Minatomirai Line
A Tokyu 5050 series EMU at Minatomirai Station
Overview
OwnerYokohama Minatomirai Railway Company
LocaleYokohama
Termini
Stations6
Service
TypeRapid transit
Operator(s)Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company, Tokyu Corporation
History
OpenedFebruary 1, 2004
Technical
Line length4.1 km (2.5 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Route map
Up arrowSōtetsu Main Line
Up arrowKeikyū Main Line
Up arrowJR Negishi Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Yokohama Line, Tōkaidō Line, Yokosuka Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line
Up arrowTōyoko Line to Shibuya (渋谷)
 Yokohama (横浜)
Down arrowKeikyū Main Line
Down arrowJR Negishi Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Yokohama Line, Tōkaidō Line, Yokosuka Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line
 Shin-takashima (新高島)
 Minatomirai (みなとみらい)
 Bashamichi (馬車道)
 Nihon-ōdōri (日本大通り)
 Motomachi-Chūkagai (元町・中華街)

The Minatomirai 21 Line (みなとみらい21線 Minato-mirai-21-sen), commonly known as the Minatomirai Line (みなとみらい線 Minatomirai-sen), is a subway line in Yokohama, Japan that runs from Yokohama Station to Motomachi-Chūkagai Station through the Minatomirai 21 business district. The line opened in 2004 and is operated by the Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company.

Maps and station numbering use navy blue and the route symbol MM to identify the line. The entire line is underground and goes under the Minato Mirai and Kannai districts, as well as numerous islands made of soft reclaimed land and channels, requiring stations to be constructed deep underground. The original above-ground section of the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line between Yokohama and Sakuragichō stations was abandoned and replaced with a new underground connector line to allow through services onto the newly completed Minatomirai Line.

Operations

An image of Miratominai Line route map.
Miratominai Line route map.

All trains run from Yokohama Station to Motomachi-Chūkagai Station and vice versa, with no trains stopping and changing direction at any station in between.

Staffing/Operational management

Operations are managed by Tokyu Railways, with no changing of staff at Yokohama Station; Tokyu staff (train drivers and conductors) continue to support the train over the Minatomirai portion of the line as well. Station-side staffing is provided by Minatomirai employees with the exception of Yokohama Station, which is managed by Tokyu Railways. Many Minatomirai employees are former employees of Tokyu Railways. Train management is controlled by Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company at an operational command center. Railway facilities are maintained by Yokohama Minatomirai Railway, but the actual maintenance work is contracted to Tokyu Railways employees. Because Yokohama Minatomirai Railway does not own its own rail yard, trains are parked overnight at Tokyu Railways' Motosumiyoshi Rail Yard and at Motomachi-Chūkagai Station. There are plans to construct a portion of track for parking additional trains underneath Harbor View Park starting in 2020.

Through services with the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line

The Minatomirai Line is essentially an extension of the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line. The two lines operate as one, with no crew change at Yokohama station where trains cross between the two lines, in contrast to standard procedure with other line operators in Japan.

Through services with Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

With the completion of the underground link line to the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line on March 16, 2013, Minatomirai Line trains run onto the Fukutoshin Line via the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line and beyond to the Tōbu Tōjō Line, Seibu Yūrakuchō Line, and Seibu Ikebukuro Line. Along with the link to the Fukutoshin Line being established, Tōkyū Tōyoko and Minatomirai express trains (limited express/commuter limited express/express) were expanded from eight-car to ten-car configuration (with the exception of a portion of regular express trains). Platforms were extended at Minatomirai stations receiving express trains in order to be able to accommodate the extended ten-car configuration. Regular trains stopping at each station on the line continue to operate in the eight-car configuration.

Train services

All regular trains on the Minatomirai Line use the same services as the Tōyoko Line.

S-train

The S-train is the first service on the Minatomirai Line with fully reserved seating. On weekends and holidays it makes two and a half round trips (to Motomachi-Chūkagai Station twice and from the same station three times). All trains continue to the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, and one round trip begins and ends at the Seibu Chichibu Line's Seibu-Chichibu Station. Within the Minatomirai Line, these trains stop at Minatomirai Station and Motomachi-Chūkagai Station, but tickets are not sold for final destinations at these stations. S-train services use the Seibu 40000 series train exclusively.

Limited express

Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū) trains run during daylight hours during the week and at all times excepting early morning and late night on weekends and holidays. The trains use 10 cars. Limited express trains stop at Yokohama Station, Minatomirai Station, and Motomachi-Chūkagai Station within the Minatomirai Line.

Commuter Limited Express

Commuter Limited Express (通勤特急, Tsūkin Tokkyū) operate during the morning rush hour and in the evening on weekdays. The trains use 10 cars and stop at all stations on the Minatomirai Line with the exception of Shin-Takashima Station. Many trains continue to the Fukutoshin Line via the Tōyoko Line as Commuter Express services.

Express

Express (急行, Kyūkō) operate all day long. The trains stop at all stations on the Minatomirai Line with the exception of Shin-Takashima Station. Daytime trains use 8 cars, but 10 cars may be used during peak hours in the morning and evening.

Local

Local (各駅停車, Kakueki-teisha) trains stop at all stations. Eight cars are used to align with the Tōkyū, Yokohama, and Tokyo Metro lines.

Female-only car

In conjunction with the Tokyu Tōyoko Line, the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, and the Tōbu Tōjō Line, the first car is a female-only car during certain times of the day to prevent sexual harassment.

Stations

Key:

  • O: Trains stop at this station
  • |: Trains do not stop at this station
No. Station name Japanese Local Express Commuter Express Limited Express S-Train Transfers
↑ Through-running to/from TY Tokyu Toyoko Line, F Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, TJ Tobu Tojo Line, and Seibu Ikebukuro Line ↑
MM01 Yokohama 横浜 O O O O O
MM02 Shin-takashima 新高島 O | | | |
MM03 Minatomirai みなとみらい O O O O O
MM04 Bashamichi 馬車道 O O O | |
MM05 Nihon-ōdōri 日本大通り O O O | |
MM06 Motomachi-Chūkagai 元町・中華街 O O O O O

Rolling stock

History

Construction of the line started in 1993, and the line was opened to the public on 1 February 2004.[1]

The eight-car Tokyo Metro 10000 series entered service on the Minatomirai Line and Tokyu Toyoko Line from 7 September 2012.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "みなとみらい線の開業日の決定について" (PDF). July 9, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2003. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  2. ↑ "東京メトロ10000系が東横線・みなとみらい線で営業運転を開始" [Tokyo Metro 10000 series enters revenue service on Tokyu Toyoko and Minato Mirai Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. September 8, 2012. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
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