Hokkaido Railway Company Explained

Hokkaido Railway Company
Native Name:	北海道旅客鉄道株式会社
Native Name Lang:	ja
Romanized Name:	Hokkaidō Ryokaku Tetsudō ("Hokkaido Passenger Railway") kabushiki gaisha
Type:	State-owned KK
Predecessor:	Japanese National Railways (JNR)
Foundation:	(privatization of JNR)
Location City:	Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Location Country:	Japan
Area Served:	Hokkaido
Industry:	Private railway
Products:	Kitaca (a rechargeable contactless smart card)
Services:	Passenger rail Freight services Intercity bus
Owner:	Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (100%)
Num Employees:	7,970 (as of April 1, 2007)
Subsid:	JR Hokkaido Bus

The is one of the constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), and is often referred to using its official abbreviation of . It operates intercity and local rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, in autumn 2008.

At the time of its privatization in 1987, JR Hokkaido operated 21 railway lines totalling of narrow-gauge track, as well as a ferry service to Aomori. Since then, that figure has dwindled to just below, as unprofitable lines have been shut down or spun off (in the case of the Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway). The ferry service has also been replaced by the Seikan Tunnel.

On 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's president announced plans to further rationalize its network by the withdrawal of services from up to 1,237 km, or about 50% of the current network,^[1] including closure of the remaining section of the Rumoi Main Line (the Rumoi - Mashike section closed on 4 December 2016), the Shin-Yubari - Yubari section of the Sekisho Line (closed on 1 April 2019), the non-electrified section of the Sassho Line (closed 17 April 2020) and the Nemuro Line between Furano and Shintoku. Other lines including the Sekihoku Main Line, Senmo Main Line, the Nayoro - Wakkanai section of the Soya Line and Kushiro - Nemuro section of the Nemuro Line are proposed for conversion to Third Sector operation, but if local governments are not agreeable, such sections will also face closure. JR Hokkaido closed 25 stations from March 2021 to March 2022 due to a decrease in passengers.^{[2] [3]} JR Hokkaido's headquarters are in Chūō-ku, Sapporo.^[4]

History

• 1 April 1987: Upon the privatization of the Japanese National Railways (JNR), the Hokkaido Railway Company was formed
• 25 October 2008: Kitaca contactless smart card introduced in Sapporo area
• 26 March 2016: First Hokkaido Shinkansen service between and launched.

Headquarters and branch offices

• Headquarters: 1-1-15 Kita-11-jō-Nishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo
• Branch offices:
  • Asahikawa branch office: 6-4152-2 Miyashita-dōri, Asahikawa
  • Hakodate branch office: 12-5 Wakamatsu-chō, Hakodate
  • Kushiro branch office: 5-14 Kita-ōdōri, Kushiro

Lines and key stations

Shinkansen

• Hokkaido Shinkansen

• • - 148.9km (92.5miles)

Trunk lines

• Chitose Line

• • - 60.2km (37.4miles)
  • - 2.6km (01.6miles)
• Hakodate Main Line(^[5])
  • - - - - 423.1km (262.9miles)
  • - - 35.3km (21.9miles)
• Muroran Main Line
  • - - - 211km (131miles)
  • Higashi-Muroran - Muroran 7km (04miles)
• Nemuro Main Line
  • - - 443.8km (275.8miles)
• Sekishō Line
  • Minami-Chitose - 132.4km (82.3miles)

Other lines

• Furano Line
  • - Asahikawa 54.8km (34.1miles)
• Hidaka Main Line
  • - 30.5km (19miles)
• Sekihoku Main Line
  • - - 234km (145miles)
• Rumoi Main Line
  • - 14.4km (08.9miles)
• Sasshō Line
  • - 28.9km (18miles)
• Senmō Main Line
  • - 166.2km (103.3miles)
• Sōya Main Line
  • Asahikawa - - 259.4km (161.2miles)

Under construction

• • • Hokkaido Shinkansen - 211.3km (131.3miles) scheduled to open in 2031

Former lines

These lines were closed under the ownership of JR Hokkaido since 1987.^[6]

• Chihoku Line
  • - 140.0 km (87.0 mi) transferred to Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway Company on June 4, 1989, then closed on April 21, 2006
• Esashi Line
  • - 37.8 km (23.5 mi) transferred to South Hokkaido Railway Company on March 26, 2016.
  • Kikonai - 42.1 km (26.2 mi) closed on May 12, 2014.
• Hakodate Main Line branch
  • - 7.3 km (4.5 mi) closed on May 16, 1994.
    • - 18.1 km (11.2 mi) and - 2.7 km (1.7 mi) closed on July 13, 1987.
    • - 50.8 km (31.6 mi) closed on February 1, 1988.
• Nayoro Main Line
  • - 138.1 (85.8 mi) and - 4.9 km (3.0 mi) closed on May 1, 1989.
• Rumoi Main Line
  • - 16.7 km (10.4 mi) closed on December 4, 2016.^{[7] [8]}
  • Rumoi - Ishikari-Numata 35.7km (22.2 mi) closed on 1 April 2023.^[9]
    • - 69.4 km (43.1 mi) and - 47.5 km (29.5 mi) closed on April 30, 1989.
• Shinmei Line
  • - 121.8 km (75.7 mi) closed on September 4, 1995.
• Tempoku Line
  • - 148.9 km (92.5 mi) closed on May 1, 1989.
    • - 14.5 km (9.0 mi) closed on April 25, 1988.
• Sekishō Line
  • Yūbari - Shin-Yūbari 16.1 km (10.0 mi) closed on March 31, 2019.^[10]
• Sasshō Line
  • - 47.6 km (29.6 mi) closed on April 17, 2020.^[11]

The company also operated the Seikan Ferry until 1988.

