Yokohama Municipal Subway
Yokohama Municipal Subway is a rapid transit system that serves Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and is operated by the Yokohama City Transportation Bureau.
The network consists of two routes, the Blue Line and the Green Line which together extend for approximately 53.4 kilometres and include 42 stations.
History
Chronology
- October 21, 1950 – Enactment of the Yokohama International Port City Construction Act as a post-World War II reconstruction policy.
- 1957 – In response to the Yokohama International Port City Construction Act of 1950, Yokohama City formulated the “Yokohama International Port City Construction Comprehensive Basic Plan”.
- March 1, 1960 – The Transportation Research Office was established within the Transportation Bureau, and studies on high-speed mass transit began.
- January 25, 1962 – The Yokohama City High-Speed Railway Planning Research Committee was established. Two options were considered: a monorail, a medium-capacity system (MCS) that offered lower construction costs but required installation along roads at least 22 meters wide. The other was a subway system. After comparing these options, the report concluded that the Yokohama City Tram, which had a lower transport capacity than buses and contributed to road congestion, should be abolished and replaced with a subway.
- March, 1963 – Report compiled recommending the abolition of streetcars and construction of an underground high-speed railway.
- July 15, 1965 – The Ministry of Transport established the Yokohama Subcommittee to study railway development plans for the entire city and released a subway plan designating four lines totaling 64.5 km.
- October 1, 1968 – The groundbreaking ceremony for Line 1 was held.
- March 31, 1972 – The Yokohama City Tram and Yokohama Municipal Trolleybus were abolished.
- December 16, 1972 – Line 1 opens between Isezakichōjamachi Station and Kamiooka Station.
- September 4, 1976 – Line 1 opens between Isezakichōjamachi and Yokohama, and between Kamiooka and Kaminagaya and began through service.
- March 14, 1985 – Line 1 opens between Yokohama and Shin-Yokohama, and Line 3 between Kaminagaya and Maioka.
- May 24, 1987 – Line 1 opens between Maioka and Totsuka.
- March 18, 1993 – Line 3 opens between Shin-Yokohama and Azamino.
- August 29, 1999 – Line 1 opens between Totsuka and Shonandai. Shin-Yokohama-Kita Station renamed Kita-Shin-Yokohama Station.
- March 30, 2008 – Green Line opens.
Lines
The Yokohama Municipal Subway consists of three lines: Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4.Line 1 and 3 are operated as a single line, nicknamed the Blue Line,
and Line 4 is nicknamed the Green Line. The Blue Line and Green Line monikers came into official use when the latter was added to the network on March 30, 2008.
Transfer between the Blue and Green Line is possible at Center-Kita and Center-Minami Stations. Feeder bus services from the western Kawasaki City area run to Azamino Station.
The "missing" Line 2 was planned to run from Kanagawa-Shinmachi Station via Yokohama Station to Byobugaura Station. The line was previously considered a bypass line for easing congestion on the Keikyū Main Line; however, it was deemed unnecessary after the Keikyu Line increased its capacity.
Blue Line
The Blue Line is operated as an integrated route of between Shōnandai Station in Fujisawa and Azamino Station. The Blue Line is Japan's second-longest subway line, after the Toei Ōedo Line in Tokyo.In July 2011, a "mobile phone power off area" was set up in each car, and the use of mobile phones is officially banned except in other areas.
Green Line
The Green Line opened on March 30, 2008, between Hiyoshi Station and Nakayama Station, operating distance . It takes approximately 21 minutes from Hiyoshi to Nakayama station.By April 2023, the lengthening of 4-car trains to 6-car trains had commenced, and by the end of fiscal year 2024, 10 of the 17 trains will be 6-car trains.
Similar to the Toei Ōedo Line, the Green line uses linear induction motors for propulsion.