View source for TJ Liner

{{short description|Train service operated in Japan by Tobu Railway}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox rail service
| name        = ''TJ Liner''
| logo        = TJ Liner logo.svg
| logo_width  = 200px
| image       = 51094_TJ_Liner_1_Kawagoe_20080624.JPG
| image_width = 270px
| caption     = [[Tobu 50000 series|Tobu 50090 series]] train on a ''TJ Liner'' service
| type        = [[Home Liner]]
| status      = Operational
| locale      = [[Kanto region]], Japan
| predecessor = 
| first       = 14 June 2008
| last        = 
| successor   = 
| operator    = [[Tobu Railway]]
| ridership   = 1,057,662 (FY2012)
| start       = {{STN|Ikebukuro|x}}
| stops       = 
| end         = {{STN|Ogawamachi|x|Saitama}} (Evening down services)<br>{{STN|Shinrinkōen|x|Saitama}} (Morning up services)
| distance    = {{Convert|64.1|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| journeytime = 1 hour 
| frequency   = 15 (weekdays), 9 (weekends)
| trainnumber = 
| line_used   = [[Tobu Tojo Line]]
| class       = Monoclass
| access      = 
| seating     = Forward facing 2+2
| catering    = None
| otherfacilities = No toilets
| stock       = [[Tobu 50000 series#50090 series|50090 series]] EMUs
| gauge       = {{RailGauge|1067mm}}
| el          = 1,500 V DC overhead
| speed       = {{Convert|100|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}
| owners      = 
| routenumber =
| map         = 
| map_state   = 
}}

The {{Nihongo|'''''TJ Liner'''''|TJライナー|Tī Jei Rainā}} is a limited-stop "[[Home Liner]]"-style service to and from [[Ikebukuro Station]] in Tokyo on the [[Tobu Tojo Line]] operated by the [[Rail transport in Japan#Major private railways|private railway]] operator [[Tobu Railway]] in Japan since June 2008.

==Service outline==
''TJ Liner'' services operate in the mornings on weekdays in the "[[Railroad directions|up]]" direction (two services) from {{STN|Shinrinkōen|x|Saitama}} in [[Saitama Prefecture]] to {{STN|Ikebukuro|x}} in [[Tokyo]], and in the evenings (weekdays and weekends) in the "[[Railroad directions|down]]" direction from Ikebukuro to {{STN|Shinrinkōen|x|Saitama}} or {{STN|Ogawamachi|x|Saitama}}.<ref name="timetable2016">"Tobu Tojo Line Timetable", published March 2016</ref> In the down direction, a supplement of 310 yen is required for travel from Ikebukuro, but no supplementary fare is required for passengers boarding at other stations along the line.<ref name="timetable2016"/> In the up direction, a supplement of 410 yen is required from all stations (310 yen from Fujimino).<ref name="timetable2016"/> Seats are not reserved, but the supplementary tickets indicate whether passengers should ride in the front or rear five cars of the train. At Ikebukuro Station, passengers board from platform 5, which is normally used only for passengers alighting from other services.<ref name="railfan569">{{cite magazine |last = Kusamachi |first = Yoshikazu |script-title=ja: 東武東上線"ＴＪライナー"乗車記 |trans-title=Tobu Tojo Line "TJ Liner" Travel Report |magazine=[[Japan Railfan Magazine]] | volume = 48 |issue = 569 |pages =65–57 |publisher = Koyusha Co., Ltd. |location =  Japan|date = September 2008}}</ref>

===Weekdays===
Four morning up services (Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 8) operate from {{STN|Shinrinkōen|x|Saitama}} to {{STN|Ikebukuro|x}}, departing at 06:11, 06:27, 07:52 and 08:18, respectively.<ref name="timetable2016"/> In the evenings, 13 down services (Nos. 1 to 25) operate at half-hourly intervals between 18:00 and 24:00 from Ikebukuro to {{STN|Ogawamachi|x|Saitama}} (Nos. 23 and 25 terminate at Shinrinkoen).<ref name="timetable2016"/>

