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Chūō Main Line
JBJCCO
E353 Series limited express on the Chuo Main Line.
Overview
Native name	中央本線
Locale	Tokyo,Kanagawa,Yamanashi,Nagano,Gifu,Aichi prefectures
Termini	Tokyo Nagoya
Stations	112
Service
Type	Heavy rail, Passenger/Freight Rail Intercity rail,Regional rail,Commuter rail
Operator(s)	JR East,JR Central
History
Opened	11 April 1889; 136 years ago (1889-04-11) (Shinjuku–Tachikawa)
Technical
Line length	424.6 km (263.8 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC (Overhead lines)
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Maximum incline	2.5%
Route map

TheChūō Main Line (Japanese:中央本線,Hepburn:Chūō-honsen), commonly called theChūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It connectsTokyo andNagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastalTōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, and theTōkaidō Shinkansen is currently the fastest rail link between the cities.

The eastern portion, theChūō East Line (中央東線,Chūō-tōsen), is operated by theEast Japan Railway Company (JR East), while the western portion, theChūō West Line (中央西線,Chūō-saisen), is operated by theCentral Japan Railway Company (JR Central). The dividing point between the two companies isShiojiri, where express trains from both operators continue north onto theShinonoi Line towards the cities ofMatsumoto andNagano. Compared to the huge urban areas at either end of the Chūō Line, its central portion is lightly traveled; the Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa corridor is only served by one limited express and one local service per hour.

The Chūō Main Line passes through the mountainous center ofHonshu. Its highest point (nearFujimi) is about 900 meters (3,000 ft) above sea level and much of the line has a gradient of 25 per mil (2.5% or 1 in 40). Along the Chūō East Line section, peaks of theAkaishi andKiso as well asMount Yatsugatake can be seen from trains. The Chūō West Line parallels the oldNakasendō highway (famous for the preserved post towns ofTsumago-juku andMagome-juku) and the steepKiso Valley.

• Entire Route (Tokyo - Nagoya including branch): 424.6 km (263.8 mi)
• East Line (Tokyo - Shiojiri): 222.1 km (138.0 mi)
  • Tokyo - Kanda: 1.3 km (0.81 mi) (officially part of theTōhoku Main Line)
  • Kanda - Yoyogi: 8.3 km (5.2 mi)
  • Yoyogi - Shinjuku: 0.7 km (0.43 mi) (officially part of theYamanote Line)
  • Shinjuku - Shiojiri: 211.8 km (131.6 mi)
• East Line - Tatsuno branch line (Okaya - Tatsuno - Shiojiri): 27.7 km (17.2 mi)
• West Line (Shiojiri - Nagoya): 174.8 km (108.6 mi)
  • Shiojiri - Kanayama: 171.5 km (106.6 mi)
  • Kanayama - Nagoya: 3.3 km (2.1 mi) (alongsideTōkaidō Main Line)