Former JNR lines closed before JR Hokkaido formation

These lines have been closed by JNR in Hokkaido before 1 April 1987.

• • • - 36.8 km (22.9 mi) closed on April 1, 1985
    • - 21.2 km (13.2 mi) closed on September 17, 1985
    • - 141.1 km (87.7 mi) closed on March 30, 1987
• Hiroo Line
  • - Hiroo 84.0 km (52.2 mi) closed on February 2, 1987^[12]
    • - 83.0 km (51.6 mi) and - 7.5 km (4.7 mi) closed on November 11, 1986
    • - 14.9 km (9.3 mi) closed on September 1, 1985
    • - 30.4 km (18.9 mi) closed on July 1, 1985
    • - 19.9 km (12.4 mi) closed on July 15, 1985
    • - 12.8 km (8.0 mi) closed on December 1, 1970
    • - 23.8 km (14.8 mi) closed on April 1, 1985
    • - 48.4 km (30.1 mi) closed on March 16, 1987
    • - 78.3 km (48.7 mi) closed on March 23, 1987^[13]
    • - 33.1 km (20.6 mi) closed on October 23, 1983
    • - 34.3 km (21.3 mi) closed on April 1, 1985
• Temiya Line
  • - 2.8 km (1.7 mi) closed on November 5, 1985
    • - 82.5 km (51.3 mi) closed on November 1, 1986
    • - 121.8 km (75.7 mi) closed on March 20, 1987
• Sasshō Line
  • - 34.9 km (21.7 mi) closed on June 19, 1972

External links

• JR Hokkaido - Official site
• JR Hokkaido - Official site
• Web site: Company history books (Shashi). Shashi Interest Group. April 2016. Wiki collection of bibliographic works on Hokkaido Railway Company

Notes and References

1. Web site: JR Hokkaido says it can't maintain half of its railways . 2016-11-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202054934if_/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/11/19/business/jr-hokkaido-says-cant-maintain-half-railways/ . 2017-02-02.
2. Web site: https://trafficnews.jp/post/102680. https://web.archive.org/web/20210224172912/https://trafficnews.jp/post/102680. ja:JR北海道 18駅を廃止へ 2021年春のダイヤ見直しで. ja. Norimono News. 9 December 2020. 24 February 2021.
3. Web site: https://trafficnews.jp/post/113692. https://web.archive.org/web/20220211201314/https://trafficnews.jp/post/113692. ja:JR北海道 7駅廃止へ 3月ダイヤ改正 札沼線に新駅開業. ja. Norimono News. 17 December 2021. 11 February 2022.
4. "会社概要 ." Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved on 27 March 2010.
5. Most trains run between Sapporo and Oshamanbe.
6. Book: JR釧路支社 鉄道百年の歩み . Hokkaido Railway Company . 2001 .
7. News: 鉄道事業の一部廃止の日を繰り上げる届出について . 国土交通省北海道運輸局鉄道部 . 2023-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209074237/https://wwwtb.mlit.go.jp/hokkaido/content/000283326.pdf . 2022-12-09.
8. News: 留萌線（石狩沼田・留萌間）の廃止日繰上げの届出について . 北海道旅客鉄道 . 2023-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209052157/https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/CM/Info/press/pdf/221209_KO_Rmoi_line.pdf . 2022-12-09.
9. Web site: 鉄道事業の一部廃止の日を繰り上げる届出について . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209074237/https://wwwtb.mlit.go.jp/hokkaido/content/000283326.pdf . 9 December 2022 . 17 February 2023.
10. Web site: 31 March 2019 . ja:JR石勝線の夕張支線が最終運行 廃線し、バス転換へ . The last operating of Yūbari branch line, it closed and will be replaced by bus . https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM303WN8M30IIPE00J.html . 1 April 2019 . asahi.com . The Asahi Newspapers Co., Ltd. . Japanese . Japan . 7 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230407022239/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM303WN8M30IIPE00J.html . dead .
11. Web site: 16 April 2020 . The Last Service on Sasshō Line (Hokkaidō-Iryōdaigaku - Shin-Totsukawa) .
12. Book: Ishino . Satoshi . 停車場変遷大事典. 国鉄・JR 編 . Japan Travel Bureau . 1998 . 978-4-533-02980-6 . 890 . Japanese.
13. Book: Ishino . Satoshi . 停車場変遷大事典. 国鉄・JR 編 . Japan Travel Bureau . 1998 . 978-4-533-02980-6 . 888 . Japanese.