View source for Chitose Line

{{Short description|Railway line in Hokkaido, Japan}}
{{more footnotes|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = 
| name                            = Chitose Line
| other_name                      = 
| native_name                     = 千歳線
| native_name_lang                = ja
| color                           = 0072bc
| color2                          = 00b2eb
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = JR Hokkaido Airport Rapid train.jpg
| image_width                     = 300px
| caption                         = A 721 series EMU on an ''Airport'' rapid service at Minami-Chitose Station
| type                            = [[Airport rail link]]<br>[[Commuter rail]]
| system                          = 
| status                          = 
| locale                          = [[Hokkaido]]
| start                           = {{STN|Numanohata|x}} / {{STN|New Chitose Airport|x}} / {{STN|Minami-Chitose|x}}
| end                             = {{STN|Sapporo|x}}
| stations                        = 15
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 
| open                            = {{start date and age|1926|08|21|df=y}}
| close                           = 
| owner                           = {{ric|JR Hokkaido|name=y}}
| operator                        = 
| character                       = 
| depot                           = 
| stock                           = 
| linelength                      = {{Convert|56.6|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = Double (except Airport branch which is single)
| gauge                           = {{track gauge|1067mm|lk=on}}
| electrification                 = AC 20 kV 50 Hz with [[overhead catenary]]
| speed                           = 
| elevation                       = 
| minradius                       = 
| map                             = [[File:JR Chitose Line linemap.svg|200px]]
| map_state                       = collapsed
}}
The {{nihongo|'''Chitose Line'''|千歳線|Chitose-sen}} is a railway line in [[Hokkaido]] operated by [[Hokkaido Railway Company]] (JR Hokkaido), connecting [[Numanohata Station|Numanohata]], [[Tomakomai, Hokkaido|Tomakomai]] and [[Shiroishi Station (JR Hokkaido)|Shiroishi Station]] in [[Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo]], linking the [[Muroran Main Line]] and [[Hakodate Main Line]]. There also is a branch line to [[New Chitose Airport]].

==Service outline==
The line forms part of the trunk route between Sapporo and Southern Hokkaido. As such, ''[[Hokuto (train)|Hokuto]]'' limited express trains run between [[Sapporo Station|Sapporo]] and [[Hakodate Station|Hakodate]] once every 1 to 2 hours, as well as the ''[[Suzuran]]'' limited express between Sapporo and [[Muroran Station|Muroran]].<ref name="Train">{{Cite web|title = Train Guide|url = http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/train/index.html|access-date = 2016-11-20|publisher = Hokkaido Railway Company|archive-date = 2012-05-11|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120511132226/http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/train/index.html|url-status = dead}}</ref>

The section between Sapporo and [[Minami-Chitose Station|Minami-Chitose]] is also a part of the trunk route between Sapporo and eastern Hokkaido. The ''[[Ōzora (train)|Ōzora]]'' and ''[[Tokachi (train)|Tokachi]]'' limited express services to [[Obihiro Station|Obihiro]] and [[Kushiro Station (Hokkaido)|Kushiro]] run through.<ref name="Train"/>

The rapid trains ''Special Rapid Airport'' and ''Rapid Airport'' previously ran approximately once every 12 minutes, functioning as the [[airport rail link]] between [[New Chitose Airport Station]] and Sapporo or [[Otaru Station|Otaru]]. Since the Chitose Line goes through the most urbanized area in Hokkaido, there are roughly 3 to 4 local train services per hour.

On 16 March 2024, a new rapid service named "''Semi-Rapid Airport''" plying between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport Station was introduced, operating only during the daytime at two trains per hour. This train stops at Sapporo, [[Shin-Sapporo Station|Shin-Sapporo]] and all stations between [[Kita-Hiroshima Station|Kita-Hiroshima]] and New Chitose Airport. Since then, no local services operate between Kita-Hiroshima and Chitose during the daytime, and the daytime service frequency of other rapid trains was adjusted to one per hour for ''Special Rapid Airport'' trains and three per hour for ''Rapid Airport'' trains. Local services are operated at two trains per hour between Sapporo and Kita-Hiroshima and one train per hour between Chitose and Tomakomai during the daytime.<ref name="TR2024">{{cite web |title=JR北海道，3月16日にダイヤ改正を実施 |trans-title=JR Hokkaido to implement timetable revision on 16 March |url=https://railf.jp/news/2023/12/15/162000.html |website=Japan Railfan Magazine Online |publisher=Koyusha Co., Ltd. |access-date=24 April 2024 |location=Japan |language=Japanese |date=15 December 2023}}</ref>

===Former services===
There were [[Sleeping car|sleeper]] trains between [[Honshu]] and [[Hokkaido]], such as the ''[[Hokutosei]]'', ''[[Cassiopeia (train)|Cassiopeia]]'', ''[[Twilight Express]]'', and ''[[Hamanasu (train)|Hamanasu]]''.