===Weekends===
At weekends, nine evening down services (Nos. 1 to 17) operate at half-hourly intervals between 17:00 and 21:00 from Ikebukuro to Ogawamachi.<ref name="timetable2016"/>

<gallery>
File:TJ-liner ticket machine1.JPG|TJ Liner ticket machines at Ikebukuro Station in February 2009
File:Ikebukuro Station TJ Liner platform 5 20140913.JPG|The staffed QR code ticket readers at the southern end of platform 5 at Ikebukuro Station in September 2014
</gallery>

==Station stops==
''TJ Liner'' services stop at the following stations.<ref name="timetable2016"/>
* {{STN|Ikebukuro|x}} - {{STN|Fujimino|x}} - {{STN|Kawagoe|x}} - {{STN|Kawagoeshi|x}}<ref name="note" group="Note">In down direction (evenings) only.</ref> - {{STN|Sakado|x|Saitama}} - {{STN|Higashi-Matsuyama|x}} - {{STN|Shinrinkōen|x|Saitama}} - {{STN|Tsukinowa|x}}<ref name="note" group="Note"/> - {{STN|Musashi-Ranzan|x}}<ref name="note" group="Note"/> - {{STN|Ogawamachi|x|Saitama}}<ref name="note" group="Note"/>

{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Rolling stock==
''TJ Liner'' services are operated by a fleet of six [[Tobu 50000 series#50090 series|50090 series]] 10-car [[electric multiple unit]]s (EMUs).<ref name="jrrprivate2013"/> These sets are unusual in having rotating pairs of seats allowing them to be used with longitudinal seating on regular daytime services, and with transverse seating on evening ''TJ Liner'' services. When configured in transverse mode, the rows have a seat pitch of {{Convert|1000|mm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name="dj362">{{cite magazine|last =Kusui |first = Toshihiko|script-title=ja:特別料金不要のクロスシート車総覧|trans-title=An overview of transverse-seating trains not requiring supplementary fares|magazine=Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine |volume = 43|issue = 362|page =7|publisher = Kōtsū Shimbun |location = Japan |language= Japanese|date = June 2014}}</ref> Some trains are sent to Ikebukuro from Shinrinkōen as limited-stop ''Rapid Express'' services, which also operate with seats in the forward-facing configuration.<ref name="railfan569"/>

Since March 2016, the automated on-board passenger announcements in Japanese use the voice of TV presenter {{Interlanguage link multi|Tomomi Kuno|ja|3=久野知美}}.<ref name="trafficnews20160318">{{cite web |url= http://trafficnews.jp/post/49558/ |script-title=ja: 女子鉄アナ、東武東上線「TJライナー」車内放送を担当|trans-title=Railfan TV presenter in charge of on-board announcements on Tobu Tojo Line ''TJ Liner'' |date= 18 March 2016|work= Traffic News|publisher= Mediavague Co., Ltd.|location= Japan|language= Japanese|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20161115073825/http://trafficnews.jp/post/49558/|archivedate= 15 November 2016|url-status=live |accessdate= 15 November 2016 }}</ref>

===Formations===
''TJ Liner'' trains are formed as shown below, with car 10 at the Ikebukuro end.<ref name="jrrprivate2013">{{cite book |script-title=ja: 私鉄車両編成表 2013 |trans-title=Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2013| publisher = Kotsu Shimbunsha | date = 30 July 2013 | location = Japan | page = 51| isbn = 978-4-330-39313-1}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Car No.
! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10
|-
! Numbering
| 50090 || 59090 || 58090 || 57090 || 56090 || 55090 || 54090 || 53090 || 52090 || 51090
|}

Cars 2 and 9 have a wheelchair space.<ref name="jrrprivate2013"/> Car 9 is designated as a mildly-air-conditioned car.<ref name="jrrprivate2013"/>

<gallery>
File:51091 Kawagoe 20080624.JPG|A 50090 series EMU at Kawagoe Station on an up ''Rapid Express'' service to Ikebukuro, June 2008
File:TJ Liner 20080615.JPG|Interior of a 50090 series EMU on a ''TJ Liner'' service, showing forward-facing transverse seating configuration
</gallery>

