Tokyo Monorail

Tokyo Monorail
Tokyo Monorail
Overview
Locale	Tokyo
Transit type	Straddle-beam monorail
Number of lines	1
Number of stations	11
Daily ridership	~300,000
Operation
Began operation	September 17, 1964
Operator(s)	Tokyo Monorail Co., Ltd.
Technical
System length	17.8 km (11.1 mi)

Tokyo Monorail (東京モノレール, Tōkyō Monorēru), officially the Tokyo Monorail Haneda Airport Line (東京モノレール羽田空港線, Tōkyō Monorēru Haneda Kūkō sen), is a monorail system connecting Haneda Airport in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, to Hamamatsuchō Station in Minato, Tokyo. The trains operate along an elevated line that follows the coast of Tokyo Bay. The trip from the airport to Hamamatsuchō costs ¥470 each way.

History

The line opened in 1964 to coincide with the 1964 Summer Olympics. Built by Hitachi Monorail, the first cars were made in Japan from the German ALWEG design (also used in the Seattle Center Monorail and the original Disneyland Monorail), and were replaced by newer models in 1969, 1977, 1982, and 1989.

Originally, the monorail only served Hamamatsuchō and the airport. The first station added in between was the Ōi Race Track in 1965, followed by Seibijō in 1967.

When the monorail began operation, the passenger terminal at Haneda Airport was located on the west side of the airfield, south of Seibijō, and this was the southern terminus of the monorail. Upon the opening of the new passenger terminal (now Terminal 1) in 1993, the monorail was extended to a new platform, and the former passenger terminal was razed to make room for an extension of Runway B. The now-unused monorail tunnel leading to the old station was leased from the Transport Ministry and therefore had to be restored to its original state prior to its handover. Although the rails were removed from the tunnel and its entrance walled off, the tunnel remains otherwise intact today below the extension of Runway B.^[1]

A single-station, 0.9-km extension to Haneda's new Terminal 2 opened on December 1, 2004, and the opening of a passing loop at Showajima allowed express services from March 18, 2007. A new station to serve the airport's new International Terminal was opened on 21 October 2010.

Currently, the Tokyo Monorail serves eleven stations and operates from 5:30 AM to midnight with over 500 trains. Often cited as the busiest and most profitable monorail line in the world (it carried its 1.5 billionth passenger on January 24, 2007^[2]), it has recently become somewhat less popular through competition from the Keikyū Airport Line.

The line is operated by the Tokyo Monorail Co., Ltd. (東京モノレール株式会社, Tōkyō Monorēru Kabushiki-gaisha). JR East purchased stock in the company in 2002, currently owning 70%; the remainder being divided between Hitachi (12%), Japan Airlines (9%) and All Nippon Airways (9%).

Future extensions

2000 series trainset at Shōwajima Station, April 2008

In June 2009, Tokyo Monorail Co., Ltd., formally notified the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of its intent to convert the present single-track terminal at Hamamatsucho, which has rested unchanged for 45 years, into a dual-track, dual-platform structure. To be built in 6.5 years at an estimated cost of 26 billion yen, this will increase the line's capacity from 18 to 24 trains per hour and lay the groundwork for a long-mooted extension to Shimbashi Station.^[3]

Features

The six-car (1000 and 2000 Series) trains run at speeds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph). Their average speed along the line, including stops, is around 45 km/h (28 mph). Each car has a combination of aisle-facing bench seats, forward and rear-facing seats, and seats in the center of the aisle. The trains also feature extra space for hand luggage, as a convenience for air travelers. These trains are stored at Shōwajima Depot beside Shōwajima Station during off-service hours.

Tokyo Monorail was originally one of the only "private" railways to use JR East's Suica fare card system. The Monorail is now fully integrated with both Suica and the new PASMO fare card.

Former rolling stock once used on Tokyo Monorail include the 100/200/300/350 series (from 1964 until 1978), 500 series (from 1969 until 1991), 600 series (from 1977 until 1997), and 700/800 series (from 1982 until 1998).

The first departure towards the airport leaves at 0458 and the last departure is at 0001. Towards Hamamatsuchō, the first departure is at 0511 and the final departure is at 0005 (final departure serving all stations at 2338).

Stations and service patterns

Template:UKrail-header2 Template:BS-table

Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS5 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS3 Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS5 Template:BS5

|}

Key:
● Stops at this station
― Does not stop at this station

Station name	Japanese	Local (普通)	Rapid (区間快速)	Haneda Express¹ (空港快速)
Monorail Hamamatsuchō	モノレール浜松町	●	●	●
Tennōzu Isle	天王洲アイル	●	●	―
Ōi Keibajō-mae	大井競馬場前	●	●	―
Ryūtsū Center	流通センター	●	●	―
Shōwajima	昭和島	●	―	―
Seibijō	整備場	●	―	―
Tenkūbashi	天空橋	●	―	―
Haneda Airport International Terminal	羽田空港国際線ビル	●	●	●
Shin-Seibijō	新整備場	●	―	―
Haneda Airport Terminal 1	羽田空港第１ビル	●	●	●
Haneda Airport Terminal 2	羽田空港第２ビル	●	●	●

¹Haneda Express trains make the nonstop run between Hamamatsuchō and Haneda Airport in 16 minutes.

Airport access

Passengers using the monorail to travel to the airport can take advantage of check-in facilities at Hamamatsuchō. Japan's domestic airlines (JAL, ANA, Skymark Airlines, and Air Do) have check-in counters and ticket machines right at the station. Tokyo Monorail tickets can also be purchased on the lower level of Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Itami Airport (also in Osaka), as well as Naha Airport in Okinawa and departure gate area at Hiroshima Airport.

