An N700 series high speed train of JR Central
passes Mount Fuji on the Tokaido Shinkansen.
National Network
JR East passenger services on 1067mm gauge lines
south of Minami Otari and north and east of Naoetsu, the Joetsu
Shinkansen, and part of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
JR Central passenger services on 1067mm gauge lines
south of Inotani, east of Mabara and Kameyama, the line from Kameyama
to Shingu, also the Tokaido Shinkansen.
JR West passenger services on 1067mm gauge lines
in the remainder of the region, the Sanyo Shinkansen, and part of
the Hokuriku Shinkansen. (Click on “Global Site” on home
page for English version)
JR Freight freight services on the 1067mm gauge
network.
Private Railways
Aikan Railway 1067mm gauge third sector suburban
passenger railway in the Nagoya area. 45km, 23 stations (Site
in Japanese)
Aketetsu 1067mm gauge passenger railway between Ena
and Akechi. 25km, 11 stations (Site in Japanese)
Aonami Line 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Nagoya and Kinjo-Futo. 15km, 11 stations. The first 5km are also used
by freight trains of JR Freight
Atsumi Line 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Shin-Toyohashi and Mikawa Tahara Station. 18km, 16 stations (Site
in Japanese)
Echizen Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway
in the Fukui area. Through running with Fukutetsu using tram-trains.
2 lines, 53km, 43 stations (Site in Japanese)
Entetsu 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Shin-Hamamatsu and Nishi-Kajima. 18km, 18 stations (Site in
Japanese)
Fujikyuko 1067mm gauge passenger and tourist railway
between Otsuki Station and Kawaguchiko, passing close to Mount Fuji.
26km with a rise of almost 500m, 16 stations.
Gakunan Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway
between Yoshiwara and Gakunan-Enoo. 9km, 10 stations (Site in
Japanese)
Hokuetsu Express third sector 1067mm gauge passenger
railway between Minamiuonuma and Joetsu. 60km, 12 stations.
Hokutetsu 1067mm gauge passenger railway in the
Kanazawa area. 2 lines, 20km, 28 stations.
Igatetsu 1067mm gauge passenger railway in the
Iga area. 16km, 14 stations (Site in Japanese)
Isetetsu 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Yokkaichi and Tsu. 22km, 10 stations. Also carries some through,
non-stop, passenger trains of JR Central, avoiding a longer route
via Kameyama (Site in Japanese)
Izuhakone Railway the Sunzu Line 1067mm
gauge passenger railway between Mishima and Shuzenji. 20km, 13 stations.
Also operates the Daiyuzan line in Kanto (Site in Japanese)
Izukyu 1067mm gauge commuter and tourist passenger
railway between Ito and Izukyū-Shimoda. 45km, 16 stations. Carries some
through JR East services from Tokyo
Kamikochisen 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Matsumoto and Shin-Shimashima. 14km, 14 stations (Site mainly in
Japanese with some information in English)
Kinurin third sector 1067mm gauge freight railway
in the port of Kinuura. 15km (Site in Japanese)
Meitetsu Major 1067mm gauge passenger railway
in the Nagoya area, including services to Central Japan International
Airport. 8 lines, 444km, 286 stations.
Nagaden passenger railway between Nagano and Yudanaka.
24 stations (Site in Japanese; link for English section was
compromised when last checked)
Nagatetsu
1067mm gauge passenger railway between Mino-Ota and Hokuno. 72km, 38
stations (Site in Japanese)
Nagoya Rinkai Railway third sector 1067mm gauge
freight railway in Nagoya. 5 lines, 20km (Site in
Japanese)
Nototetsu 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Nanao and Anamizu. 33km, 8 stations (Site in Japanese)
Sangi Line 1067mm gauge passenger and freight railway between
Tomita and Fujiwara. 27km, 15 stations
Hokusei Line 762mm gauge passenger railway between Kuwana
and Ageki. 20km, 13 stations
(Site in Japanese)
Seino Railway 1067mm gauge freight railway
in Ogaki. About 1.3km (No website located at present)
Shinano Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Karuizawa and Shinonoi, with through running via JR East to Nagano.
