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Tōyoko Line

Railway line in Tokyo, Japan

Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

The Tōyoko Line (Japanese: 東横線, Hepburn: Tōyoko-sen; Japanese pronunciation: [toː.jo.ko.seɴ]) is a major railway line connecting Tokyo (Shibuya) to Yokohama. The line is owned and operated by the private railway operator Tokyu Corporation. The name of the line, Tōyoko (東横; [toː.jo.ko]), is a combination of the first characters of kyō (; [toː.kjoː]) and Yokohama (; [jo.ko.ha.ma]), and is the main line of the Tokyu network. The section between Den-en-chofu and Hiyoshi Station is a quadruple track corridor with the Tōkyū Meguro Line.

01Services

Almost all services operate as a through service at one or both ends of the line onto other railway lines - refer to "Through Operation" below for details.

Upon opening of the Tōkyū Shin-yokohama Line in March 2023, the typical weekday off-peak services are as follows:

S-Train

Limited Express (Tōyoko Express)

Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū) is the fastest service provided on the line at no extra charge. These types of trains can complete the journey between Shibuya and Motomachi-Chukagai in 35 minutes. Most Limited Express trains are through service to Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line and some to the Tobu Tojo Line or Seibu Ikebukuro Line via Fukutoshin Line. All Limited Express trains are through service to the Minatomirai Line. Trains that continuously and completely operate as express services through Tobu/Seibu, Tokyo Metro, Tokyu, and Yokohama Minatomirai railways are dubbed as "F-Liner" services. In daytime, connects to a local train at Jiyūgaoka, Musashi-Kosugi (Only inbound train passing a local train at Motosumiyoshi), and Kikuna.

Commuter Express

Commuter Express (通勤特急, Tsūkin Tokkyū) trains stop at all stations that Limited Express trains stop at, with the sole addition of Hiyoshi on the Toyoko Line. They operate in the AM and PM rush hours during the weekday when Limited Express trains are not operating. It is also guided as ”Commuter Limited Express” in some cases. Most Commuter Limited Express trains will through operate into Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line as Commuter Express trains and beyond into the Tobu Tojo and Seibu Ikebukuro lines as Rapid services.

Express

Express (急行, Kyūkō) trains operate all day. Upbound-wise some Express Trains will through operate into Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line as local services. In daytime, connects to a local train at Jiyūgaoka and Kikuna. Downbound-wise, some Express Trains will through operate into Tōkyū Shin-Yokohama Line after Hiyoshi instead of continue onward to Yokohama/Motomachi-Chūkagai.

Local

Local (各駅停車, Kakueki-teisha) trains stop at all stations.

Most Limited Express and Express trains are 10 cars long, and all local trains are 8 cars long.

The Himonya Station area in 1927 (left) compared with the Aoyama Shihan Station area in the 1940s (right).
The Himonya Station area in 1927 (left) compared with the Aoyama Shihan Station area in the 1940s (right).

02Through operation

Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

On 16 March 2013, the section of the Tōyoko line between Shibuya and Daikanyama Station was put underground, and connected to the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line platforms at Shibuya. Through an engineering project culminating in a dramatic single overnight maneuver, the existing surface rail line was disconnected, sunken, and reconnected with the new underground line in time for the normal morning train schedule to run.

The re-routing allowed for through operation between the Tōyoko and Fukutoshin lines. Since opening of the Fukutoshin Line in 2008, trains would through operate between the Seibu Ikebukuro line (via Seibu Yurakucho line) and the Tobu Tojo line at the northern end of the Fukutoshin Line. The new connection allows trains from Tobu Railway, Seibu Railway, Tokyo Metro, Tokyu Corporation and Yokohama Minatomirai Railway to operate trains in a common corridor. As a result of the new connection, the original elevated Shibuya terminal for Tokyu trains was abandoned and demolished.

Minatomirai Line

On 1 February 2004, Tōyoko line was realigned underground between Tammachi and Yokohama stations to enable through services with the Minatomirai Line. The original alignment to Yokohama Station was demolished and turned into a rail trail.

Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (discontinued)

Through operation with the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line started on 29 August 1964, with trains starting at Hiyoshi station will travel into Kita-Senju Station via a connection to the Hibiya Line at Naka-Meguro Station. In 1988, this service was extended to Kikuna Station temporarily during the realignment of Hiyoshi station to an underground corridor, but was retained as official service due to its popularity.

On 15 March 2013, with the start of through service with Fukutoshin Line, services to and from the Hibiya Line were discontinued. Passengers must transfer between lines at Naka-Meguro Station.

Sōtetsu-Tōkyū Link Line

Through operation of the Tōkyū Shin-Yokohama Line and the Sōtetsu Shin-Yokohama Line started on 18 March 2023, allowing connections to the Tokaido Shinkansen line at Shin-yokohama. Train services begin Wakoshi station on the Fukutoshin Line and travel into Shin-yokohama and Shonandai via a connection to the Tōkyū Shin-yokohama Line at Hiyoshi Station.

In May 2006, both the Tokyu and Sagami Railway (Sōtetsu) announced a plan to build a 12.7 km (7.9 mi) long connection to allow through services between the Sōtetsu Main Line and Tōyoko Line. The connection starts at Hiyoshi Station and head to Sōtetsu Main Line's Nishiya Station. New stations are set up at Tsunashima Station, Shin-Yokohama Station and Hazawa Yokohama Kokudai Station. However, when a concrete plan was specified in November 2008 for Tsunashima station, the plan was changed to the establishment of a "Shin-tsunashima Station" to be constructed near Tsunashima station.