Chūō Main Line (East Line)
Legend
Tōkaidō Shinkansen Tōkaidō Main Line Yamanote Line,Keihin-Tōhoku Line Yokosuka Line Keiyō Line 0.0 Tokyo M Sōbu Line (Rapid) Nihonbashi-gawa Tohoku Shinkansen 1.3 Kanda G Ueno-Tokyo Line 1.9 Manseibashi 2.1 Shōheibashi Until 1912 Chūō-Sōbu Line 2.6 Ochanomizu MC 3.4 Suidōbashi Iidamachi Until 1999 4.3 Iidabashi 4.6 Ushigome 5.8 Ichigaya Chūō Line (Rapid) Chūō-Sōbu Line 6.6 Yotsuya N Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line 7.9 Shinanomachi Aoyama (temporary) 8.6 Sendagaya Shinjuku Gyoen (temporary) Yamanote Line (Freight) Yamanote Line 9.6 Yoyogi Odakyū Odawara Line 10.3 Shinjuku MSE Keio Line Seibu-Shinjuku Seibu Shinjuku Line Yamanote Line (Freight) Yamanote Line 11.7 Ōkubo 12.8 Higashi-Nakano Tokyo Metro Tozai Line 14.7 Nakano 16.1 Kōenji 17.3 Asagaya 18.7 OgikuboM 20.6 Nishi-Ogikubo KeioInokashira Line 22.5 Kichijōji 24.1 0.0* Mitaka Mitaka Rail Yard 3.2* Musashino Stadium Until 1959 25.7 Musashi-Sakai Seibu Tamagawa Line 27.0 Sakai (Signal Box) Until 1937 27.4 Higashi-Koganei 29.1 Musashi-Koganei ←Seibu Tamako Line 31.4 Kokubunji Seibu Kokubunji Line Shimogawara Line 32.8 Nishi-Kokubunji Musashino Line 34.5 Kunitachi Railway Technical Research Institute Nambu Line 37.5 Tachikawa ←Tachikawa-Kita/Tachikawa-Minami→ ←Tama Toshi Monorail Line→ Ōme Line 39.2 Tamagawa (Signal Box) Until 1946 Tamagawahara (Freight) Tama River 40.8 Hino 43.1 Toyoda Toyoda Rail Yard Hachikō Line Keio Line Yokohama Line Keiō-Hachiōji Hachiōji Until 1901 47.4 Hachiōji Since 1901 49.8 Nishi-Hachiōji Keio Goryō Line Musashi Yokoyama 52.0 Higashi-Asakawa (Temporary) Until 1960 Keiō Takao Line 53.1 Takao 57.2 Kobotoke (Signal Box) Until 1964 Kobotoke Tunnel ↑Tokyo/Kanagawa↓ 62.6 Sagamiko 66.3 Fujino ↑Kanagawa/Yamanashi↓ 69.8 Uenohara 74.0 Shiotsu Arakura Tunnel 77.6 Yanagawa Gozenyama Tunnel 81.2 Torisawa Katsuragawa Saruhashi Tunnel 85.3 Saruhashi 87.8 Ōtsuki Fujikyuko Line Katsuragawa 93.9 Hatsukari 98.9 Hirogawara (Signal Box) Until 1908 100.4 Sasago Sasago Tunnel 106.5 Kai-Yamato 112.5 Katsunuma-budōkyō 116.9 Enzan 120.1 Higashi-Yamanashi 122.2 Yamanashishi Fuefukigawa 125.0 Kasugaichō 127.8 Isawaonsen 131.2 Sakaori 131.8 Kai-Zenkōji (Temporary) 1917 Minobu Line Kanente 134.1 Kōfu Kōfu Depot 138.6 Ryūō 142.7 Shiozaki Shiokawa 147.0 Nirasaki 151.2 Shimpu 154.7 Anayama 160.1 Hinoharu 166.3 Nagasaka 172.0 Takinomae (Signal Box) Until 1966 173.7 Kobuchizawa Koumi Line ↑Yamanashi/Nagano↓ 178.2 Shinano-Sakai Tatsubagawa 182.9 Fujimi 186.1 Suzurannosato 188.0 Aoyagi 192.1 Kifune (Signal Box) Until 1967 195.2 Chino 198.9 Fumonji Junction 201.9 Kami-Suwa 206.3 Shimo-Suwa 210.4 Okaya Tenryū River Tenryū River Enrei Tunnel 218.2 Midoriko Shiojiri Until 1982 Main Line Shiojiri Depot Main Line 222.1 Shiojiri Since 1982 Shinonoi Line

This section lists all stations on the Chūō Main Line and generally explains regional services on the line. In addition, there arelimited express services connecting major cities along the line, namelyAzusa,Super Azusa,Kaiji,Hamakaiji,Narita Express andShinano. For details of the limited express trains, see the relevant articles.^{[citation needed]}

The section between Tokyo andMitaka is grade-separated, with no level crossings. Between Ochanomizu and Mitaka, the Chūō Main Line has four tracks; two of them are local tracks (緩行線,kankō-sen) with platforms at every station; the other two are rapid tracks (快速線,kaisoku-sen)^{[citation needed]} with some stations without platforms. The local tracks are used by theChūō-Sōbu Line local trains, while the rapid tracks carry rapid service and limited express trains. The Tokyo-Mitaka portion is a vital cross-city rail link.^{[citation needed]}

The commuter services on the rapid tracks are collectively called theChūō Line (Rapid) in comparison with theChūō Line (Local) (中央線各駅停車,Chūō-sen-kakuekiteisha) or the Chūō-Sōbu Line on the local tracks. The former is usually referred to simply as the Chūō Line and the latter the Sōbu Line. Separate groups of trainsets are used for these two groups of services: cars with an orange belt for the rapid service trains and cars with a yellow belt for the local service trains. Signs at stations also use these colors to indicate the services.^{[citation needed]}

This section is located entirely withinTokyo.^{[citation needed]}

The four-track section ends at Mitaka. Most of the section between Mitaka and Tachikawa had been elevated between 2008 and 2011 to eliminate level crossings. Plans have been proposed to add another two tracks as far as Tachikawa, but were not included in the track elevation.^{[citation needed]}

Most of the rapid service trains from Tokyo terminate atTakao, where the line exits the large urban area of Tokyo. The section between Takao andŌtsuki still carries some commuter trains as well as long distance local trains and Limited Express trains. TheKaiji limited express terminates atKōfu, the capital ofYamanashi Prefecture, while theAzusa continue beyondShiojiri toMatsumoto via theShinonoi Line.^{[citation needed]}