==History==
[[File:TJ Liner ticket 20080615.JPG|thumb|A ''TJ Liner'' ticket in June 2008 before the introduction of QR Codes]]

===2008===
The name "TJ Liner" was formally announced by Tobu on 28 January 2008 based on the results of a public poll conducted between December 2007 and January 2008. The votes for the three choices of possible names were as follows.<ref name="tobu20080128">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/1643/080128.pdf|script-title=ja:東武東上線新ライナーの愛称が「ＴＪライナー」に決定しました|trans-title="TJ Liner" name chosen for new Tojo Line liner service |date= 28 January 2008|work= Tobu News|publisher= Tobu Railway |language= Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233851/http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/1643/080128.pdf |archivedate=23 February 2012 |accessdate= 21 August 2014}}</ref>
# {{Nihongo|''TJ Liner''|ＴＪライナー}} (4,313 votes)
# {{Nihongo|''Okaeri Liner''|おかえりライナー}} (3,148 votes)
# ''Assist Liner'' (1,726 votes)

{{Gallery|width=110 | height=40
|File:TJ Liner logo.gif|The proposed ''TJ Liner'' logo (ultimately chosen)
|File:Okaeri Liner logo.gif|The proposed ''Okaeri Liner'' logo
|File:Assist Liner logo.gif|The proposed ''Assist Liner'' logo
}}

Services commenced from the start of the Tobu Tojo Line timetable revision on 14 June 2008, with six trains on weekdays, and four trains at weekends and holidays.<ref name="nikkei20080616">{{cite web |url= http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/pickup/20080616/1015324/|script-title=ja: 【東武東上線TJライナー乗車レポート】副都心線と同じ日に登場した新型電車の快適度|trans-title=Tobu Tojo Line TJ Liner Ride Report: Comfortable new trains arriving on the same day as the Fukutoshin Line|date= 16 June 2008|work= Nikkei Trendy Net|publisher= Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.|language= Japanese|accessdate= 25 January 2011}}</ref><ref name="timetable2008">"Tobu Tojo Line Timetable", published 7 June 2008</ref> The original timetable was as shown below.<ref name="timetable2008"/>

;Weekdays
* ''TJ Liner'' 1: Ikebukuro (18:00) to Shinrinkōen (18:47)
* ''TJ Liner'' 2: Ikebukuro (19:00) to Shinrinkōen (19:47)
* ''TJ Liner'' 3: Ikebukuro (20:00) to Shinrinkōen (20:47)
* ''TJ Liner'' 4: Ikebukuro (21:00) to Ogawamachi (22:02)
* ''TJ Liner'' 5: Ikebukuro (22:00) to Ogawamachi (23:02)
* ''TJ Liner'' 6: Ikebukuro (22:50) to Shinrinkōen (23:41)

;Weekends
* ''TJ Liner'' 1: Ikebukuro (17:00) to Shinrinkōen (17:47)
* ''TJ Liner'' 2: Ikebukuro (18:00) to Shinrinkōen (18:47)
* ''TJ Liner'' 3: Ikebukuro (19:00) to Ogawamachi (20:02)
* ''TJ Liner'' 4: Ikebukuro (20:00) to Ogawamachi (21:02)

===2009===
[[File:TJ Liner ticket 20140913.JPG|thumb|A ticket for the ''TJ Liner'' 3 service with QR Code, September 2014]]
From 15 September 2009, a new [[QR Code]] ticketing system was introduced for ''TJ Liner'' services. From this date, TJ Liner supplementary fare tickets were printed with a QR Code enabling them to be read by special ticket readers at Ikebukuro Station platform gates, replacing the previous manual ticket inspection by staff.<ref name="tobu200909032">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/2132/090903-2.pdf|script-title=ja:「東上線ＴＪライナー チケットレスサービス」がスタート！|trans-title=TJ Liner ticketless service starts |date= 3 September 2009|work= Tobu News|publisher= Tobu Railway |language= Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233935/http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/2132/090903-2.pdf |archivedate=23 February 2012 |accessdate= 21 August 2014}}</ref>

