Minobu Line

Minobu Line
JR Central 313 series EMU on the Minobu Line
Overview
Owner	JR Central
Termini	Fuji Kōfu
Stations	39
Service
Type	Heavy rail
History
Opened	1890
Technical
Line length	88.4 km
Track gauge	1067
Operating speed	85 km/h (55 mph)*

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The Minobu Line (身延線, Minobu-sen) is a railway line in the Tōkai region of Japan operated by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). It runs from Fuji Station in Fuji, Shizuoka to Kōfu Station in Kōfu, Yamanashi, and connects the Tōkaidō Main Line with the Chūō Main Line trunk railroads.

The Fujikawa limited express service operates between Kōfu and Shizuoka via Fuji using JR Central 373 series EMU trains. Other trains are all-stations "Local" services, with higher frequencies on the Fuji - Nishi-Fujinomiya and Kajikazawaguchi - Kōfu sections compared to the section in between. 313 series and 211 series EMUs are used on local services.

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The Minobu line was planned by a private railway company Fuji Minobu Railway (富士身延鉄道, Fuji Minobu Tetsudō). A preceding horse tram line opened in 1890, Fuji Horse Tramway (富士馬車鉄道, Fuji Basha Tetsudō) from Suzukawa (present Yoshiwara) on the Tōkaidō Main Line to Ōmiya (present Fujinomiya), along the route in the southern tip. The tram was purchased by the railway in 1912. The following year the line was converted from horse tram to steam railway, and until 1920 the company gradually extending the line to Minobu, at a distance of 26.9 miles (43.3 km). In 1927, the line was electrified, and in 1928 reached Kōfu on the Chūō Main Line and the present stretch was completed in the distance of 54.7 miles (88.0 km).

In 1938 the Minobu line was leased to the government, and nationalized into the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) in 1941. The JGR became the Japanese National Railways (JNR) after World War II. The route of Fuji side was changed in 1968 to allow through trains from Tokyo without switchback, and the distance was slightly modified. In 1987, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) took over operations of the Minobu Line following privatization of the Japanese National Railways.

• List of railway lines in Japan

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minobu Line.

• Minobu Line Station information