All stations fromTachikawa to Shiojiri are served by the Chūō Main Line Local. Local trains from Tachikawa and Takao run as far as Matsumoto or evenNagano.^{[citation needed]}

Legends:

• ●: All trains stop
• ▲: Stop, eastbound services only
• ▼: Stop, westbound services only

Station numbers were introduced through Shiojiri in February 2025.^[1]

Okaya – Shiojiri Branch
Legend
Main Line 0.0 Okaya Tenryū River 3.5 Kawagishi 6.5 Hirade (Signal Box) Until 1983 Tenryū River 9.5 Tatsuno Iida Line 13.8 Shinano-Kawashima 17.8 Ono 22.7 Higashi-Shiojiri (Signal Box) Until 1983 Shiojiri Until 1982 Main Line Shiojiri Depot Main Line 27.7 Shiojiri Since 1982 Shinonoi Line

The Okaya-Shiojiri branch is an old route of the Chūō Main Line. It carries a small number of shuttle trains and trains from/to theIida Line, which branches off at Tatsuno.

Prior to the opening of the new route between Okaya and Shiojiri, there was a junction (Higashi-Shiojiri Junction (東塩尻信号場)) betweenOno andShiojiri stations. It had areversing layout. The signal station was closed on 12 October 1983.

Chūō Main Line (West Line)
Legend
Shinonoi Line 222.1 Shiojiri Main Line for Okaya Okaya - Shiojiri Railway JR East - JR Central 226.3 Seba 231.0 Hideshio Hideshio Tunnel 大岨T 中の沢T Katahira Tunnel 236.2 Niekawa 権現T 241.4 Kiso-Hirasawa Takami Tunnel 243.2 Narai Torii Tunnel 249.8 Yabuhara 新鷲鳥T / 鷲鳥T 253.1 Yamabukiyama (Signal Box) Until 1968 新鷲鳥T / 鷲鳥T 255.5 Miyanokoshi 258.3 Harano Ueno Tunnel 合沢T 矢崎T 263.8 Kiso-Fukushima Kiso Tunnel Nakahira (Signal Box) Until 1982 棧T 271.1 Agematsu 寝覚T 274.9 小野ノ滝 (SIgnal Box) Until 1969 277.7 Kuramoto 282.5 Suhara Nakayama Tunnel 285.8 Ōkuwa 関山T 288.8 Nojiri 292.5 Jūnikane 十二河原T / 新十二河原T 第三羅天T 第二羅天T 花巻T / 第一羅天T 298.0 Nagiso Tokusho (Signal Box) Until 1923 兜T 1,015m Kiso River Shimada Tunnel Tadachi Until 1973 304.3 Tadachi Since 1973 ↑Nagano/Gifu↓ Kiso River 上鐘山T Sakagawa Railway Line 新上鐘山T 307.1 Sakashita Shinsakashita The second Takamineyama Tunnel The first Takamineyama Tunnel Mt Seto Tunnel Kiso rIver 313.2 Ochiaigawa The second Ochiaigawa Tunnel The first Ochiaigawa Tunnel Nakatsugawa Tunnel Kitaena Railway Line 317.0 Nakatsugawa 323.4 Minosakamoto Akechi Railway Akechi Line 328.6 Ena 334.0 Takenami 339.4 Kamado 346.8 Mizunami 353.7 Tokishi Tōnō Railway Dachi Line Kokeizan Tunnel 360.7 Tajimi →Tounou Railway Kasahara Line Shintajimi ←Taita Line Ikedamachi Tunnel Suwa Tunnel 365.3 Kokokei ↑Gifu Prefecture ↓Aichi Prefecture 368.8 Jōkōji The 2nd Tamano Tunnel The 1st Tamano Tunnel Aichi Loop Line 372.9 Kōzōji 376.1 Jinryō Jinryō Locomotive Depot 378.8 Kasugai 381.9 Kachigawa TKJ Jōhoku Line Shōnai River 384.6 Shin-Moriyama Yadagawa Meitetsu Seto Line 387.1 Ōzone 389.8 Chikusa 391.2 Tsurumai Park (Temporary Stop) 391.3 Tsurumai 392.6 Furuwatari (Signal Box) Tōkaidō Main Line (Freight) Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line Tōkaidō Main Line 393.6 Kanayama Otobashi JR Freight Nagoyaminato Branch Nagoya Stadium Entrance Until 1994 395.1 Sannō Junction Sannō Tōkaidō Shinkansen Kansai Main Line Narin-ExpressAonami Line KintetsuNagoya Line Kintetsu Nagoya/Meitetsu Nagoya 396.9 Nagoya

Shiojiri is the dividing point of the East Line and the West Line; no train continues from one to the other. TheShinano limited express is the main service for the rural Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa section.