Chūō Line (Rapid) Explained

Chūō Line (Rapid)
Other Name:JC
Mapcolor: Orange (#)
Native Name Lang:ja
Locale:Tokyo
Stations:24
Daily Ridership:2,259,559 (daily 2015)[1]
Operator:JR East
Depot:Mitaka, Toyoda
Stock:E233-0 series
209-1000 series
Signalling:Automatic closed block
Trainprotection:ATS-P
Electrification: (overhead line)
Speed:
(Limited Express trains between and)
Map State:collapsed

The is the name given to rapid services on the eastern section of the Chūō Main Line operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) between and stations. Some services continue to Otsuki.

Basic data

ATS

History

Most of the route of the Chūō Line (Rapid) was built by the Kōbu Railway and later acquired by the Japanese Government Railways in 1906.

Operation of electric multiple unit (EMU) trains on the Chūō Main Line began in 1904. By 1930, the EMU service had reached Tokyo to the east and Asakawa (now Takao) to the west. In 1933, two tracks were added to the existing double-tracked section between Ochanomizu and Iidamachi stations (later closed) to complete the four-track line between Ochanomizu and Nakano. On these additional tracks,, which skipped all stations except Yotsuya and Shinjuku, were introduced the same year. The express service was renamed service in March 1961.

Initially, the operation of express/rapid services was limited to weekday peak periods only. Express service began on weekends on March 5, 1944; daytime non-peak operation began on November 9, 1959, but it was limited to weekdays only until April 28, 1966. All day rapid service trains are available since March 14, 2020, when early morning and late night rapid operations began.

Manseibashi Station, located between Kanda and Ochanomizu, was closed in 1943. On the section east of Takao, only Nishi-Kokubunji Station (opened in 1973) and Nishi-Hachiōji Station (opened in 1939) were opened after the start of rapid services.

Future developments

JR East plans to introduce Green (first class) cars on Chūō Line (Rapid) and Ome Line services from spring 2024.[6] This will involve adding two bilevel Green cars to 10-car and 6-car E233 series EMU sets, forming 12-car and 8-car sets. Work will be involved in lengthening station platforms and depot facilities to handle the longer trains.[6] In order to compensate the insufficient train sets for regular operations due to existing sets to be undergoing green car addition modifications, two 209-1000 series train sets originally used on the Jōban Line (Local) have been transferred to the Chūō Line. These sets commenced service from 16 March 2019.

Suicides

The Chūō Rapid Line is known for a high number of suicides, primarily due to the high speed at which some trains pass through stations on the line.[7]

Services

Although the Chūō Line (Rapid) designation only refers to the section between Tokyo and Takao stations, many trains continue on past Takao to Ōtsuki, with some trains operating through services to other lines. These include both limited express and various special rapid services. For details, see the Chūō Main Line article. In addition, Chūō Line (Rapid) trains do not stop at some stations between Ochanomizu and Nakano stations; for information on those services, see the Chūō-Sōbu Line article.

The Chūō Line (Rapid) uses the two express tracks on the four-track section between Ochanomizu and Mitaka stations. Past Mitaka, trains use both tracks on the remaining double-track section. Since the express tracks do not have platforms at several stations in central Tokyo, even the slowest services of the Chūō Line (Rapid) skip such stations and are therefore called . In addition to the basic type of "Rapid", there are some variations of the service types with fewer stops.

Rapid (快速)

This service is the most common on the Chūō Line (Rapid) route. They stop at all stations west of . After Nakano, it stops at Shinjuku, Yotsuya, Ochanomizu, and Kanda stations before arrival in Tōkyō Terminal. On weekends and holidays, trains do not stop at,, and stations.

They run between Tokyo on the east side, and Takao/Otsuki on the west side, though some westbound services terminate at stations before Takao, such as Musashi-Koganei, Tachikawa, Toyoda and Hachioji.

Some trains operate through services to the Ōme Line (to as far as Ōme/from Okutama) or the Fuji Kyuko Line (to/from Kawguchiko, via Ōtsuki).

The service's signature color on service diagrams is orange (

).

Chūō Special Rapid (中央特快) Ōme Special Rapid (青梅特快)

Four services per hour in off-peak hours make limited stops between Tokyo and . These two services stop at the same stations that Rapid services would stop between Tokyo and Nakano. After Nakano, these services only stop at Mitaka, Kokubunji and Tachikawa, and stop at all stations west of Tachikawa. Eastbound services continue from Nakano as a rapid service.

