Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Explained

Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Native Name:東京メトロ日比谷線
Native Name Lang:ja
Linenumber:2
Other Name:H
Mapcolor: Silver (#)
Type:Rapid transit
System:Tokyo subway
Locale:Tokyo
Stations:22
Daily Ridership:1,213,492 (2017)[1]
Operator:Tokyo Metro
Depot:Senju, Takenotsuka
Stock:Tokyo Metro 13000 series
Tobu 70000 series
Electrification: (overhead line)
Maxincline:3.9%
Trainprotection:New CS-ATC
Map State:collapsed

The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line was named after the Hibiya area in Chiyoda's Yurakucho district, under which it passes. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color silver, and its stations are given numbers using the letter "H".

Overview

The Hibiya Line runs between in Meguro and in Adachi. The line's path is somewhat similar to that of the Ginza Line; however, the Hibiya Line was designed to serve a number of important districts, such as Ebisu, Roppongi, Tsukiji, Kayabachō and Senju, which were not on an existing line.

The Hibiya Line became the first line operated by Tokyo Metro to offer through services with a private railway, and the second Tokyo subway line overall after the Toei Asakusa Line. It is connected to the Tobu Skytree Line at, and through services operate between Naka-Meguro and on the Tobu Skytree Line, and onward to on the Tobu Nikko Line.[2] Some peak-hour services terminate at, or on the Tobu Skytree Line.[2] Despite its name, the through service does not stop anywhere near the Tokyo Skytree.

The line is the first subway line overall to use narrow gauge (as previous lines used standard gauge), and all subsequent lines operated by Tokyo Metro were built to this gauge to accommodate through services. (Of all subway lines built since the Hibiya Line, only the Asakusa, Shinjuku, and Ōedo lines were not built to this gauge.)

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, as of June 2009 the Hibiya Line is the eighth most crowded subway line in Tokyo, running at 164% capacity between Minowa and Iriya stations.[3]

On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color silver, and its stations are numbered with the prefix "H".

As the old trains which have mixture of three and five doors per car have been retired, platform gates are now being installed as of 14 April 2020 with unified door arrangements of four doors per car. This also reflects with the reduction of eight-car train to seven-car trainset due to the longer 20m (70feet) per car trainset instead of the older 18m (59feet) per car trainset, which resulted in 1% reduction in capacity per train.

A reserved seat limited stop liner service known as the TH Liner commenced service since 6 June 2020 and stop at selected stations along the Hibiya Line and the Tobu lines.

Station list

No.StationJapaneseDistance (km)TransfersLocation
Between
stations
From H-01
[4] 中目黒style="text-align:right;"-0.0Meguro
恵比寿1.01.0Shibuya
広尾1.52.5 Minato
六本木1.74.2 (E-23)
神谷町1.55.7 
[5] 虎ノ門ヒルズ0.86.5
霞ケ関0.57.0Chiyoda
日比谷1.28.2
銀座0.48.6Chūō
東銀座0.49.0 (A-11)
築地0.69.6 Yūrakuchō Line (: Y-20)
八丁堀1.010.6 Keiyō Line
茅場町0.511.1 (T-11)
人形町0.912.0
小伝馬町0.612.6 
秋葉原0.913.5Chiyoda
仲御徒町1.014.5Taitō
上野0.515.0
入谷1.216.2 
三ノ輪1.217.4 
南千住0.818.2Arakawa
[6] 北千住2.120.3Adachi
Through-service to/from Tobu Skytree Line to and to via the Tobu Nikko Line

Rolling stock

Past

History

The Hibiya Line was the fourth subway line built in Tokyo after the Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, and Toei Asakusa Line.

Its basic plan was drawn up by a Ministry of Transportation committee in 1957. Called "Line 2" at the time, it was designed to connect Naka-Meguro in southwest Tokyo with Kita-Koshigaya in the northeast. The full northeastern extension of the line was never built, as the Tobu Railway upgraded to quadruple track within the same corridor to meet capacity demands.

Work began in 1959, with the original section from Minami-Senju to Naka-okachimachi Station opening in March 1961.[11] The line opened in stages: the northern section, between Kita-Senju and Ningyōchō, was operational in May 1962; the southern section, between Naka-Meguro and Kasumigaseki, opened in March 1964.

The final segment, bridging Higashi-Ginza and Kasumigaseki, opened on 29 August 1964, just weeks before the opening ceremony for the 1964 Summer Olympics. Through service to the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line also began operations on this date. This was something of a coup for the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (the predecessor of today's Tokyo Metro), as the Toei Asakusa Line, which was also to be completed in time for the Olympics, had fallen behind schedule and remained under construction for the duration of the Games.