On 5 November 2009, a ceremony was held at Ikebukuro Station to celebrate the one millionth passenger to travel on the ''TJ Liner'' service.<ref name="tobu20091102">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/2189/091102-1.pdf|script-title=ja:「ＴＪライナー」ご乗車100 万人達成記念イベントを開催！|trans-title=Event held to commemorate 1 million riders on "TJ Liner" |date= 2 November 2009|work= Tobu News|publisher= Tobu Railway |language= Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233951/http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/2189/091102-1.pdf |archivedate=23 February 2012 |accessdate= 21 August 2014}}</ref>

===2011===
From the start of the revised timetable on 5 March 2011, the number of ''TJ Liner'' services operating on weekday evenings was increased from six to nine. On weekends, all services were extended to run to Ogawamachi.<ref name="tobu20110124">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/3137/110124.pdf|script-title=ja:３月５日（土）東上線でダイヤ改正を実施|trans-title=Tojo Line Timetable Revision for 5 March |date= 24 January 2011|work= Tobu News|publisher= Tobu Railway |language= Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308073555/http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/3137/110124.pdf |archivedate=8 March 2012 |accessdate= 21 August 2014}}</ref> The timetable operated from March 2011 was as shown below.<ref name="timetable2011">"Tobu Tojo Line Timetable", published February 2011</ref>

;Weekdays
* ''TJ Liner'' 1: Ikebukuro (18:00) to Shinrinkōen (18:48)
* ''TJ Liner'' 2: Ikebukuro (18:30) to Ogawamachi (19:31)
* ''TJ Liner'' 3: Ikebukuro (19:00) to Shinrinkōen (19:48)
* ''TJ Liner'' 4: Ikebukuro (19:30) to Ogawamachi (20:31)
* ''TJ Liner'' 5: Ikebukuro (20:00) to Shinrinkōen (20:48)
* ''TJ Liner'' 6: Ikebukuro (20:30) to Ogawamachi (21:32)
* ''TJ Liner'' 7: Ikebukuro (21:00) to Ogawamachi (22:02)
* ''TJ Liner'' 8: Ikebukuro (22:00) to Ogawamachi (23:02)
* ''TJ Liner'' 9: Ikebukuro (22:50) to Shinrinkōen (23:39)
* ''TJ Liner'' 10 (''TJ Liner'' 23:10): Ikebukuro (23:20) to Shinrinkoen (00:09)

;Weekends
* ''TJ Liner'' 1: Ikebukuro (17:00) to Ogawamachi (18:05)
* ''TJ Liner'' 2: Ikebukuro (18:00) to Ogawamachi (19:05)
* ''TJ Liner'' 3: Ikebukuro (19:00) to Ogawamachi (20:04)
* ''TJ Liner'' 4: Ikebukuro (20:00) to Ogawamachi (21:02)

In December 2011, an additional ''TJ Liner'' 10, nicknamed ''TJ Liner 23:10'', operated to Shinrinkōen on Thursdays and Fridays from 8 to 22 December (a total of five days), departing from Ikebukuro Station at 23:20, 30 minutes after the last regular ''TJ Liner'' service.<ref name="tobu20111205">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/4048/111205-2.pdf|script-title=ja:ＴＪライナー２３：２０を運転します！|trans-title=TJ Liner 23:20 to operate!|date= 5 December 2011|work= Tobu News Release|publisher= Tobu Railway|location= Japan|language= Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315213621/http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/4048/111205-2.pdf |archivedate=15 March 2012 |accessdate= 21 August 2014}}</ref>

===2013===
From the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013, an additional ''TJ Liner'' service was added on weekday evenings, departing from Ikebukuro at 21:30, and two more ''TJ Liner'' services were added on weekends, departing from Ikebukuro at 18:30 and 19:30. From this date, all ''TJ Liner'' services operated to Ogawamachi.<ref name="timetable2013">"Tobu Tojo Line Timetable", published 4 March 2013</ref>

