Keiyō Line
The Keiyō Line is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba in Japan, paralleling the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company. The line forms part of what JR East refers to as the "Tokyo Mega Loop" around Tokyo, consisting of the Keiyō Line, Musashino Line, Nambu Line, and Yokohama Line. It provides the main rail access to Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center.
The terminus at Tokyo Station is located underground, some distance to the south of the main station complex approximately halfway to Yūrakuchō Station. This means transferring between other lines at Tokyo Station can take between 15 and 20 minutes.
The name "Keiyō" is derived from the second character of the names of the locations linked by the line, Tokyo and Chiba. It should not be confused with the Keiō Line, a privately operated commuter line in western Tokyo.
Services
- Keiyō Line "Local" trains stop at all stations between Tokyo and Soga except Nishi-Funabashi.
- Musashino Line
Local through trains stop at all stations between Tokyo and Nishi-Funabashi before continuing to the Musashino Line. Some trains originate at Kaihin-Makuhari, stopping at Makuhari-Toyosuna, Shin-Narashino, Minami-Funabashi, and Nishi-Funabashi before continuing onto the Musashino Line. - Keiyō Line "Rapid" trains stop at Tokyo, Hatchōbori, Shin-Kiba, Maihama, Shin-Urayasu, Minami-Funabashi, Kaihin-Makuhari, and all stops to Soga.
Former service
- Commuter rapid service trains stopped at Tokyo, Hatchōbori, Shin-Kiba, and Soga, with many operating through to the Sotobo line and Togane line, terminating at Naruto, Katsuura, or Kazusa-Ichinomiya. Commuter rapid trains traveled into Tokyo during the morning rush hour, and away from Tokyo during the evening rush hour. The commuter rapid service was discontinued with effect from the timetable revision implemented on 16 March 2024.
2024 timetable revision
With the JR East timetable revision on 16 March 2024, the Keiyo line now has reduced rapid services across the day, and abolished the commuter rapid services during rush hours. Specifically, rapid trains no longer operate in the morning and evening rush hours, with only 2 rapid services originating in Soga remaining. During these times of the day, only local all-stop trains operate. Subsequently, the Wakashio and Sazanami limited express services are the only express services from the Uchibo and Sotobo lines during rush hours.The government of Chiba condemned the timetable revision, stating that it has caused inconvenience for commuters to and from central Tokyo who travel long distances from Chiba, as local trains take up to 15 minutes longer than rapid services across the entirety of the line. Furthermore, this places some areas of Chiba Prefecture out of the 1-hour commute zone from Central Tokyo, reducing land value, and causing further reason for a decease in population. Some have theorised that this is a strategy by the Tokyo government to centralise the population around the city's core, discouraging long distance commutes.
Station list
- All trains stop at stations marked "●" and pass those marked "｜". Trains do not travel past those stations marked "∥".
- For the Wakashio and Sazanami limited express services, see their respective articles.
Rolling stock
All Keiyō Line and Musashino Line rolling stock is based at the Keiyō Rolling Stock Center near Shin-Narashino Station.Keiyō Line
- 209-500 series single 10-car EMU train set
- E233-5000 series 10-car EMUs
Musashino Line through services
- 209-500 series 8-car EMUs
- E231-0 series 8-car EMUs
- E231-900 series 8-car EMU
Former rolling stock
Keiyō Line
- 103 series 4/6/10-car EMUs
- 165 series 3-car EMU Shuttle Maihama
- 201 series 10-car EMUs
- 205-0 series 10-car EMUs
- E331 series 14-car EMU
Musashino Line through services
Inter-running from the Musashino Line to the Keiyō Line commenced on 1 December 1988.- 103 series 6-car EMUs
- 201 series 6-car EMUs
- 205-0 series 8-car EMUs
- 205-5000 series 8-car EMUs
History
The Keiyo Line was initially planned as a freight-only line. Its first section opened on 10 May 1975 as a link between the Chiba Freight Terminal and the freight yard next to Soga Station. Passenger service began on 3 March 1986 between and, and was extended east to Soga and west to Shin-Kiba on 1 December 1988.Planners originally envisioned the Keiyo freight line to go to Tokyo Freight Terminal, with connections to Tokaido Main Line, thus completing the outer loop for freight trains around Tokyo formed by the Musashino Line.The Rinkai Line reused the partially completed tunnel from Shin-Kiba to Tokyo Freight Terminal, with portion of tracks within the latter serving as a depot. The disused tracks between Tokyo Freight Terminal and Tokaido Line is now planned to be used for the Haneda Access Line.
The final section of the Keiyo Line between Tokyo and Shin-Kiba opened on 10 March 1990. The platforms at Tokyo Station were originally built to accommodate the Narita Shinkansen, a planned high-speed rail line between central Tokyo and Narita International Airport.
However, in the 1990s, as the artificial island of Odaiba began developing as a commercial and tourist area in the middle of the Rinkai Line route, the Rinkai Line was re-purposed for use as a passenger line. While there is a through connection between the Rinkai Line and the Keiyo Line, it is only used by passenger trains in charter service, usually carrying groups to the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Timeline
- 3 March 1986: First stage opened between and.
- 1 December 1988: Second stage opened between and Minami-Funabashi, and between and.
- 10 March 1990: Third stage opened between & Shin-Kiba; and the new Keiyo Line train, the 205 series, was also introduced to the public.
- 16 March 1991: Sazanami and Wakashio limited express services are rerouted via the Keiyo Line.
- 2 July 1993: 255 series EMUs are introduced on View Sazanami and View Wakashio limited express services.
- 16 October 2004: E257-500 series EMUs are introduced on Sazanami and Wakashio limited express services.
- 20 August 2016: Station numbering introduced with Keiyo Line stations being assigned station numbers between JE01 and JE16.
- 18 March 2023: Opening of Makuharitoyosuna Station between Kaihin-Makuhari and Shin-Narashino, station numbers from Kaihin-Makuhari to Chibaminato bumped up by one.
- 16 March 2024: Rapid and Commuter Rapid services are abolished during the morning and evening rush hour, except for two westbound trips in the morning at the behest of the local and prefectural governments.