The Hibiya Line was one of the lines targeted in the 1995 Aum sarin gas attack.

On 8 March 2000, five people were killed and 63 were injured when a derailed Hibiya Line train was sideswiped by a second train near Naka-Meguro Station.[12]

The line, station facilities, rolling stock, and other assets were inherited by Tokyo Metro after the privatization of the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (TRTA) in 2004.[13]

16 March 2013 marked the end of through service with Tōkyū Tōyoko Line. All Hibiya Line trains now terminate Naka-Meguro Station.[14]

Notes

a. Crowding levels defined by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism:[15] [16]

100% — Commuters have enough personal space and are able to take a seat or stand while holding onto the straps or hand rails.

150% — Commuters have enough personal space to read a newspaper.

180% — Commuters must fold newspapers to read.

200% — Commuters are pressed against each other in each compartment but can still read small magazines.

250% — Commuters are pressed against each other, unable to move.

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.train-media.net/report/1110/metro.pdf Tokyo Metro station ridership in 2010
  2. Tobu Timetable, 16 March 2013, p.177-188
  3. Metropolis, "Commute", June 12, 2009, p. 07. Capacity is defined as all passengers having a seat or a strap or door railing to hold on to.
  4. Naka-meguro is shared by both Tokyu and Tokyo Metro; Tokyu manages the station.
  5. Web site: 5 December 2018 . 日比谷線新駅の名称を「虎ノ門ヒルズ駅」に決定しました! . The name for the Hibiya Line new station has been finalised to be "Toranomon Hills Station"! . https://web.archive.org/web/20220311063704/https://www.tokyometro.jp/news/images_h/metroNews20181205_120.pdf . 11 March 2022 . 25 July 2022 . Tokyo Metro.
  6. Kita-senju is shared by both Tobu Railway and Tokyo Metro; Tobu Railway manages the station.
  7. Web site: http://railf.jp/news/2017/03/26/204500.html. ja: 東京メトロ13000系が本格的な営業運転を開始 . Tokyo Metro 13000 series enters full revenue service. 27 March 2017. Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Koyusha Co., Ltd.. Japan. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20170327025845/http://railf.jp/news/2017/03/26/204500.html . 27 March 2017. live . 27 March 2017.
  8. Web site: http://railf.jp/news/2017/07/08/201500.html . ja: 東武70000系が営業運転を開始 . Tobu 70000 series enters revenue service . 8 July 2017. Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Koyusha Co., Ltd.. Japan. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20170709010351/http://railf.jp/news/2017/07/08/201500.html . 9 July 2017 . live . 9 July 2017.
  9. Web site: 東武70090形が営業運転を開始 . Tobu 70090 series starts commercial operation . 21 March 2020 . Japan Railfan Magazine Online . Koyusha Co., Ltd. . Japan . ja . 21 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200321133612/https://railf.jp/news/2020/03/21/190500.html . 21 March 2020 . live.
  10. Web site: 3 March 2020 . 東京メトロ日比谷線03系電車が引退 イベントもなく 営団地下鉄で初の新製冷房車 . Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line 03 series train retires, the first new air-conditioned car on the Teito Rapid Transit Authority . https://web.archive.org/web/20200304060634/https://trafficnews.jp/post/94213 . 4 March 2020 . 25 July 2022 . Traffic News . ja.
  11. Book: 『東京地下鉄道日比谷線建設史』 . 30 May 2014 . Japan . 31 January 1969 . ja . "History of construction of Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line".
  12. Failure Knowledge Database 日比谷線の列車脱線衝突 Retrieved on 11 March 2009
  13. Web site: 2006-07-08 . 「営団地下鉄」から「東京メトロ」へ . From "Teito Rapid Transit Authority" to "Tokyo Metro" . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120516041232/http://www.tokyometro.jp/news/s2004/2004-06.html . 16 May 2012 . 29 May 2022 . Tokyo Metro Online . ja.
  14. Web site: 16 March 2013 . 東急東横線・東京メトロ日比谷線の相互直通運転が終了 . Through operation between the Tokyu Toyoko Line and Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line ends . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512020419/https://railf.jp/news/2013/03/16/134800.html . 12 May 2021 . 25 July 2022 . Japan Railfan Magazine Online . Koyusha Co., Ltd. . Japan . ja.
  15. Web site: 混雑率の推移.
  16. Web site: Tokyo plans new effort to ease commuter hell on rush-hour trains . Daisuke . Kikuchi . 6 July 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170706120354/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/07/06/national/tokyo-plans-new-effort-ease-crowding-rush-hour-trains/ . 6 July 2017 . live.