65km, 15 stations (Site in Japanese)
Shizutetsu Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway
between Shizuoka and Shimizu. 11km, 15 stations (Site in
Japanese)
Tarumi Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Ogaki and Tarumi. 34km, 19 stations (Site in Japanese)
Tenryu Hamanako Railway 1067mm gauge third sector
passenger railway between Kakegawa and Shinjohara. 68km, 37 stations
(Site in Japanese)
Tokai Transport Service Company operates passenger
trains on the 1067mm gauge line between Kachigawa and Biwajima on behalf
of JR Central. 11km, 6 stations (Site in Japanese)
Toyama Chiho Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway
in the Toyama area. 4 lines, approximately 80km, 63 stations
Ueda Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Ueda and Bessho-Onsen. 12km, 15 stations (Site in Japanese)
Yoro Railway 1067mm gauge passenger railway between
Kuwana and Ibi. 57km, 27 stations (Site in Japanese)
Tourist Services
JR East offers the following special
tourist services:
Dedicated diesel railcars on the line between Niigata and Sakata,
with extensive coastal views.
Steam trains between Niigata and Aizu-Wakamatsu.
Kurobe Gorge
Railway seasonal electric tourist trains on the 762mm gauge line
between Unazuki and Keyakidaira (about 20km) in the spectacular Kurobe
Gorge. The company also operates freight trains.
Kanaya to Shenzu; 1067mm gauge, 40km, 19 stations. Tourist passenger
railway with diesel railcars and regular steam trains. The latter depart
from Shin-Kanaya (not Kanaya JR Central station) and must be reserved
in advance.
Shenzu to Ikawa; 1067mm gauge electric passenger railway, 25km
(including a 1.5km rack section with a gradient of 9%, said to be the
steepest in Japan), 14 stations. A bus link from the intermediate
station of Okuizumi serves the Sumatakyo Hot Springs.
(Site mainly in Japanese with downloadable brochure in
English)
Rail Mountain
Bike Gattan Go paired mountain bikes adapted for rail use on two
sections of closed 1067mm gauge line near Kida:
Town Course Okuhida-Onsenguchi to Kamioka-Kozanmae
Canyon Course Urushiyama to Futatsuya
Each section is about 3km (6km round trip); the sections differ in
features and difficulty
Tateyama
Kurobe Alpine Route multimodal mountain route including local trains,
buses, suspended cablecars, underground trolley buses and two 1067mm
gauge funiculars:
Kurobe Funicular Kurobeko to Kurobedaira, 373m rise in
0.8km
Tateyama Funicular Tateyama to Bijodaira, 487m rise in
1.3km
Romney Railway 15 inch (381 mm) gauge
miniature railway about 1.2km in length, in Nijinosato Park,
Izu. Steam or diesel hauled. An admission fee to the park is
payable in addition to the train fare (Site in Japanese
with a downloadable brochure in English)
Industrial Railway
Tateyama Erosion Control Train 610mm gauge railway,
18km in length with frequent switchbacks, in Tateyama, used in
connection with river bank and dam maintenance along the
Jōganji River. Occasional study tours are arranged by a local
museum, which include a ride on the railway. The tours are
usually heavily oversubscribed (No website located at
present)
Metros, trams and funiculars
Fukutetsu
1067mm gauge passenger railway in the Fukui area, with some street
running. Through running with Echizen Railway using tram-trains. 21km,
23 stations (Site in Japanese)
Jikkoku Funicular in the Jikkoku Pass. Standard gauge,
101m rise in 0.3km (Site in Japanese)
Manyosen trams in the city of Takaoka. 1067mm gauge,
2 routes, 13km, 24 stations (Site in Japanese)
Nagoya
Nagoya
Subway heavy rail metro (3 lines standard gauge, 53km, 55 stations
and 3 lines 1067mm gauge, 6 lines, 36km, 41 stations. Some services run
through to Meitetsu lines) (Site includes English information but
this is not obvious; look for “Other languages” dropdown box at bottom
right of page)
Linimo maglev
in the suburbs of Nagoya. 9km, 9 stations
