Nanao Line


The Nanao Line is a railway line in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, operated by West [Japan Railway Company] and Noto Railway. It runs between Tsubata Station in Tsubata and Anamizu Station in Anamizu.
JR West operates all services on the section between Tsubata and, while Noto Railway operates the section between Nanao and Anamizu. A further section of the line between Anamizu and closed in 2001.
Before the transfer of the Wakuraonsen — Wajima section from JR West to Noto Railway in 1991, Noto Railway took control of another former Japanese National Railways line in 1988, the Noto Line. It closed in 2005.
In 2015, IR Ishikawa Railway took over the Hokuriku Main Line at Tsubata, effectively isolating the Nanao Line from the rest of the JR network; however, all JR West Nanao Line services operate a through service on the IR Ishikawa Railway Line to/from Kanazawa.

JR West

Basic data

Services

Noto Kagaribi Limited Express operates 5 round trips per day between Kanazawa and either Nanao or Wakuraonsen.
Hanayome Noren tourist service operates between Kanazawa and Wakuraonsen using a custom-refurbished 2-car KiHa 48 DMU. Regular service was suspended following the 2024 Noto earthquake, with the service subsqeuntly only operating chartered tours.
All other trains are Local services operating between Kanazawa and Nanao, stopping at every station.

Stations

The Nanao Line is entirely within Ishikawa Prefecture.
† JR West's Local services operate to/from Nanao. Only Noto Kagaribi Limited Express services continue to.
Noto Kagaribi stops: "●": all services stop; "▲": selected services stop; "｜": all services pass.

Rolling stock

Local services

''Noto Kagaribi''">Noto Kagaribi">''Noto Kagaribi'' Limited Express services

''Hanayome Noren'' Tourist service

Noto Railway

The Noto Railway section is not electrified and operates local trains only. Between Nanao and Anamizu, only Noto Railway operates local trains; there is no through service to the JR West-operated part of the line south of Nanao.
In addition, のと里山里海号 which is a tourist train, has been run on holidays since 2017. The trains stop at all stations and seats can be reserved for 500 yen. There are also dining cars on partly services.

Basic data

Stations

The Nanao Line is entirely within Ishikawa Prefecture.

Noto Railway Rolling stock

History

The section between Tsubata Station and Yatashin Station via Nanao Station was constructed and opened by the Nanao Railway on April 24, 1898. The terminal in Tsubata was moved to the present Tsubata Station on August 2, 1900, and connected to the government-owned Hokuriku Main Line. Nanao Railway was nationalized on September 1, 1907.
The line was extended and had been operated by the Japanese Government Railways. In 1925, the Nanao to Wakura section opened, and in 1935 the line was completed with the opening of the Anamizu to Wajima section. In 1991, the Nanao Line was electrified to Wakuraonsen, enabling through operation of trains from the Hokuriku Main Line. Operation of the Nanao to Wajima section was transferred to the Noto Railway. In 2001, the section between Anamizu and Wajima was closed.