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Echigo Line
An 115 series EMU between Aoyama and Sekiya stations
Overview
Native name	越後線
Status	In operation
Owner	JR East
Locale	Niigata Prefecture
Termini	Kashiwazaki Niigata
Stations	32
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR East
History
Opened	1912
Technical
Line length	83.8 km (52.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

The Echigo Line (越後線, Echigo-sen) 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

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.

Former connecting lines

• Teradomari Station: The Nagaoka Railway Co. opened a 39 km (24 mi) 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 31 km (19 mi) 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 34 km (21 mi) 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

Although most services are operated to and from Niigata Station, operations are divided into two sections: Kashiwazaki – Yoshida and Yoshida – Niigata. Some services operate over the entire line and through to Niitsu on the Shinetsu Main Line, Shibata on the Hakushin Line, or Higashi-Sanjō 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 "｜".

Rolling stock

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

• Operations in Niigata area
• 115 series EMU (Aōzu - Bunsui, October 2019)

Previous

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

Notes

1. Although the official start of the Banetsu West Line is at Niitsu, some trains travel through via the Shinetsu Main Line to Niigata.

References

External links

• Stations of the Echigo Line (JR East) (in Japanese)

v t e Transit in Niigata
Shinkansen	Jōetsu Hokuriku
JR East	Banetsu West Echigo Hakushin Iiyama Jōetsu Shinetsu Tadami Uetsu Yahiko Yonesaka
JR West	Ōito
Other railways	Echigo Tokimeki Railway Myōkō Haneuma Nihonkai Hisui Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Aizu Tetsudo Aizu
Bus	Bandai-bashi Line Niigata Kotsu Echigo Kotsu Kubiki Motor
Public ferries	Sado Steam Ship Awashima-Line Shin Nihonkai Ferry
Miscellaneous	Niigata Station Cards Suica Ryuto Niigata Airport Rail transport in Japan
Japan transit: Tokyo Keihanshin Chūkyō Fukuoka–Kitakyushu Hakone–Fuji–Izu Hokkaido Aomori Sendai Akita Niigata Toyama Nagano Okayama Hiroshima Shikoku Metro systems Shinkansen trams (list) aerial lifts (list)

v t e JR East lines
Shinkansen	Hokuriku Jōetsu Tōhoku Akita Yamagata
Main	Chūō Ōu Shin'etsu Sōbu Tōhoku Tōkaidō Uetsu
Local	Agatsuma Aterazawa Ban'etsu East Ban'etsu West Echigo Gonō Hachikō Hachinohe Hakushin Hanawa Iiyama Ishinomaki Itō Itsukaichi Jōban Jōetsu Kamaishi Karasuyama Kashima Kawagoe Keiyō Kesennuma Kitakami Koumi Kururi Mito Musashino Nambu Narita Negishi Nikkō Ōfunato Oga Ōito Ōme Ōminato Rikuu East Rikuu West (suspended) Ryōmō Sagami Senseki Senzan Shinonoi Sotobō Suigun Tadami Takasaki Tazawako Tōgane Tsugaru Tsurumi Uchibō Utsunomiya Yahiko Yamada Yamanote Yokohama Yokosuka Yonesaka
Others	Chūō Rapid Chūō-Sōbu Gala-Yuzawa Keihin-Tōhoku Saikyō (incl. Akabane) Senseki-Tōhoku Shōnan-Shinjuku Sōbu Rapid Ueno-Tōkyō
Past	Aizu Ashio Iwaizumi Kihara Marumori Mōka Nagai Shin'etsu Main (Shinano / Echigo Tokimeki) Tōhoku Main (Aoimori / Iwate Galaxy)

• Echigo Line
• Lines of East Japan Railway Company
• Rail transport in Niigata Prefecture
• Railway lines opened in 1912
• 1067 mm gauge railways in Japan
• 1912 establishments in Japan