03Stations

Key:

  • O: stop; |: pass, ※: no passengers
  • L=Local trains Ex= Express trains CLE=Commuter limited express LE= Limited express (F-liner) ST=S-train
No. Name Japanese Distance (km) L Ex CLE LE ST Transfers Location
Through-service to/from:↑

Shibuya 渋谷 0.0 O O O O O Shibuya,
Tokyo
Daikan-yama 代官山 1.5 O | | | |  
Naka-Meguro 中目黒 2.2 O O O O Hibiya Line (H-01) Meguro,
Tokyo
Yūtenji 祐天寺 3.2 O | | | |  
Gakugei-daigaku 学芸大学 4.2 O O | | |  
Toritsu-daigaku 都立大学 5.6 O | | | |  
Jiyūgaoka 自由が丘 7.0 O O O O O Ōimachi Line (OM10)
Den-en-chōfu 田園調布 8.2 O O | | | Meguro Line (MG08) Ōta,
Tokyo
Tamagawa 多摩川 9.0 O O | | |
Shin-maruko 新丸子 10.3 O | | | | Meguro Line (MG10) Nakahara-ku,
Kawasaki
Kanagawa
Prefecture
Musashi-Kosugi 武蔵小杉 10.8 O O O O
Motosumiyoshi 元住吉 12.1 O | | | | Meguro Line (MG12)

Hiyoshi 日吉 13.6 O O O | | Kōhoku-ku,
Yokohama
↓ Through-running of some express trains to/from Shōnandai or Ebina via Tōkyū Shin-Yokohama Line, Sōtetsu Shin-Yokohama Line, Sōtetsu Main Line, and Sōtetsu Izumino Line
Tsunashima 綱島 15.8 O O | | |  
Ōkurayama 大倉山 17.5 O | | | |  
Kikuna 菊名 18.8 O O O O Yokohama Line (JH15)
Myōrenji 妙蓮寺 20.2 O | | | |  
Hakuraku 白楽 21.4 O | | | |   Kanagawa-ku,
Yokohama
Higashi-hakuraku 東白楽 22.1 O | | | |  
Tammachi 反町 23.2 O | | | |  

Yokohama 横浜 24.2 O O O O O Nishi-ku,
Yokohama
Through-running to/from Motomachi-Chūkagai via the Minatomirai Line
Tōyoko Line train in 1980
Tōyoko Line train in 1980

04Rolling stock

Eight-car Tokyo Metro 10000 series sets entered revenue service on the Tokyu Tōyoko Line and Minatomirai Line from 7 September 2012. These 8-car sets were subsequently reformed back into 10-car sets.

Former rolling stock

05History

The first section of the line from Tamagawa to Kanagawa (separate from the present Kanagawa of Keikyu) opened on 14 February 1926. The line was extended incrementally until the entire length from Shibuya to Sakuragichō in Yokohama was opened on 31 March 1932. On 29 August 1964, through service to the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line via Naka-Meguro Station was started.

On 31 January 2004, the section of Yokohama to Sakuragichō was abandoned. From 1 February, Tokyu Toyoko Line trains started through service from Yokohama to the Minatomirai Line.

On 16 March 2013, the 1.4 km (0.87 mi) section between Shibuya to Daikan-yama was replaced with an underground connection to the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line. The original ground-level terminal platforms were closed after the last service at 1 am that morning. Just four hours later, at 5 am, trains began calling at a new set of underground platforms adjacent to those previously served only by the Fukutoshin Line. During this time, 1,200 workers shifted the track alignment at Daikan-yama Station along a pre-built incline. Since that day, Tokyu and Yokohama Minatomirai Railway trains commenced through running onto the Fukutoshin Line and beyond. Tokyo Metro, Tobu, and Seibu also started operating their trains through to the Tōyoko and Minatomirai Lines. At the same time, through service on Hibiya Line ended.

In 2022, Tokyu announced the commencement of "Q-Seat" service on the Tōyoko Line for fiscal 2023. The Tōyoko Line will be the second Tokyu line to feature reserved seating services, the first being the Oimachi Line. Therefore, 5050 series 8-car set 5166 was reformed as 10-car set 4112 with two newly built “Q-Seat” cars. They feature the same livery used for the Oimachi Line, however were painted in red instead of orange. Set 4112 is currently undergoing testing and is being stored at Nagatsuta Depot. The cars started service on 24 October 2022 with "Q-Seat" services originally scheduled for February 2023. However as of August 2023, "Q-Seat" services are scheduled to begin service within the beginning of the month on 10 August.

Platform screen doors were scheduled to be installed at all station on the line by 2020. This work was finished on time before April 2020.

The former Sakuragicho Station platforms in January 2004
The former Sakuragicho Station platforms in January 2004

06Incidents and accidents

On 15 February 2014, two trains collided and derailed at Motosumiyoshi station resulting in nineteen injuries. Operations continuing at normal speed during heavy snow were seen as the likely cause.

On 13 March 2026 at 12:20 pm, due to an overhead line outage that occurred between Ōkurayama Station and Minatomirai Station on the Minatomirai Line, two trains in both directions were forced to stop. As a result, train services on both the Tōyoko Line and Minatomirai Line were suspended for 9.5 hours before resuming in both directions at around 9:50 p.m.. This incident caused the cancellation of 297 trains in both directions, affecting approximately 123,000 people.

07Future developments

  • On 13 May 2022, Tokyu Corporation announced its decision to implement driver-only operation on the Tōyoko Line by fiscal 2023, at the earliest. The Tōyoko Line fleet is due to be modified accordingly.
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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Tōyoko 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.

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