Utsunomiya Light Rail

Light rail line in Utsunomiya, Japan

For the commuter rail lines in the area with the same name, see Utsunomiya Line (disambiguation).

Utsunomiya Light Rail

Utsunomiya Light Rail HU300 series "Lightline"

Overview
Other name(s)| Haga Utsunomiya LRT
Native name| 宇都宮ライトレール
Status| Operational
Owner| Utsunomiya City and Haga Town
Locale| Utsunomiya and Haga,
Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Termini|

* Utsunomiya Station East
* Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park

Stations| 19
Website| https://www.miyarail.co.jp/index.html
Service
Type| Light rail
Operator(s)| Utsunomiya Light Rail Co., Ltd.
Rolling stock| HU300 series
History
Opened| 26 August 2023; 12 months ago (2023-08-26)
Technical
Line length| 14.6 km (9.1 mi)[1]
Number of tracks| Double track
Track gauge| 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification| 750 V DC[1]
Operating speed| 40 km/h (25 mph)[2]

Route map

Legend

|  |  |

|  | Utsunomiya Station East

|
|
|
|

|  |

|  | Higashi-Shukugo
|  |

|  | Ekihigashi Park
|  |

|  | Mine
|  |

|  | Yoto 3-chome
|  |

|  | Utsunomiya University Yoto Campus
|  |

|  | Hiraishi
|  |

|  |

Depot

|  |

|  | Hiraishi-chuo Elementary School
|  |

|  |

Kinugawa River

|  |

|  | Tobiyama Castle Site
|  |

|  | Seiryo High School
|  |

|  | Kiyohara District Civic Center
|  |

|  | Green Stadium
|  |

|  | Yuinomori-west
|  |

|  | Yuinomori-central
|  |

|  | Yuinomori-east
|  |

|  | Hagadai
|  |

|  | Haga Industrial Park Management Center
|  |

|  | Kashinomori Park
|  |

|  | Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park
|  |  |  |  |  |

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The Utsunomiya Light Rail (宇都宮ライトレール, Utsunomiya raitorēru) is a light rail transit (LRT) line serving the Utsunomiya metropolitan area [ja] in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The 14.6 km line links Utsunomiya, the capital city of Tochigi, with the nearby town of Haga, running between Utsunomiya Station East (36°33′31″N 139°53′57″E﻿ / ﻿36.55861°N 139.89917°E﻿ / 36.55861; 139.89917), a tram stop in front of the East Exit of Utsunomiya Station in central Utsunomiya, and Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park (36°34′43″N 140°00′42″E﻿ / ﻿36.57861°N 140.01167°E﻿ / 36.57861; 140.01167) in Haga.

The line is operated by the third-sector railway operator Utsunomiya Light Rail Co., Ltd. [ja] (:宇都宮ライトレール株式会社, Utsunomiya raitorēru Kabushiki-gaisha) and is officially known as the Utsunomiya Light Rail Utsunomiya Haga Light Rail Line (宇都宮ライトレール宇都宮芳賀ライトレール線), although there are no other light rail lines in Utsunomiya.

## History

[edit]

The project was based on the “New Transportation System Concept” proposed in 1993 to relieve traffic congestion, and the introduction of LRT was finalized in 2001. After many years of research and discussion, the project was officially launched in 2013.[3] Construction started in 2018, with a target opening date of March 2022, but it was eventually moved back to March 2023.[4] This date was later further postponed to August 26, 2023.[5] On April 3, 2023, ten round trips a day of driver proficiency training using the new light rail vehicles began.[6]

On November 19, 2022, an LRT train derailed during a trial run. There were no injuries.[7]

The line started operation on August 26, 2023. Utsunomiya became the first city in Japan to have a new tram system in 75 years after Takaoka, Toyama.[8]

On September 13, 2024, just over a year after opening, the line reached a milestone of 5 million passengers[9], 20% more than forecast.[10]

## Services

[edit]

List of stops (as of August 2024)

