Yotsubashi Line


The Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line is an underground rapid transit line in Osaka, Japan, operated by Osaka Metro. The line connects Umeda, Hommachi, Yotsubashi, Namba, Daikokuchō and Suminoe, and runs parallel to the Midōsuji Line from Daikokuchō to Nishi-Umeda.
Despite being the system's second line to open, its official name is Rapid Electric Tramway Line No. 3 , while the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau refers to it as Osaka City Rapid Railway Line No. 3, and in Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport publications, it is written as Line No. 3 . Station numbers are indicated by the letter Y.
WWW Official Site

Overview

The Yotsubashi Line runs in a north and south direction. connecting the Osaka Metro Nankō Port Town Line at Suminoekōen Station. At first, it was a branch of the Osaka Metro Midōsuji Line, branching off at Daikokuchō Station but was extended north to Nishi-Umeda Station and made a separate line. This new section of the Yotsubashi Line takes a more direct routing to Nishi-Umeda running only west of the Midosuji Line.

History

  • 10 May 1942 – Daikokuchō – Hanazonochō
  • Construction stopped during World War II.
  • 1 June 1956 – Hanazonochō – Kishinosato
  • 31 May 1958 – Kishinosato – Tamade
  • 1 October 1965 – Daikokuchō – Nishi-Umeda
  • 9 November 1972 – Tamade – Suminoekōen

Future plans

A to Jūsō Station has been proposed since 1989.

Operations

Most trains are operated between Nishi-Umeda station and Suminoe-Koen Station, with 2–3 minute interval during the morning rush hour, 6–7½ minute interval during the day, 3–4 minute intervals at the afternoon, 5–10 minute interval at night, and 10 minute interval in the early morning and late night. During the morning and evening, there are trains that only run between Kita-Kagaya station and Nishi Umeda Station, as Kita-Kagaya is connected to the Yotsubashi Line depot at Midorigi.
In addition, on the day of the Suminoe boat race at night, one special train operates between 9pm and 10pm.
It is connected with the New-Tram at Suminoe-Koen station.
On 23 March 2013, the Osaka Bureau of Transport revised the timetable for the Yotsubashi Line. By using the train that was a going to a depot without any passengers, the final train became 0:20am for the northbound and 0:10am and 0:36am for the southbound. And because of passenger demand, for weekdays between 10am and 12pm was changed from 5 minute to 6 minute interval and for weekends and on holidays between 10am and 3pm was changed from 5-6 minute interval to 7-7½ minute interval.
Since 2016, the regular inspection of the trains used on the third rail lines of Osaka Metro has been consolidated at Midorigi Depot, therefore trains of the Midosuji Line, Tanimachi Line, Chuo Line, and the Sennichimae Line may run on the Yotsubashi Line.

Stations

All stations are in Osaka.
No.StationJapaneseDistance
ConnectionsLocation
西梅田0.0Kita-ku
肥後橋0.9 Keihan Nakanoshima Line – Nishi-ku
本町1.9Nishi-ku
四ツ橋2.9Nishi-ku
難波・なんば3.7Naniwa-ku
大国町4.9Naniwa-ku
花園町6.2 Nishinari-ku
岸里7.3 Nishinari-ku
玉出8.6 Nishinari-ku
北加賀屋9.7 Suminoe-ku
住之江公園11.4 Suminoe-ku

Rolling stock

Current

All trains are based at Midorigi Depot. Since 1996, all trains are 6 cars long but subway platforms are long enough to accommodate trains up to 8 cars long.

Former