An alternative to the monorail is the Keihin Kyuko Railway's Airport Line between the airport and Shinagawa Station. Both railways compete with the bus services.

References

^ Naoki Kuwayama, 丸の内線・都営浅草線・そしてモノレールの謎
^ "1.5 billionth rides monorail to Haneda". Japan Times. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ 「東京モノレール／浜松町駅を複線化／事業費２６０億円、東京駅延伸も視野」。　2009年6月24日　日刊建設工業新聞

External links

Official site

[1] Naoki Kuwayama, 丸の内線・都営浅草線・そしてモノレールの謎

[2] "1.5 billionth rides monorail to Haneda". Japan Times. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[3] 「東京モノレール／浜松町駅を複線化／事業費２６０億円、東京駅延伸も視野」。　2009年6月24日　日刊建設工業新聞

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Transit in the Greater Tokyo Area
Shinkansen lines	Tōhoku Shinkansen Yamagata Shinkansen Akita Shinkansen Jōetsu Shinkansen Hokuriku Shinkansen Tōkaidō Shinkansen Chūō Shinkansen (planned)
JR East lines passing through Central Tokyo	JY Yamanote JK Keihin-Tōhoku - Negishi JB Chūō-Sōbu Local JC Chūō Rapid JO Yokosuka - Sōbu Rapid JU Utsunomiya & Takasaki - JT Tōkaidō Ueno–Tokyo JA Saikyo JS Shonan–Shinjuku JJ Jōban Rapid JL Jōban Local JE Keiyō
Tokyo Metro lines	C Chiyoda F Fukutoshin G Ginza H Hibiya M Marunouchi N Namboku T Tōzai Y Yūrakuchō Z Hanzōmon
Toei Subway lines	A Asakusa E Ōedo I Mita S Shinjuku
Yokohama Municipal Subway	Blue Line Green Line
JR East lines in satellite cities or suburbs	JM Musashino JH Yokohama JN Nambu JI Tsurumi Sagami Hachikō - Kawagoe Ryōmō Jōetsu Agatsuma Shin'etsu Tohoku Direction Karasuyama Nikkō Chuo Direction CO Chūō Main JC Itsukaichi JC Ōme Koumi Minobu ( JR Central) Shinonoi Sobu Direction Sōbu Main Sotobō Uchibō Kururi Tōgane Joban Direction Mito Narita Suigun Kashima JT Tokaido Direction JT Itō Gotemba ( JR Central)
Keikyu	Keikyū Main Airport Daishi Kurihama Zushi
Keio	Keio Keiō New Dōbutsuen Keibajō Sagamihara Takao Inokashira
Keisei	Keisei Main Chiba Chihara Higashi-Narita Kanamachi Oshiage Narita Sky Access
Odakyu	Odawara Enoshima Tama
Seibu	Ikebukuro Sayama Seibu Chichibu Seibu Yūrakuchō Toshima Seibu Shinjuku Haijima Kokubunji Seibuen Tamagawa Tamako
Sotetsu	Sotetsu Main Izumino JR Link Line Shin-Yokohama
Tobu	Skytree Kameido Daishi Isesaki Sano Koizumi Kiryū Nikkō Kinugawa Utsunomiya Urban Park Tōjō Ogose
Tōkyū Railways	DT Den-en-toshi IK Ikegami MG Meguro OM Ōimachi TM Tamagawa TY Tōyoko KD Kodomonokuni SH Shin-Yokohama
Other commuter rail lines	Hokusō Kantō Jōsō Ryūgasaki Nagareyama Rinkai Line Saitama Rapid Shibayama Shin-Keisei Tōyō Rapid Tsukuba Express Minatomirai 21
Trams	Enoden SG Setagaya Arakawa
Monorails	Chiba Monorail Disney Resort Shōnan Monorail Tama Monorail Tokyo Monorail
People movers	New Shuttle Kanazawa Seaside NT Nippori-Toneri Seibu Yamaguchi Yūkarigaoka Yurikamome
Hinterland	Chichibu Main Line Jōmō Line Jōshin Dentetsu Jōshin Line Watarase Keikoku Line Yagan Railway Mooka Line Minato Line Ōarai Kashima Line Chōshi Electric Railway Line Isumi Line Kominato Line
Funiculars and aerial lifts	Ōyama Cable Car Hodosan Ropeway (Takao Tozan Railway Mitake Tozan Cable Car ) (Nokogiriyama Ropeway Mount Tsukuba Cable Car Mount Tsukuba Ropeway) Akechidaira Ropeway Ikaho Ropeway Yokohama Air Cabin
Bus services and hubs	Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal Tokyo City Air Terminal (& Bus) Willer Express List of bus operating companies in Japan
Public ferries	Tokyo-Wan Ferry Tokyo Cruise Ship Tokyo Mizube Line Keihin Ferry Boat The Port Service (Yokohama)
Major terminals	Rail Akihabara Chiba Hachiōji Ikebukuro Kita-Senju Mito Odawara Ōmiya Ōtemachi Shibuya Shinagawa Shinjuku Tachikawa Tokyo Ueno Yokohama Shin-Yokohama Airports Haneda Narita Chōfu Ibaraki Ports Yokohama Tokyo Heliports Tokyo Heliport Camp Zama
Miscellaneous	Smart cards Pasmo Suica Transport in Greater Tokyo Rail transport in Japan List of named passenger trains of Japan List of through trains in Japan Toei Subway rolling stock Tokyo Metro rolling stock List of East Japan Railway Company stations List of Toei Subway stations List of Tokyo Metro stations Station numbering
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)