Almost all trains are “local” trains that stop at all stations. On weekdays, trains are operated at intervals of 6 to 8 minutes during rush hours (approximately from 6 to 9 and from 5 to 7 pm on weekdays), and at intervals of 12 minutes during other off-peak hours (except during the above-mentioned times on weekdays and holidays). The service is available from 4:00 to 24:00 on weekdays and from 5:00 to 23:00 on weekends and holidays.[11] The train schedule is aligned with that of the Tōhoku Shinkansen, which arrives at and departs from Utsunomiya Station, and connects with the first train on the same line bound for Tokyo Station and the last train arriving at Utsunomiya Station.The time required from the Utsunomiya Station East, the starting point of the train, to the Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park, the ending point, is approximately 44 minutes on weekday schedules and 48 minutes on holiday schedules.[12]

On weekday mornings, an "express" train is available in addition to the local train for the Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park direction only. Express trains stop at Utsunomiya Station East, Utsunomiya University Yoto Campus, Hiraishi, Seiryo High School, and each station from Seiryo High School to Haga and Takanezawa Industrial Park, while other stations are not served.

Fares are based on distance and range from 150 yen to 400 yen for adults one-way.[12] Fares can be paid in cash or by Nationwide Mutual Usage Service-compliant IC cards (Suica, PASMO, and the “totra” IC card issued in Utsunomiya, etc.). When paying with cash, passengers receive a “numbered ticket” from a ticket machine located at the stop, board from the front door of the first car, and disembark from the front door of the first car after inserting the numbered ticket and fare into the fare box. IC card users can board and alight from any door, and touch their card to the IC card reader next to the door when boarding and alighting.[13]

There are also feeder buses that connect to areas outside the rail line from Utsunomiya Station East, Utsunomiya University Yoto Campus, Kiyohara District Civic Center, Haga Industrial Park Management Center, which can be used in combination with trains.[14]

## Rolling stock

[edit]

The line is served by the Utsunomiya Light Rail HU300 series [ja], branded LIGHTLINE.[15] Niigata Transys built and delivered 17 sets of three-section low-floor light rail vehicles.[15]

A HU300 series train (21 August 2023)

## Stations

[edit]

Line map No  | Station  | Japanese  | Distance (km)  | Transfers  | Location

|
|
|
|
|

Between
stations  | Total
01  | Utsunomiya Station East | ja:宇都宮駅東口停留場 | –  | 0.0  |  JR East (Utsunomiya Station)

* Tōhoku Shinkansen
* JS Shōnan–Shinjuku Line
* JU Utsunomiya Line
* ■ Nikkō Line
* ■ Karasuyama Line

| Utsunomiya | Tochigi Prefecture
02  | Higashi-Shukugo | ja:東宿郷停留場 | 0.4  | 0.4  |
03  | Ekihigashi Park | ja:駅東公園前停留場 | 0.4  | 0.8  |
04  | Mine | ja:峰停留場 | 0.7  | 1.5  |
05  | Yoto 3-chome | ja:陽東3丁目停留場 | 0.6  | 2.1  |
06  | Utsunomiya University Yoto Campus | ja:宇都宮大学陽東キャンパス停留場 | 0.7  | 2.8  |
07  | Hiraishi | ja:平石停留場 | 0.9  | 3.7  |
08  | Hiraishi-chuo Elementary School | ja:平石中央小学校前停留場 | 0.5  | 4.2  |
09  | Tobiyama Castle Site | ja:飛山城跡停留場 | 1.9  | 6.1  |
10  | Seiryo High School | ja:清陵高校前停留場 | 1.3  | 7.4  |
11  | Kiyohara District Civic Center | ja:清原地区市民センター前停留場 | 0.8  | 8.2  |
12  | Green Stadium | ja:グリーンスタジアム前停留場 | 0.8  | 9.0  |
13  | Yuinomori-west | ja:ゆいの杜西停留場 | 1.7  | 10.7  |
14  | Yuinomori-central | ja:ゆいの杜中央停留場 | 0.5  | 11.2  |
15  | Yuinomori-east | ja:ゆいの杜東停留場 | 0.5  | 11.7  |
16  | Hagadai | ja:芳賀台停留場 | 0.7  | 12.4  |  | Haga
17  | Haga Industrial Park Management Center | ja:芳賀町工業団地管理センター前停留場 | 0.5  | 12.9  |
18  | Kashinomori Park | ja:かしの森公園前停留場 | 0.9  | 13.8  |
19  | Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park | ja:芳賀・高根沢工業団地停留場 | 0.7  | 14.5  |