Chūō Special Rapid stays on the Chūō Main Line to Takao and Ōtsuki, and some services operate beyond Ōtsuki to the Fuji Kyuko Line towards Kawaguchiko.

Ōme Special Rapid spurs to the Ōme Line towards Ōme, stopping at all stations within the line.

The service's signature color on service diagrams is blue (

) for Chūō Special Rapid and green () for Ōme Special Rapid.

Commuter Rapid (通勤快速)

Commuter Rapid services operates weekday evening. It starts service in Tokyo heading west, and stops at Ogikubo and Kichijōji in addition to the stops of the two Special Rapids. They mostly terminate at Takao, though a few trains go further to Ōtsuki, or operate through services to Kawaguchiko on the Fuji Kyuko Line, or to Ōme on the Ōme Line. Again, through services to the Ōme Line or the Fuji Kyuko Line stops at all stations on their respective lines.

The service's signature color on service diagrams is purple (

).

Commuter Special Rapid (通勤特快)

This service only operates on weekday towards Tokyo, where two originates from Ōtsuki, two from Ōme on the Ōme Line, and one from Takao. It stops at all stations until Takao, Hachiōji, Tachikawa, Kokubunji, and Shinjuku and continues as a rapid service from Shinjuku. Again, services from Ōme stop at all stations on the Ōme Line.

The service's signature color on service diagrams is pink (

).

Musashino (むさしの号)

See main article: Musashino (train).

The Musashino is a local service train linking to via the Musashino Line. Services enter/exit the Chūō Line at by the freight branch, and stops at all stops from Kunitachi to Hachiōji.

Holiday Rapid (ホリデー快速)

A variety of Holiday Rapid services running on the Chūō Rapid Line operate during the weekends and holidays to serve passengers.

See also: Holiday Rapid Okutama.

Former Service

Local (各駅停車)

See main article: Chūō-Sōbu Line.

This service operated during early morning and late night, where Rapid service trains would enter Chūō-Sōbu Line tracks within Nakano and Ochanomizu, stopping at all stations where regular Rapid services would skip, namely,,,,,, and . During this time, Chūō-Sōbu Line local trains only operated between Ochanomizu and .

They ran between Tokyo on the east side and as far as Takao on the west side, though, like Rapid services, some westbound services terminate at stations before Takao, such as Musashi-Koganei, Tachikawa, Toyoda and Hachioji. A few services operated through services to Ōme on the Ōme Line.

The service's signature color on service diagrams is yellow (

).

To prepare for the installation of platform doors on the Chūō-Sōbu Line platforms and the future addition of Green Cars, Rapid service trains ceased to operate on the Chūō-Sōbu Line tracks after 13 March 2020. Chūō-Sōbu Line local trains will no longer turn around at Ochanomizu during early morning and late night hours.[8]

Itsukaichi Line and Hachikō Line through services

With the exception of the Holiday Rapid Akigawa, through services to the Itsukaichi Line (to/from Musashi-Itsukaichi, via Haijima on the Ōme Line) and Hachikō Line (to/from as far as Komagawa, via Haijima on the Ōme Line) operated until 11 March 2022.[9]