===2014===
On 22 January 2014, the ''TJ Liner'' service celebrated the 5 millionth passenger since the start of services in 2008.<ref name="tobu20140623">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/pdf/818677400d4192b6813fb792bdaa8636/140623-3.pdf?date=20140623122008|script-title=ja:２３：２０発臨時ＴＪライナーを７月～１２月の毎週金曜日に運行します！|trans-title=Additional 23:20 TJ Liner to operate every Friday from July to December |date= 23 June 2014|work= Tobu News|publisher= Tobu Railway |language= Japanese|accessdate= 21 August 2014}}</ref>

From 1 April 2014, the ''TJ Liner'' supplement fare was raised from 300 yen to 310 yen, coinciding with the increase in Japanese [[consumption tax]] from 5% to 8%.<ref name="tobu20140401">{{cite web|url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/news/2014/fare/special_express.html|script-title= ja:平成26年4月1日以降の特急料金対キロ表|trans-title= Limited express fares from 1 April 2014|date= 2014|publisher= Tobu Railway Co., Ltd.|location= Japan|language= Japanese|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140401011949/http://www.tobu.co.jp/news/2014/fare/special_express.html|archivedate= 1 April 2014|accessdate= 1 April 2014|url-status= dead}}</ref>

From July 2014, an additional late-night ''TJ Liner'' service was introduced, operating on Friday nights only, departing Ikebukuro at 23:20 for Shinrinkoen.<ref name="tobu20140623"/> Initially scheduled to operate until December 2014, it subsequently continued to operate every Friday.<ref name="tobu20141225">{{cite web |url= http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/pdf/e77e38d18f5ee7a68cb928aec8bb6bfe/tj_rinji.pdf?date=20141225191256|script-title=ja:臨時TJライナー運転のお知らせ|trans-title=Additional TJ Liner operation details |date= 25 December 2014|work= Tobu News|publisher= Tobu Railway |language= Japanese|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140401011949/http://www.tobu.co.jp/news/2014/fare/special_express.html|archivedate= 1 April 2014|accessdate= 11 September 2016}}</ref>

===2015===
From 7 May 2015, the additional late-night ''TJ Liner'' service previously operating on Friday nights only was extended to also run on Thursday nights.<ref name="response20150424">{{cite web |url= http://response.jp/article/2015/04/24/249707.html|script-title=ja: 東武鉄道、臨時『TJライナー』を木曜も運行…5月7日から |trans-title=Tobu Railway to run additional "TJ Liner" on Thursdays also from 7 May|first= Sato|last= Masaki |date= 24 June 2015|work= Response|publisher= IID Inc.|location= Japan|language= Japanese|accessdate= 10 June 2015}}</ref>

===2016===
[[File:51095 TJ Liner 4 Kawagoe Station 20160331.JPG|thumb|Passengers boarding the morning up ''TJ Liner'' 4 service at Kawagoe Station in March 2016]]
With the start of the revised timetable introduced on 26 March 2016, two weekday morning ''TJ Liner'' services were introduced in the up direction from Shinrinkoen to Ikebukuro. From the same date, the number of down services from Ikebukuro was also increased, with services operating at 30-minute intervals between 18:00 and 24:00 on weekdays, and between 17:00 and 21:00 at weekends.<ref name="timetable2016"/>

==Ridership statistics==
In fiscal 2012, ''TJ Liner'' services were used by a total of 1,057,662 passengers.<ref name="pictorial880">{{cite journal| last = Ueki| first = Ayae| script-title=ja:東武鉄道東上線の営業・サービス|trans-title=Tobu Tojo Line Business and Service| journal = The Railway Pictorial | volume = 63| issue = 880| page =26| publisher = Denkisha Kenkyūkai| location = Japan |language= Japanese| date = October 2013}}</ref> Figures for previous years are as shown below.<ref name="pictorial880"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Fiscal year !! Annual total
|-
| 2008 || align=right |568,545
|-
| 2009 || align=right |717,673
|-
| 2010 || align=right |681,130
|-
| 2011 || align=right |1,015,545
|-
| 2012 || align=right |1,057,662
|}

==See also==
* [[TH Liner]]
* [[List of named passenger trains of Japan]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://railway.tobu.co.jp/special_express/tj}} {{in lang|ja}}

[[Category:Tobu Tojo Main Line]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of Japan]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 2008]]
[[Category:2008 establishments in Japan]]