==Station list==

Source:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www3.jrhokkaido.co.jp/webunkou/stationlist.html | title=列車運行情報｜JR北海道- Hokkaido Railway Company }}</ref>

:'''SRA''': Special Rapid Airport
:'''RA''': Rapid Airport
:'''SmRA''': Semi-Rapid Airport
:'''L''': Local
:All rapid trains stop at stations signed "+", some at "◌", and all skip stations marked "-".<ref name="Rapid">{{Cite web|title = New Chitose Airport => Sapporo Travel Information|url = https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/airport.html|access-date = 2020-04-23|publisher = Hokkaido Railway Company}}</ref> Local trains stop at most stations but some skip stations signed "◌".

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! No. !! Station name !! Japanese !! Distance (km) !! | SRA !! RA !! SmRA !! L !! Transfers !! Location (all in [[Hokkaido]])
|-
! colspan=10| ''Tomakomai to Numanohata: officially [[Muroran Main Line]]''
|-style="border-top:royalblue solid 3px;"
| {{JRHSN|H|18}} || [[Tomakomai Station|Tomakomai]] || 苫小牧 || align=right| -8.8 || || || || align=center| + ||{{Plainlist|
*{{colorbull|royalblue}} [[Muroran Main Line]] (for {{STN|Higashi-Muroran|x}})
*{{colorbull|grey}} [[Hidaka Main Line]]
}}
| [[Tomakomai, Hokkaido|Tomakomai]]
|-
! colspan=10| ''Chitose Line (Main Line)''
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|17}} || [[Numanohata Station|Numanohata]] || 沼ノ端 || align=right| 0.0 || || || || align=center| + || {{colorbull|grey}} [[Muroran Main Line]] (for {{STN|Oiwake|x|Hokkaido}}) || rowspan=2| Tomakomai
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|16}} || [[Uenae Station|Uenae]] || 植苗 || align=right| 6.4 || || || || align=center| ◌ ||
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|14}} || [[Minami-Chitose Station|Minami-Chitose]] || 南千歳 || align=right| 18.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + || {{Plainlist|
*{{colorbull|deepskyblue}} Airport Branch Line
*{{colorbull|yellowgreen}} [[Sekishō Line]]
}}
| rowspan=3| [[Chitose, Hokkaido|Chitose]]
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|13}} || [[Chitose Station (Hokkaido)|Chitose]] || 千歳 || align=right| 21.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + ||
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|12}} || [[Osatsu Station|Osatsu]] || 長都 || align=right| 24.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + ||
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|11}} || [[Sapporo Beer Teien Station|Sapporo Beer Teien]] || サッポロビール庭園 || align=right| 27.1
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| ◌ || || rowspan=4| [[Eniwa, Hokkaido|Eniwa]]
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|10}} || [[Eniwa Station|Eniwa]] || 恵庭 || align=right| 29.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + ||
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|09}} || [[Megumino Station|Megumino]] || 恵み野 || align=right| 31.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + ||
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|08}} || [[Shimamatsu Station|Shimamatsu]] || 島松 || align=right| 34.1
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + ||
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|07}} || [[Kitahiroshima Station|Kitahiroshima]] || 北広島 || align=right| 40.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + || || [[Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido|Kitahiroshima]]
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|06}} || [[Kami-Nopporo Station|Kami-Nopporo]] || 上野幌 || align=right| 48.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| - ||style="text-align:center;"| + || || rowspan=2| [[Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo]]
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|05}} || [[Shin-Sapporo Station (JR Hokkaido)|Shin-Sapporo]] || 新札幌 || align=right| 51.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + || {{ric|Sapporo Municipal Subway|tozai|name=y}} ({{SPSN|T|19|20}})
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|04}} || [[Heiwa Station|Heiwa]] || 平和 || align=right| 54.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| - ||style="text-align:center;"| + || || [[Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo]]
|-
! colspan=10| ''Shiroishi to Sapporo: officially [[Hakodate Main Line]]''
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|03}} || [[Shiroishi Station (JR Hokkaido)|Shiroishi]] || 白石 || align=right| 56.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| ◌ ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| - ||style="text-align:center;"| + || {{colorbull|orange}} [[Hakodate Main Line]] (for {{STN|Asahikawa|x}}) || Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
|-
| {{JRHSN|H|02}} || [[Naebo Station|Naebo]] || 苗穂 || align=right| 60.2
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| - ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| - ||style="text-align:center;"| + || || [[Chūō-ku, Sapporo]]
|-
| {{rbox|01||black}} || [[Sapporo Station|Sapporo]] || 札幌 || align=right| 62.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + || {{Plainlist|
*{{colorbull|red}} Hakodate Main Line (for {{STN|Otaru|x}})
*{{colorbull|seagreen}} [[Sasshō Line]] (Gakuentoshi Line)
*{{ric|Sapporo Municipal Subway|n|name=y}} ({{SPSN|N|06|20}})
*{{ric|Sapporo Municipal Subway|toho|name=y}} ({{SPSN|H|07|20}})
*''{{ric|JR Hokkaido|shinkansen|name=y}} (planned)''
}} 
| [[Kita-ku, Sapporo]]
|-
|}

