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Tobu Skytree Line

The is a section of the Isesaki Line operated by the private railway company Tobu Railway, extending from Asakusa Station in Tokyo to Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen Station in Saitama Prefecture. Some trains from the line continue to the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line. This section was branded the Tobu Skytree Line on 17 March 2012 in conjunction with the opening of the Tokyo Skytree Tower (which Tobu Railway owns).

Description

Track:
Quadruple: − 1.3 km, − 18.9 km
Double: Rest of the line

Note that Oshiage Station is officially an extension or part of Tokyo Skytree. The double tracks between Oshiage and Hikifune are thus the third and fourth tracks of the Tokyo Skytree − Hikifune section.

Operation

All-stations "Local" services operate from to , and , and onward to on the Tōbu Nikkō Line. Some peak-hour Local services from Asakusa terminate at Takenotsuka, Kita-Koshigaya, or Kita-Kasukabe.

Through trains

The Skytree Line has trains that inter-run with two Tokyo Metro subway lines. One is the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line connected at , with all-station stop "Local" trains only. The other is the Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line at Oshiage, running as either local, semi-express or express trains within the subway line and the Tokyu Denentoshi line. Beyond , the terminus of the Hanzomon Line, nearly all trains continue to and from the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, down to the terminus of .

To the north, trains run via the Yagan Railway to the Aizu Railway's Aizutajima Station.

Service patterns

Stops and operated sections are as of 2020.

(announced as or for short) <span style="background:silver">(L)</span>
*Asakusa − Kita-Senju. 6 cars.
* of Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line − Kita-Senju − Takenotsuka - Kita-Koshigaya - Kita-Kasukabe - Tobu-Dobutsu-Koen - Minami-Kurihashi. 7 cars.
<span style="background:lightgreen">(SSE)</span>
Between Asakusa and Kita-Koshigaya, Kita-Kasukabe, Tōbu-Dōbutsu Kōen, Kuki, Tatebayashi (Isesaki Line) or Minami-Kurihashi (Nikkō Line). 6 cars.
<span style="background:lime">(SmE)</span>
Early morning and late night. Down to Kita-Koshigaya, Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen, Kuki or to Minami-Kurihashi on the Nikkō Line through from Chūō-Rinkan on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line via the Hanzomon Line. 10 cars.
<span style="background:pink">(SE)</span>
Between Asakusa and Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen, Kuki, Tatebayashi (Isesaki Line) or Minami-Kurihashi (Nikkō Line). 6 cars.
<span style="background:magenta">(Ex)</span>
From morning to night. Down to Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen, Kuki (nearly half to Minami-Kurihashi on the Nikkō Line), through from Chūō-Rinkan on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line via Hanzōmon Line. 10 cars.
<span style="background:orange">(LE)</span>
Stops not shown. Charged for seat reservation and rapid service. Mainly through to the Nikkō Line for the Nikko area named , , and and and and . Some through to Isesaki from Asakusa, sole direct service named and . Some through to/from Kuki from/to Ebisu on Hibiya Line, sole direct service named . Some through to Kasukabe from Asakusa, sole direct service named . Some through Ōmiya/Kashiwa from Asakusa, sole direct service named .

Stations

  • S: Stop
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>1: To on Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>2: To on Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line via Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>3: Through to Nikkō Line
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>4: Through to Isesaki Line
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>5: Terminating Services from on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>6: Terminating Services from on Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line via Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line
  • KN・KG: The stations which are marked "KN・KG" are stopped by Limited Express Kinu and Kegon trains
  • RM: The stations which are marked "RM" are stopped by Limited Express Ryomo trains
  • RV RM: The stations which are marked "RV RM" are stopped by Limited Express Revaty Kinu and Revaty Kegon and Revaty Aizu and Revaty Ryomo trains
  • RV KG・KN: The stations which are marked "RV RM" are stopped by Limited Express Revaty Kinu, Revaty Kegon and Revaty Aizu trains
  • SL: The stations which are marked "SL" are stopped by Limited Express Skytree Liner trains
  • UL: The stations which are marked "UL" are stopped by Limited Express Urbanpark Liner trains
  • TH: The stations which are marked "TH" are stopped by Limited Express TH Liner trains
  • KF: The stations which are marked "KF" are stopped by Limited Express Kirifuri trains
  • <nowiki>*</nowiki>Limited Express: Limited Express which are marked * travel to Asakusa stop at Hikifune station in the morning and they travel to Kasukabe or Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen direction stop at Hikifune Station in the evening.
Notes:

Rolling stock

Current

As of July 15 2023

Former

History

The first section of the Isesaki Line was opened by the present company in 1899 between Kita-Senju and Kuki utilising steam motive power. In 1902, Tobu extended the line south to have a maritime connection at present Tokyo Skytree (then Azumabashi (吾妻橋), later renamed Asakusa) in downtown Tokyo, and north to Kazo. The following year a further northern extension to Kawamata (then on the south bank of Tone River) was opened. Further northward extension progressed, and in 1910 the line arrived at Isesaki. In 1931, a bridge over the Sumida River was built and present Asakusa Station (then Asakusa Kaminarimon (浅草雷門)) opened as part of the department store building, the entire line being completed.

The Asakusa to Nishiarai section was double-tracked in 1912, and the rest of the line was double-tracked between 1920 and 1927, except for the Hanyu to Kawamata section, which was double-tracked when a second bridge was built over the Tonegawa in 1992.

Electrification started in 1924 on the section of Asakusa and Nishiarai, and in 1927 completed as far as Isesaki. The distance of over 100 km was then one of the longest electrified railway lines together with the present Kintetsu Osaka Line and Yamada Lines.

After World War II, the Tobu Lines had no connection to the Yamanote Line or other major lines of the then Japanese National Railways (JNR) to offer efficient transfers to central Tokyo. The sole connection was with the Jōban Line at Kitasenju, which offered poor access to central Tokyo. To solve the inefficiencies of transfers at Kitasenju and notoriously narrow Asakusa, in 1962, the Hibiya Line of the then Teito Rapid Transport Authority (帝都高速度交通営団, Teito Kōsokudo Kōtsū Eidan), known as TRTA, present Tokyo Metro) was built, connecting at Kitasenju.

Further growing traffic required Tobu to build a second through line to Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line in the 1990s. In 2003, the company built new tracks from Hikifune to connect at Oshiage, officially an annex station of Tokyo Skytree.

From the 3 March 2006, timetable revision, less than half of trains originated or terminated at Asakusa, with more trains operating through to Tokyo Metro subway lines.

From 17 March 2012, the section south of Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen was rebranded as the Tobu Skytree Line.

The former Skytree Train and Kirifuri limited express, Rapid, and Section Rapid services were discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 21 April 2017.

See also

References

Further reading

External links