Narita Line

The Narita Line (Template:Langx) is the name for a combination of three railway lines located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

The main line connects Sakura Station and Matsugishi Station (as an alternate route to the Sōbu Main Line), and is sometimes referred to as the Samatsu Line (Template:Langx). A branch line from Abiko Station to Narita Station is often called the Abiko Line (Template:Langx), and a second branch, known as the Airport Line (Template:Langx) connects Narita to Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station. The first two lines are owned and operated by JR East; the Airport Line is owned by a separate company, Narita Airport Rapid Railway, which allows JR East and Keisei Railway to use the line for passenger services.

Stations

Main line

Legend:

• ● : All trains stop
• | : All trains pass

All stations are located in Chiba Prefecture.

Line name	No.	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Rapid	Transfers	Location
							Town/city
Sōbu Main Line	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		From Chiba 0.0	●	Template:Plainlist	Chūō-ku
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		0.9	|
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		4.2	●	Chiba Urban Monorail Line 2	Wakaba-ku
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		7.7	●		Yotsukaidō
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		11.9	●
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		16.1	●	Template:Colorbull Sōbu Main Line (for Template:STN)	Sakura
Narita Line				From Sakura 0.0
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		6.4	●		Shisui
	Template:JRSN	Template:STN		13.1	●	Template:Plainlist	Narita
	—	Template:STN		20.0
		Template:STN		25.5
		Template:STN		31.6			Kozaki
		Template:STN		36.1			Katori
		Template:STN		40.0		Template:Colorbull Kashima Line
		Template:STN		43.6		Template:Colorbull Kashima Line
		Template:STN		47.5
		Template:STN		52.7
		Template:STN		57.7			Tonosho
		Template:STN		62.9
		Template:STN		66.2			Chōshi
		Template:STN		71.0
		Template:STN		75.4		Template:Colorbull Sōbu Main Line
Sōbu Main Line				From Tokyo 117.3
		Template:STN		120.5		Chōshi Electric Railway Line

Note: Commuter Rapid service was discontinued on 12 March 2022.

Abiko branch line

File:Narita Station May 2005.jpg

Narita Station in May 2005

All stations are in Chiba Prefecture.

Name	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
				Town/city
Template:STN		0.0	Template:Plainlist	Abiko
Template:STN		3.4
Template:STN		6.3
Template:STN		8.9
Template:STN		12.1
Template:STN		14.0		Inzai
Template:STN		18.3
Template:STN		23.2		Sakae
Template:STN		27.3		Narita
Template:STN		32.9	Template:Plainlist

Airport branch line

File:Narita-Airport-Kousoku-Railway.JPG

The Airport branch line (left) running alongside the Template:RailGauge gauge Keisei Sky Access Line (right) in July 2010

All stations are in Narita, Chiba.

No.	Name	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers
Template:JRSN	Template:STN		0.0	Template:Plainlist
Template:JRSN	Template:STN		9.8	Template:Plainlist
Template:JRSN	Template:STN		10.8	Template:Plainlist

Services

Main line and Airport branch line

Narita Express trains travel on the Narita Line but stop only at Narita Airport Terminal 2·3 and Narita Airport Terminal 1 stations, except during morning and evening rush hours when some trains stop at Narita Station.

Rapid commuter trains run between Tokyo and Narita Airport Terminal 1, stopping at all stations between Tsuga and Narita Airport Terminal 1.

Abiko branch line

All services on the Abiko branch line are local trains stopping at all stations. Some trains travel through onto the Jōban Line (Rapid) to Template:STN and Template:STN.

Rolling stock

Local service

• E131 series EMUs (since 13 March 2021, on Kashima Line through services)
• 209-2000/2100 series EMUs

Abiko Branch Line, Jōban Line through service

• E231 series EMUs

Sōbu Line (Rapid) through service

• E235-1000 series EMUs

Narita Express

• E259 series EMUs

• A 209-2100 series EMU in March 2021
  A 209-2100 series EMU in March 2021
• An E231 series EMU in May 2021
  An E231 series EMU in May 2021
• An E235-1000 series EMU in June 2022
  An E235-1000 series EMU in June 2022
• An E257-500 series EMU in November 2006
  An E257-500 series EMU in November 2006
• An E259 series EMU in May 2021
  An E259 series EMU in May 2021

Past

• E217 series EMUs (until March 2025)
• 103 series EMUs (Abiko branch line services until March 2006)
• 113 series EMUs (until September 2011)
• 183 series EMUs (Ayame limited express services)
• 211-3000 series EMUs (local services since 21 October 2006 until March 2013)
• 253 series EMUs (Narita Express limited express services until June 2010)
• E257-500 series (Ayame limited express services)

• A 103 series EMU in January 2003
  A 103 series EMU in January 2003
• A 113 series EMU in May 2010
  A 113 series EMU in May 2010
• A 183 series EMU on an Ayame service in November 2005
  A 183 series EMU on an Ayame service in November 2005
• A 253 series EMU on a Narita Express service in August 2003
  A 253 series EMU on a Narita Express service in August 2003
• 211-3000 series EMU, May 2010
  211-3000 series EMU, May 2010
• An E217 series EMU in March 2021
  An E217 series EMU in March 2021

History

The Sakura - Narita - Namegawa section of the line was opened on 19 January 1897, by Sobu Railway, extended to Sawara the following year. The Narita to Abiko branch opened in 1901. The company was nationalised in 1920, and the Sawara to Matsugishi section opened between 1931 and 1933.

The Sakura to Narita section was electrified (at 1,500 V DC overhead) in 1968. The Abiko branch was electrified from 1 October 1973. The Narita to Matsugishi section was electrified in 1974, and freight services ceased between 1984 and 1986.

The Sakura to Narita section was double-tracked in 1986, and the Airport branch opened in 1991 as an electrified, CTC-signalled line.

Accidents

File:After the vehicle removal of the freight train derailment,Narita-city,Japan.jpg

Derailed wagons near Namegawa Station, March 2011

In the early hours of 10 March 2011, a day before 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami occurred, a freight train carrying ethylene oxide derailed and overturned on the Narita Line near Namegawa Station.

External links

• Narita Line station numbering Template:In lang