Station list

Legend
Station No.NameJapaneseDistance (km)RapidComm.
Rapid
Special
Rapid
Comm.
Special
Rapid
Chūō Main Line LocalŌme
Special
Rapid
TransfersLocation
Between
stations
Total
東京style="text-align:right;"-0.0 Tohoku Shinkansen
Hokkaido Shinkansen
Yamagata Shinkansen
Akita Shinkansen
Joetsu Shinkansen
Hokuriku Shinkansen
Yamanote Line
Keihin-Tōhoku Line
Yokosuka Line
Sōbu Line (Rapid)
Keiyō Line
Ueno-Tokyo Line
Tokaido Line
Tokaido Shinkansen
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
ChiyodaTokyo
神田1.31.3
御茶ノ水1.32.6 Chūō-Sōbu Line (Local)
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
四ツ谷0.86.6 Chūō-Sōbu Line (Local)
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
Shinjuku
新宿0.710.3 Yamanote Line
Chūō-Sōbu Line (Local)
Saikyō Line
Shōnan-Shinjuku Line
Odakyū Odawara Line
Keiō Line
Keiō New Line
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Toei Shinjuku Line
Toei Ōedo Line
18px Seibu Shinjuku Line
中野1.914.7 Tokyo Metro Tōzai LineNakano
高円寺1.416.1 Suginami
阿佐ケ谷1.217.3 
荻窪1.418.7
西荻窪1.920.6 
吉祥寺1.922.5 Keiō Inokashira LineMusashino
三鷹1.624.1 Mitaka
武蔵境1.625.718px Seibu Tamagawa LineMusashino
東小金井1.727.4 Koganei
武蔵小金井1.729.1 
国分寺2.331.418px Seibu Kokubunji Line
18px Seibu Tamako Line
Kokubunji
西国分寺1.432.8 Musashino Line
国立1.734.5 Kunitachi
立川3.037.5[10] [11] Ōme Line (some trains through to/from Tokyo)
Nambu Line
Tama Toshi Monorail Line
Tachikawa
日野3.340.8 Hino
豊田2.343.1 
八王子4.347.4 Yokohama Line
Hachikō Line
Keiō Line
Hachiōji
西八王子2.449.8 
高尾3.353.1 Chūō Main Line (some trains through to)
Keiō Takao Line
Through service from/toChūō Main Line Ōme Line
for Ōtsuki and Kawaguchikofor Ōtsukifor Ōtsuki and Kōfufor Ōme
  1. Web site: 平成27年 大都市交通センサス 首都圏報告書 . P.92. 国土交通省.
  2. Web site: 6 April 2016 . ⾸都圏エリアへ 「駅ナンバリング」を導⼊します . Introduce “station numbering” to the Tokyo metropolitan area . https://web.archive.org/web/20221207004741/https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2016/20160402.pdf . 7 December 2022 . 7 January 2023 . jreast.co.jp . ja.
  3. Web site: Kusamachi . Yoshikazu . 7 April 2016 . JA・JK・JT・AKB…JR東日本、首都圏で駅ナンバリングなど導入へ . JA, JK, JT, AKB … JR East to introduce station numbering in the Tokyo metropolitan area . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806133507/https://response.jp/article/2016/04/07/273025.html . 6 August 2022 . 7 January 2023 . Response Automotive Media . ja.
  4. Web site: 13 March 2023 . ホリデー快速おくたま”の奥多摩直通運転が終了 . "Holiday Express Okutama" ends Okutama direct service . 14 March 2023 . Japan Railfan Magazine Online . ja.
  5. Web site: 13 March 2023 . ホリデー快速あきがわ”の運転終了 . "Holiday Rapid Akigawa" service ends . https://web.archive.org/web/20230313064345/https://railf.jp/news/2023/03/13/150000.html . 13 March 2023 . 14 March 2023 . Japan Railfan Magazine Online . ja.
  6. Web site: http://www.sankei.com/economy/news/170324/ecn1703240001-n1.html . ja: JR東日本、中央線のグリーン車計画を延期 . JR East to postpone Chūō Line Green car plans . 24 March 2017 . Sankei News . The Sankei Shimbun & Sankei Digital . Japan. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20170324015739/http://www.sankei.com/economy/news/170324/ecn1703240001-n1.html . 24 March 2017 . live . 24 March 2017.
  7. News: Kunitachi City Journal; Japanese Trains Try to Shed a Gruesome Appeal. French. Howard W.. 6 June 2000. Health. The New York Times. 2008-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090627022455/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/06/world/kunitachi-city-journal-japanese-trains-try-to-shed-a-gruesome-appeal.html . 27 June 2009 . live . limited.
  8. Web site: 2020年3月ダイヤ改正について (Schedule changes for March 2020). 13 December 2019.
  9. Web site: 17 December 2021 . 2022年3月ダイヤ改正について . March 2022 Timetable Revision (Hachiōji Branch) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220311164108/https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2021/hachioji/20211217_hc01.pdf . 11 March 2022 . ja . PDF.
  10. Some through services from/to Ōme Line
  11. Some through services to Ōme Line

Rolling stock

Rapid・Commuter Special Rapid・Chūō Special Rapid・Ōme Special Rapid ・Commuter Rapid

Former rolling stock

Chūō Liner / Ōme Liner

External links