## Future Extension Concept

[edit]

It has been decided to extend the line from its current starting point at Utsunomiya Station East to the Tochigi Education Center (36°34′25″N 139°51′19″E﻿ / ﻿36.57361°N 139.85528°E﻿ / 36.57361; 139.85528), 5 km to the west via Tōbu-Utsunomiya Station, in the 2030s.[16]

The basic plan for the Utsunomiya light rail line has been decided for the line to extend from Utsunomiya Station to Sakura-Dōri-Jūmonji (36°33′54″N 139°52′03″E﻿ / ﻿36.56500°N 139.86750°E﻿ / 36.56500; 139.86750) (Sakura 2 intersection on National Route 119), 3 km away, via Ōdōri avenue (main street of Utsunomiya) that runs through downtown Utsunomiya, in addition to the section east of Utsunomiya Station, which is currently in operation.[17] In addition, Utsunomiya City office has studied the possibility of extending the line further, and has decided to extend it 2 km further west from Sakura-Dōri-Jūmonji to the Tochigi Education Center in 2022.[18] The line is located in the center of Utsunomiya City and schools are located along it, so commuter demand is expected, and the line is expected to serve as a transportation axis connecting the east and west sides of Utsunomiya and revitalize the city center. It is also envisioned to extend the line further west from the Tochigi Education Center to the vicinity of the Ōya Quarry site, a major tourist attraction in Utsunomiya.[18]

## See also

[edit]

* Companies portal
* Trains portal
* Japan portal

* List of light-rail transit systems
* List of urban rail systems in Japan
* List of railway lines in Japan
* List of railway companies in Japan

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Project Shiryou utsunomiya.tochigi.jp
2. ^ "宇都宮ライトレール株式会社".
3. ^ Hirotaka Koike. "宇都宮市のLRT －これまでとこれから" [LRT in Utsunomiya － Looking Back the Past and Exploring the Future] (PDF). Utsunomiya Kyōwa University City Life Studies (in Japanese). Retrieved 9 January 2024.
4. ^ "宇都宮ライトレールの開業がさらに延期か？…交通量が多い交差点での工事が難航" [Utsunomiya Light Rail's Opening to be Further Delayed? ...Construction work at a busy intersection encountered difficulties]. news.yahoo.co.jp (in Japanese). 4 June 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022.
5. ^ "3月1日からライトラインの試運転(第二弾)が開始されます".
6. ^ "4/3～ 習熟運転を開始します".
7. ^ "Next-generation tram derails during trial run". 19 November 2022.
8. ^ "Japan's 1st new tram system in 75 years starts operating north of Tokyo". Kyodo News. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
9. ^ https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240913/k00/00m/020/109000c
10. ^ https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/09/5f262b48b0a3-utsunomiya-trams-rejuvenation-achievements-a-model-for-other-cities.html
11. ^ "宇都宮駅東口 時刻表" [Time table of Utsunomiya Station East] (in Japanese). Utsunomiya Light Rail Co., Ltd. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
12. ^ a b "LRTについて" [Abouts LRT] (in Japanese). Utsunomiya City office. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
13. ^ "LRT(ライトライン)のご利用方法" [How to take the LRT(LIGHTLINE)] (in Japanese). Utsunomiya Light Rail Co., Ltd. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
14. ^ "令和5年8月27日（日曜日）にバス路線が変わりました" [Bus route was changed at August 27 2023 (Sunday)] (in Japanese). Utsunomiya City office. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
15. ^ a b "First Lightline tram arrives". Metro Report International. 1 June 2021.
16. ^ "駅西側ライトライン延伸について" [Abouts LIGHTLINE Extension towards Station West Side] (in Japanese). Utsunomiya City office (MOVENEXT web site). Retrieved 2 September 2024.
17. ^ "東西基幹公共交通の実現に向けた基本方針" [Basic policy for realize to Core public transportation system connecting the west and east] (PDF) (in Japanese). Utsunomiya City office. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
18. ^ a b "駅西側におけるLRT等によるNCCの更なる推進について" [Further promotion of NCC by LRT, etc. on the west side of the station] (PDF) (in Japanese). Utsunomiya City office. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website (in Japanese)