Railways in

Hokkaido

Kita-Ichiyan station on the Rumoi Main Line of JR Hokkaido near Fukagawa.
The train is a variant of the KiHa 54 series diesel railcar specifically designed for extreme cold weather operation.

National Network

Hokkaido railways are connected to those of the rest of Japan by the 54km Seikan Tunnel under the Tsugaru Strait, neeting JR East on the island of Honshu. All JR train services in Hokkaido were 1067mm gauge until 2016, when a new shinkansen service was inaugurated through the dual gauge equipped tunnel as far as Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. The new line is in the course being extended from there to Sapporo, with a projected opening date of 2030.

• JR Hokkaido passenger services, including the Hokkaido Shinkansen.
• JR Freight freight services.

Tourist Services

• JR Hokkaido offers seasonal steam hauled special trains on several routes:
  • Kushiro to Shibecha or Kawayu-Onsen (winter)
  • Hakodate to More (summer)
  • Sapporo to Rankoshi (autumn)
• Torokko Okoku Bifuka rides on powered works trolleys over a section of closed railway in Bifuka. About 5km, 1067mm gauge (No website located at present)

Metro and trams

• Hakodate trams. 1372mm gauge, 2 lines, 10km, 26 stations (Site in Japanese)
• Sapporo heavy rail metro (3 lines, 48km, 46 stations, rubber tyred with central guide rail) and trams (1067mm gauge, 8km, 23 stations)