Sōya Main Line

Sōya Main Line
Sōya Main Line
	Super Sōya limited express train
Overview
Owner	JR Hokkaido
Locale	Hokkaido
Termini	Asahikawa; Wakkanai ;
Stations	54
Service
Type	Heavy rail
History
Opened	1898
Technical
Line length	259.4 km (161.2 mi)
Track gauge	1067
Route map

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The Sōya Main Line (宗谷本線, Sōya-honsen) is a Japanese railway line operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) in Hokkaido. The line runs between Asahikawa Station in Asahikawa and Wakkanai Station in Wakkanai, and is the northernmost railway line in Japan. The name comes from Sōya Subprefecture.

Services

Two Super Sōya limited express services each way operate between Sapporo and Wakkanai daily, and one Sarobetsu service each way also operates between Sapporo and Wakkanai daily. The latter service does not include Green car (first class) accommodation.^[1]

All-stations "Local" train services operate between Asahikawa and Nayoro, at approximately 1 to 2 hour intervals. All-stations "Local" train services operate between Nayoro and Wakkanai, at approximately 3 to 4 hour intervals. Four Nayoro Rapid services operate in each direction daily.

Stations

L: Limited Express (Super Sōya/Sarobetsu)

R: All Rapids

r: Some Rapids

Station			Distance (km)	Limited Express/ Rapid	Connections	Location
A28	Asahikawa^{[* 1]}	旭川	0.0	L R	Furano Line Hakodate Main Line	Asahikawa
A29	Asahikawa-Yojō	旭川四条	1.8	r
A30	Shin-Asahikawa	新旭川	3.7		Sekihoku Main Line
	Kita-Asahikawa Freight Terminal	北旭川(貨)	6.6
W31	Nagayama^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	永山	9.3	R
W32	Kita-Nagayama	北永山	11.4
W33	Minami-Pippu	南比布	14.7			Pippu, Kamikawa
W34	Pippu^{[* 2]}	比布	17.1	R
W35	Kita-Pippu	北比布	20.2
W36	Ranru^{[* 2]}	蘭留	22.8
W37	Shiokari^{[* 2]}	塩狩	28.4			Wassamu, Kamikawa
W38	Wassamu^{[* 2]}	和寒	36.3	L R		Wassamu, Kamikawa
W39	Higashi-Rokusen	東六線	41.4			Kenbuchi, Kamikawa
W40	Kembuchi^{[* 2]}	剣淵	45.2	R
W41	Kita-Kembuchi	北剣淵	50.2
W42	Shibetsu^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	士別	53.9	L R		Shibetsu
W43	Shimo-Shibetsu	下士別	58.3
W44	Tayoro	多寄	61.7	r
W45	Mizuho	瑞穂	64.5
W46	Fūren^{[* 2]}	風連	68.1	r		Nayoro
W47	Higashi-Fūren	東風連	72.6
W48	Nayoro^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	名寄	76.2	L R
W49	Nisshin	日進	80.2
W50	Hokusei	北星	89.3
W51	Chiebun	智恵文	91.2
W52	Chihoku	智北	93.3
W53	Minami-Bifuka	南美深	95.6			Bifuka, Nakagawa
W54	Bifuka^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	美深	98.3	L
W55	Hatsuno	初野	101.9
W56	Momponai	紋穂内	105.0
W57	Onnenai	恩根内	112.1
W58	Toyoshimizu^{[* 2]}	豊清水	117.9
W59	Teshiogawa-Onsen	天塩川温泉	121.5			Otoineppu, Nakagawa
W60	Sakkuru	咲来	124.7
W61	Otoineppu^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	音威子府	129.3	L
W62	Osashima	筬島	135.6
W63	Saku^{[* 2]}	佐久	153.6			Nakagawa, Nakagawa
W64	Teshio-Nakagawa^{[* 2]}	天塩中川	161.9	L
W65	Utanai	歌内	170.3
W66	Toikanbetsu	問寒別	175.8			Horonobe, Teshio
W67	Nukanan	糠南	178.0
W68	Onoppunai^{[* 2]}	雄信内	183.7
W69	Yasuushi	安牛	189.7
W70	Minami-Horonobe	南幌延	191.6
W71	Kami-Horonobe	上幌延	194.6
W72	Horonobe^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	幌延	199.4	L
W73	Shimonuma	下沼	207.2
W74	Toyotomi^{[* 2]}	豊富	215.9	L		Toyotomi, Teshio
W75	Tokumitsu	徳満	220.9
W76	Kabutonuma^{[* 2]}	兜沼	230.9
W77	Yūchi	勇知	236.7			Wakkanai
W78	Bakkai^{[* 2]}	抜海	245.0
W79	Minami-Wakkanai^{[* 1]}^{[* 2]}	南稚内	256.7	L
W80	Wakkanai^{[* 1]}	稚内	259.4	L

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Staffed station
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t Station with passing loop

History

The line was originally built as a link line between mainland Japan and the then Japanese northern frontier Karafuto (southern half of Sakhalin Island). From Wakkanai Port, ferry to then Ōdomari (present Korsakov) served until the end of World War II.

The first segment of the line from Asahigawa (present Asahikawa) to Nagayama was built by the Hokkaido Government Railway in 1898. The line eventually extended to Nayoro in 1903, and a railway to Wakkanai was completed in 1922 along the route of the later Tempoku Line (天北線, Tenpoku-sen) via Hamatombetsu. The present route via Horonobe was first made as the Teshio Line (天塩線, Teshio-sen).

