-600/-680 series 3-car EMUs (since 12 March 2022)^[3]

Utsunomiya—Hōshakuji (Karasuyama Line through service)

• EV-E301 series BEMUs

Former rolling stock

Koganei—Utsunomiya—Kuroiso

• 205-600 series EMUs (until 11 March 2022)

From March 2013, a fleet of eight refurbished 4-car 205-600 series EMUs was phased in on Utsunomiya Line services between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso, replacing 211 series sets.^[5] These operated until 11 March 2022 when they were replaced by new build 3-car E131-600/-680 series EMUs.

History

See also

• Tōhoku Main Line
• Takasaki Line
• Shōnan–Shinjuku Line
• Ueno–Tokyo Line

References

1. ^ "March 2021 Timetable Revision (Ofuna branch)". 18 December 2020. Archived 18 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
2. ^ "快速「ラビット／アーバン」上野行き"全廃"に衝撃 「残ると思ってたが」 ダイヤ改正で数減らす宇都宮線・高崎線快速" (in Japanese). 乗りものニュース. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
3. ^ "２０２２年３月ダイヤ改正について（大宮支社）" [March 2022 timetable revision, Omiya Branch]. 17 December 2021. Archived 17 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
4. ^ "March 2021 Timetable Revision (Yokohama branch)". 18 December 2020. Archived 26 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
5. ^ "ja:日光線、宇都宮線に205系リニューアル車投入" [Refurbished 205 series to be introduced on Nikko and Utunomiya Line] (in Japanese). Tetsudo Hobidas. Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 27 September 2012. Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 September 2012.

External links

• Stations of the Tōhoku Main Line (JR East) (in Japanese)

1. ^ Some Karasuyama Line trains run through to Utsunomiya.