Echigo Line

The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects the cities of Kashiwazaki and Niigata in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The line's name is taken from the name of the ancient Echigo Province, which corresponds to most of modern-day Niigata Prefecture.

History

File:Overhead line 011.JPG

An overhead line of Echigo Line (between Template:STN and Template:STN)

The Echigo Railway Co. opened the Hakusan - Kashiwazaki section of the line in 1912, and was nationalised in 1927. In 1951, the Hakusan - Niigata section was opened, CTC signalling was commissioned in 1982, the line was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1984, and freight services ceased in 1987.

A new station, Kamitokoro Station, opened on 15 March 2025. This station was built on the section between Niigata and Hakusan stations, becoming the first new station on the line and in Niigata Prefecture (except Shinkansen) since Uchino-Nishigaoka was opened in 2005.

Former connecting lines

• Teradomari Station: The Nagaoka Railway Co. opened a Template:Cvt line to Raikoji (on the Shin'etsu Line) between 1915 and 1921. This company introduced Japan's first diesel railcar in 1928, and in 1951 electrified Template:Cvt of the line at 750 V DC in 70 days, completing the balance the following year. Significant typhoon damage occurred in 1966, and in 1972, passenger services ceased between Raikoji and Nishinagaoka, with the entire line becoming freight-only three years later. The line closed in 1995.
• Sekiya Station: The Niigata Kotsu Co. opened a Template:Cvt line, electrified at 1,500 V DC, to Tsubame on the Yahiko Line between 1933 and 1934. Freight services ceased in 1982, and the line closed between 1993 and 1999.

Services

File:Linemap of Echigo Line with Stations.svg

Stations of Echigo Line

Although most services are operated to and from Niigata Station, operations are divided into two sections: Kashiwazaki – Template:STN and Yoshida – Niigata. Some services operate over the entire line and through to Template:STN on the Shinetsu Main Line, Template:STN on the Hakushin Line, or Template:STN on the Yahiko Line.

Between Kashiwazaki and Yoshida, there is a period of over three hours where no trains operate. Between Niigata and Uchino there are three trains per hour, with another one to two trains per hour to Yoshida.

Station list

• All stations are located within Niigata Prefecture.
• Trains can pass each other at stations marked "∥", "◇", "∨", and "∧"; they cannot pass at stations marked "｜".

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers		Location
		Between stations	Total
Template:STN	柏崎	-	0.0	Template:ColorbullShinetsu Main Line	∨	Kashiwazaki
Template:STN	東柏崎	1.6	1.6		｜
Template:STN	西中通	3.4	5.0		｜
Template:STN	荒浜	1.6	6.6		｜	Kariwa, Kariwa District
Template:STN	刈羽	3.3	9.9		｜
Template:STN	西山	2.9	12.8		◇	Kashiwazaki
Template:STN	礼拝	2.2	15.0		｜
Template:STN	石地	3.7	18.7		｜
Template:STN	小木ノ城	4.0	22.7		｜	Izumozaki, Santō District
Template:STN	出雲崎	2.1	24.8		◇
Template:STN	妙法寺	4.6	29.4		｜	Nagaoka
Template:STN	小島谷	3.0	32.4		◇
Template:STN	桐原	3.8	36.2		｜
Template:STN	寺泊	2.8	39.0		◇
Template:STN	分水	2.5	41.5		◇	Tsubame
Template:STN	粟生津	4.3	45.8		｜
Template:STN	南吉田	2.0	47.8		｜
Template:STN	吉田	2.0	49.8	Template:ColorbullYahiko Line	◇
Template:STN	北吉田	1.9	51.7		｜
Template:STN	岩室	2.1	53.8		｜	Nishikan-ku, Niigata
Template:STN	巻	4.0	57.8		◇
Template:STN	越後曽根	4.6	62.4		◇
Template:STN	越後赤塚	2.5	64.9		◇	Nishi-ku, Niigata
Template:STN	内野西が丘	3.8	68.7		｜
Template:STN	内野	1.6	70.3		◇
Template:STN	新潟大学前	2.0	72.3		｜
Template:STN	寺尾	2.1	74.4		◇
Template:STN	小針	1.9	76.3		◇
Template:STN	青山	1.4	77.7		｜
Template:STN	関屋	1.5	79.2		◇	Chūō-ku, Niigata
Template:STN	白山	1.5	80.7		◇
Template:STN	上所	1.6	82.3		∧
Template:STN	新潟	1.5	83.8	Template:Plainlist	∥

Rolling stock

• E129 series 2/4-car EMUs (since December 2014)

• Operations in Niigata area
  Operations in Niigata area
• 115 series EMU (Template:STN - Template:STN, October 2019)
  115 series EMU (Template:STN - Template:STN, October 2019)

Previous

• 115 series 3-car EMUs (until March 2022)
• 165 series
• E127 series 2-car EMUs (Yoshida - Niigata) (until March 2022)

External links

• Stations of the Echigo Line (JR East) Template:In lang