{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

===Airport Branch Line===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! No. !! Station name !! Japanese !! Distance (km) !! SRA !! RA !! SmRA !! L !! Transfers !! Location (all in [[Hokkaido]])
|-style="border-top:deepskyblue solid 3px;"
| {{JRHSN|H|14}} || Minami-Chitose || 南千歳 || align=right| 0.0
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + || {{plainlist|
*{{colorbox|#{{rcr|JR Hokkaido|Chitose}}}} Chitose Line (Main Line)
*{{colorbull|yellowgreen}} Sekishō Line || rowspan=2| Chitose}}
| rowspan="2" |[[Chitose, Hokkaido|Chitose]]
|-
| {{JRHSN|AP|15}} || [[New Chitose Airport Station|New Chitose Airport]] || 新千歳空港 || align=right| 2.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#fce;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#fd9;"| + ||style="text-align:center; background:#beb;"| + ||style="text-align:center;"| + ||
|-
|}

=== Closed station ===

* H15 {{STN|Bibi|x}}: Closed since 4 March 2017, now a signal base.

==Rolling stock==
* [[721 series]] EMUs
* [[731 series]] EMUs
* [[733 series]] EMUs
* [[735 series]] EMUs

<gallery>
File:JR Hokkaido 721 series EMU 003.JPG|A 721 series EMU on the Chitose Line, June 2008
File:JR Hokkaido 731.jpg|A 731 series EMU on the Chitose Line, July 2006
File:733 B104 Chitose Line 20140209.jpg| A 733 series EMU on the Chitose Line, February 2014
File:JR HOKKAIDO EC735 A-101 TRAIN.jpg|735 series EMUs, May 2012
</gallery>

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2014}}
The entire line opened on 21 August 1926.

===Duplication===
The Chitose-Eniwa section was double-tracked in September 1965, and extended to Kitahiroshima in September 1966.

The Chitose-Uenae section was double-tracked in 1968, and extended to Numanohata in 1969.

The Shiraishi-Kitahiroshima section was double-tracked in 1973, completing the work to double-track the line.

===Electrification===
Chitose Station and its approaches were elevated in 1980, and the line was electrified in association with the opening of the nearby Chitose airport.

The Minami-chitose—Chitose Airport branch opened as an electrified line in 1992.

==See also==
*[[Hakodate Main Line]]
*[[Muroran Main Line]]
*[[Airport rail link]]
*[[List of railway lines in Japan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/|JR Hokkaido official website}}
{{Hokkaidō transit}}
{{Airport rail links in Japan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rail transport in Hokkaido]]
[[Category:Lines of Hokkaido Railway Company]]
[[Category:Airport rail links in Japan]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1926]]
[[Category:1926 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:20 kV AC railway electrification]]