Chikuhi Line

The Chikuhi Line (筑肥線, Chikuhi-sen) is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, connecting Meinohama Station in Fukuoka, Fukuoka (and via a subway through service, Fukuoka itself) to Karatsu Station in Karatsu, Saga, and from Yamamoto Station in Karatsu to Imari Station in Imari, Saga. Trains from Karatsu to Imari use the Karatsu Line to Yamamoto.[1][2]

Chikuhi Line
Overview
Native name筑肥線
LocaleFukuoka, Saga
Stations29
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemJR Kyushu
Operator(s)JR Kyushu
History
Opened5 December 1923 (1923-12-05)
Technical
Line length42.6 km (26.5 mi) (Meinohama–Karatsu)
25.7 km (16.0 mi) (Yamamoto–Inari)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead (Meinohama–Nishi-Karatsu)
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)
Map of Japan with the Chikuhi Line highlighted in red
A 103 series EMU on the Chikuhi Line, December 2005

Route data
  • Operators and distances
    • JR Kyushu
      • From Meinohama to Karatsu: 42.6 km (26.5 mi)
      • From Yamamoto to Imari: 25.7 km (16.0 mi)
  • Track gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Stations: 29
  • Double-track: From Meinohama to Chikuzen-Maebaru
  • Electrified track: Meinohama to Nishi-Karatsu only; Yamamoto to Imari is unelectrified

Stations

Meinohama to Karatsu/Nishi-Karatsu
●: Stops, ｜: Does not stop
Rapid Service: Stops at every station on the Kūkō Line
No. Station Japanese Distance
(km)		 Rapid service stops Transfers Location
Weekdays Weekends
Chikuhi Line
Continues to Fukuokakūkō Station on the Kūkō Line
JK  01  Meinohama 姪浜 0.0 ● ● Fukuoka City Subway: Kūkō Line (through service) Nishi-ku, Fukuoka Fukuoka
JK  02  Shimoyamato 下山門 1.6 ● |  
JK  03  Imajuku 今宿 5.2 ● |  
JK  04  Kyūdai-Gakkentoshi 九大学研都市 6.8 ● ●  
JK  05  Susenji 周船寺 8.1 ● |  
JK  06  Hatae 波多江 10.1 ● |   Itoshima
JK  07  Itoshima-Kokomae 糸島高校前 11.4 ● ●  
JK  08  Chikuzen-Maebaru 筑前前原 12.7 ● ●  
JK  09  Misakigaoka 美咲が丘 14.3 | |  
JK  10  Kafuri 加布里 15.4 | |  
JK  11  Ikisan 一貴山 16.7 | |  
JK  12  Chikuzen-Fukae 筑前深江 20.1 ● ●  
JK  13  Dainyū 大入 23.3 | |  
JK  14  Fukuyoshi 福吉 26.1 | |  
JK  15  Shikaka 鹿家 30.2 | |  
JK  16  Hamasaki 浜崎 35.4 ● ●   Karatsu Saga
JK  17  Nijinomatsubara 虹ノ松原 37.5 | |  
JK  18  Higashi-Karatsu 東唐津 39.3 ● ●  
JK  19  Watada 和多田 40.9 ● ●  
JK  20  Karatsu 唐津 42.6 ● ● Karatsu Line (to Yamamoto/Saga)
Karatsu Line
JK  21  Nishi-Karatsu 西唐津 44.8 ● ●      

    Yamamoto to Imari
    Station Japanese Distance
    (km)    		 Connecting lines Location
    Yamamoto 山本 0.0 Karatsu Line Karatsu Saga
    Hizen-Kubo 肥前久保 5.1  
    Nishi-Ōchi 西相知 6.6  
    Sari 佐里 8.2  
    Komanaki 駒鳴 11.0   Imari
    Ōkawano 大川野 12.9  
    Hizen-Nagano 肥前長野 14.3  
    Momonokawa 桃川 17.4  
    Kanaishihara 金石原 19.7  
    Kami-Imari 上伊万里 24.1  
    Imari 伊万里 25.7 Matsuura Railway: Nishi-Kyūshū Line

    Rolling stock

    A fleet of six new 305 series six-car electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter trains was introduced on the Chikuhi Line from February 2015.[4]

    • 103-1500 series set E17 in August 2008
    • 303 series set K02 in November 2009
    • A 305 series set on the Chikuhi Line in January 2016

    History

    The Kita-Kyushu Railway opened the Fukuyoshi to Hamasaki section in 1923, extending it west to Higashi-Karatsu (situated on the east bank of the Matsuura River, opposite the Karatsu Line on the west bank) by 1925 and east to Hakata by 1926. The line was again extended west to Yamamoto where it junctioned with the Karatsu line (establishing Higashi-Karatsu as a reversing station in the process) in 1929, and to Imari in 1935. The company was nationalised in 1937 after which Japanese Government Railways (JGR) designated the track as the Chikuhi Line.[5]

    In 1983, the Hakata to Meinohama section was closed and replaced by a link to the Fukuoka City Subway Airport Line. A new line from Nijinomatsubara to Karatsu opened (including a new station called Higashi-Karatsu, situated about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) southeast of the original station of that name) and the entire section was electrified at 1,500 V DC to allow through running to Fukuoka via the subway. At the same time, the original Nijinomatsubara to Yamamoto section closed.[5][6][2]

    References
    1. "JR Kyushu Route Map" (PDF). JR Kyushu. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
    2. JR Kyushu (2013). JR九州のひみつ [Secrets of JR Kyushu] (in Japanese). PHP Institute, Inc. pp. 82–83. ISBN 9784569814933.
    3. JR電車編成表 2014夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2014]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 30 May 2014. pp. 220–221. ISBN 978-4-330-46614-9.
    4. JR九州 筑肥線に305系通勤型直流電車投入 [JR Kyushu to introduce 305 series DC commuter trains on Chikuhi Line]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
    5. Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. pp. 224–5. ISBN 4533029809.
    6. Imao, Keisuke (2009). 日本鉄道旅行地図帳 12号 九州 沖縄―全線・全駅・全廃線 [Japan Rail Travel Atlas No. 12 Kyushu Okinawa - all lines, all stations and disused lines] (in Japanese). Mook. pp. 22, 41–2. ISBN 9784107900302.
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