Astram Line
Rubber-tired transit system operated by Hiroshima Rapid Transit
Hiroshima New Transit Line 1 (広島新交通1号線, Hiroshima Shin Kōtsū 1-gō-sen), also known as the Astram Line (アストラムライン, Asutoramurain), is a manually driven people mover operated by Hiroshima Rapid Transit in Hiroshima, Japan. Astram opened on August 20, 1994, for the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima. The line connects central Hiroshima and Hiroshima Big Arch, which was the main stadium of the Asian Games.
On March 14, 2015, a new station, Shin-Hakushima, opened to create a second connection between the Astram Line and the JR lines.
01History
Plans to build a new transit system linking the city centre of Hiroshima with the suburban area to the northwest were first proposed in July 1977.
The third-sector railway company Hiroshima Rapid Transit was founded in 1987, funded primarily by the city of Hiroshima. Groundbreaking for the rapid transit line project began on February 28, 1989, and construction would continue over a five-year period. However, on March 14, 1991, 14 people were killed when a girder collapsed on a section of the line's elevated viaduct near the Kamiyasu station's construction site. The line opened for revenue service on August 20, 1994.
When the line originally opened in 1994, it had 21 stations, of which Ōmachi provided the line's only transfer with a JR West line (the Kabe Line). On March 14, 2015, Shin-Hakushima opened as an infill station between Hakushima and Jōhoku in order to provide a transfer point with the Sanyo Main Line.
In January 2025, the line announced fare increases of up to ¥30 per ride. This is the first fare increase (except for the addition of sales tax as sales tax laws changed) in the over 30 years since the line opened in 1994. These fare increases will take effect from October 2025.
02Stations
| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations | Total | ||||
| Hondōri | 本通 | - | 0.0 | ■ Hiroden Ujina Line (at Hondori) | Naka-ku |
| Kenchō-mae | 県庁前 | 0.3 | 0.3 | ||
| Jōhoku | 城北 | 1.1 | 1.4 | ||
| Shin-Hakushima | 新白島 | 0.3 | 1.7 | ||
| Hakushima | 白島 | 0.4 | 2.1 | ||
| Ushita | 牛田 | 0.8 | 2.9 | Higashi-ku | |
| Fudōin-mae | 不動院前 | 1.1 | 4.0 | ||
| Gion-shinbashi-kita | 祇園新橋北 | 1.0 | 5.0 | Asaminami-ku | |
| Nishihara | 西原 | 1.0 | 6.0 | ||
| Nakasuji | 中筋 | 1.0 | 7.0 | ||
| Furuichi | 古市 | 0.8 | 7.8 | ||
| Ōmachi | 大町 | 0.6 | 8.4 | B Kabe Line | |
| Bishamondai | 毘沙門台 | 1.2 | 9.6 | ||
| Yasuhigashi | 安東 | 1.0 | 10.6 | ||
| Kamiyasu | 上安 | 0.8 | 11.4 | ||
| Takatori | 高取 | 0.6 | 12.0 | ||
| Chōrakuji | 長楽寺 | 0.7 | 12.7 | ||
| Tomo | 伴 | 1.2 | 13.9 | ||
| Ōbara | 大原 | 1.0 | 14.9 | ||
| Tomo-chūō | 伴中央 | 1.1 | 16.0 | ||
| Ōzuka | 大塚 | 1.6 | 17.6 | ||
| Kōiki-kōen-mae | 広域公園前 | 0.8 | 18.4 | ||
03Rolling stock
- 7000 series 6-car EMUs (24 sets; 2020-present)
As of 2021, services on the line were operated using a fleet of 23 six-car 6000 series trainsets (sets 01 to 23) and three six-car 7000 series (sets 31 to 33).
The entire fleet of 24 1000 and 6000-series sets was replaced with a new fleet of six-car trains delivered in two batches. The first of 24 new 7000 series sets was delivered in October 2019 and entered service in March 2020. The lone 1000 series set was retired in June 2020.
The 6000 series was withdrawn from service following a special final run on 18 May 2025.
7000 series
The 7000 series trainsets (31 to 54) are formed as follows, with all cars motored.
| Designation | Mc | M | M | M | M | Mc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | 71xx | 72xx | 73xx | 74xx | 75xx | 76xx |
Priority seating is provided in each car, and wheelchair spaces are provided in the end cars.
Former rolling stock
6000 series
The 6000 series trainsets (01 to 23) were formed as follows, with all cars motored.
| Designation | Mc | M | M | M | M | Mc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | 61xx | 62xx | 63xx | 64xx | 65xx | 66xx |
Priority seating was provided in each car, and wheelchair spaces were provided in the end cars.
1000 series
The 1000 series trainset (24) was formed as follows, with four of the six cars motored.
| Designation | Tc | M | M | M | M | Tc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | 1124 | 1224 | 1324 | 1424 | 1524 | 1624 |
Priority seating was provided in each car, and wheelchair spaces were provided in the end cars.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Astram Line”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- HRT70-31.JPG by S.Raika at Japanese Wikipedia This photo was taken with Sony FDR-AX40, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hiroshima Rapid Transit Astram Line 6119.jpg by Hisagi, CC BY-SA 3.0
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