After Japan's defeat in the war, the line lost its function as a link to Sakhalin, but remained important as a trunk line into the northern part of Hokkaido. The Sōya Main Line gradually lost all of its branch lines, and presently constitutes a long branch from the Hakodate Main Line.

Timeline

August 12, 1898: Opened as Teshio Line (天塩線, Teshio-sen) (I) of Hokkaido Government Railway, between Asahigawa (present Asahikawa) and Nagayama
November 25, 1898: Extended to Ranru
November 15, 1899: Extended to Wassamu
August 5, 1900: Extended to Shibetsu
September 3, 1900: Extended to Nayoro
April 1, 1905: Transferred to Imperial Japanese Government Railways
November 3, 1911: Extended to Onnenai
September 21, 1912: Renamed Sōya Line (宗谷線, Sōya-sen)
November 5, 1912: Extended to Otoineppu
October 20, 1919: Renamed Sōya Main Line (宗谷本線, Sōya Honsen)
October 5, 1921: Renamed Sōya Line
November 1, 1922: Completed to Wakkanai (present Minami-Wakkanai) via later Tempoku Line
November 4, 1922: Renamed back to Sōya Main Line
November 8, 1922: Teshio Line (II) between Otoineppu and Pompira (present Teshio-Nakagawa)
May 1, 1923: Chihaku Ferry (稚泊連絡船, Chihaku Renrakusen) commenced Wakkanai - Ōdomari
November 10, 1923: Extended to Toikambetsu
June 25, 1924: Teshio North Line (天塩北線, Teshio-hokusen) opened Wakkanai - Kabutonuma. Teshio Line renamed Teshio South Line (天塩南線, Teshio-nansen)
July 20, 1925: Teshio South Line extended to Horonobe
September 25, 1926: Teshio South and North lines connected, renamed to Teshio Line (天塩線, Teshio-sen) (II), Otoineppu - Wakkanai
December 26, 1928: Extended to Wakkanaikō (present Wakkanai).
April 1, 1930: Entire stretch of the Teshio Line became a part of Sōya Main Line. The section Otoineppu - Hamatombetsu - Wakkanai separated as Kitami Line (北見線, Kitami-sen), later Tempoku Line (天北線, Tempoku-sen).
June 30, 1935: Teshio Line (III), later Haboro Line (羽幌線, Haboro-sen) from Horonobe opened.
August 25, 1945: Chihaku Ferry ceased operation.
November 10, 1984: Automated block system introduced, ticketing of most (29) stations unstaffed
November 1, 1986: CTC implemented, above noted stations completely unstaffed.
April 1, 1987: Japanese National Railways privatized, Hokkaido Railway Company succeeded the entire line as Category 1, Japan Freight Railway Company as Category 2 between Asahikawa and Nayoro. All the temporary stations were reclassified as regular stations
1995: The ferry between Wakkanai and Korsakov "resumed" after 50 years, although not directly connected to the railway.
March 2000: Tracks of Asahikawa - Nayoro upgraded for faster operation. The Super Sōya limited express train commenced.

References

^ JR Timetable, April 2011 issue

[staffed-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Staffed station

[loop-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t Station with passing loop

[tt201104-1] JR Timetable, April 2011 issue

[1]

[* 1]

[* 2]

v t e Mass transit in Hokkaido
JR Hokkaido lines	Hokkaido Shinkansen ■■ Chitose ■ Furano ■■■ Hakodate ■ Hidaka ■ Kaikyō ■■ Muroran ■■ Nemuro ■ Rumoi ■ Sasshō ■ Sekihoku ■ Sekishō ■ Senmō ■ Sōya
JR named trains	Hayabusa Hayate Hokuto Kamui Kitami Lilac Okhotsk Ōzora Sarobetsu Sōya Suzuran Taisetsu Tokachi
Discontinued JR named trains	Cassiopeia Hakuchō Hamanasu Ishikari Super Hakuchō Super White Arrow Twilight Express White Arrow
Sapporo Municipal Subway	Namboku Line Tōzai Line Tōhō Line
Other railways	South Hokkaido Railway Company Hakodate Streetcar Sapporo Streetcar Taiheiyō Coal (freight only)
Terminals	Rail Hakodate Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Sapporo Ōdōri Shin-Sapporo Asahikawa Airports Asahikawa New Chitose Hakodate Kushiro Memanbetsu Monbetsu Nakashibetsu Okadama Okushiri Rishiri Tokachi–Obihiro Wakkanai Ports Hakodate Otaru Tomakomai Kushiro
Public Ferries	Heart Land Ferry (ja) (Wakkanai—N. Islands) Silver Ferry (Tomakomai—Hachinohe) Tsugaru Kaikyō Ferry (Hakodate—Aomori) Seikan Ferry (Hakodate—Aomori) Shin Nihonkai Ferry MOL Ferry Taiheiyō Ferry Haboro-Enkai Ferry (ja) (Haboro—Yagishiri Island)
Miscellaneous	Cards Kitaca SAPICA Tunnels Seikan Tunnel
Japan transit: Tokyo Keihanshin Nagoya Fukuoka Hakone Fuji Izu Hokkaido Aomori Sendai Akita Niigata Toyama Nagano Okayama Hiroshima Shikoku Metro systems Shinkansen trams (list) aerial lifts (list)

Services

Stations

History

Timeline

See also

References