Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line
The Kaizuka Line is an Japanese railway line in Fukuoka prefecture, run by the private railway operator Nishi-Nippon Railroad. It links Kaizuka Station in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka with Shingū Station in Shingū. It connects to the Kashii Line of JR Kyushu at, and the Hakozaki Line of Fukuoka City Subway at Kaizuka.
The line was long until Nishitetsu closed the 9.9 km section between Nishitetsu Shingū and Tsuyazaki stations on April 1, 2007. Until then, the line was called Miyajidake Line.
The Kaizuka Line is the most congested railway line in Japan outside the Tokyo Metropolitan area. In Fiscal Year 2022 the congestion rate between Najima and Kaizuka stations was 154% during the morning peak, making it the 2nd most congested railway line in Japan. In Fiscal Year 2023 the congestion rate was 158%, which was equal 5th most congested and the only line outside the Tokyo Metropolitan Area in the list of top 10 most congested railway lines.
Services
All services on the Kaizuka Line are Local trains, stopping at all stations., services operate every 10 minutes during weekday morning & afternoon peaks, and every 15 minutes at other times.
Rolling stock
2-car electric multiple unit trains.History
The Hakata Bay Railway opened the gauge Shinhakata to Wajiro line in 1924, and extended the line to Miyajidake the following year. The line was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1929. The company merged with the Nishi-Nippon Railway in 1942. The 1 km section from Miyajidake to Tsuyazaki opened in 1951, and in 1954 the line was re-gauged to and connected to the Fukuoka line.The line was grade separated over the JR Kashii Line at Wajiro Station in 1966, and CTC signalling was commissioned in 1978.
In 1986, the Shinhakata to Kaizuka section was closed and replaced by the Fukuoka City Subway Hakozaki Line.
In 2007, the 10 km Nishitetsu Shingū to Tsuyazaki section closed due to declining patronage.