Tosaden Kōtsū

The Tosa Electric Railway (土佐電気鉄道, Tosa Denki Tetsudō) is a transportation company in Kōchi City, Japan. The private company operates tram and bus lines. It also operates as the agency of All Nippon Airways in Kōchi Prefecture.

The company was founded on July 8, 1903, while the tram line was opened on May 2, 1904. The company also operated heavy railway line called Aki Line (安芸線), but it was closed in 1974. The company is commonly known as Toden (土電) among locals, while people in other prefectures tend to call it Tosaden (土佐電), as the word Toden can be confusing with Tokyo Metropolitan Tramway, which is commonly called Toden (都電).

The introduced DESUCA, a smart card ticket system, from January 2009.

Tram lines

There are 3 lines with 76 stations, spanning the total distance of 25.3 km. It is the second longest tram network in Japan, next to Hiroshima Electric Railway. The network in Kōchi, however, is suffered from its declining ridership ever since the 1960s. The company painfully strives by introducing newly built stations and cars, without much success. The Government of Kōchi Prefecture, as well as that of Kōchi City are considering plans to support the company.

Lines

Sanbashi Line (桟橋線): Kōchi-Ekimae — Harimayabashi — Sambashidōri-Gochōme
Ino Line (伊野線): Harimayabashi — Ino
- Most tramcars directly continue to Gomen Line.
Gomen Line (後免線): Harimayabashi — Gomenmachi
- Most tramcars directly continue to Ino Line.

Connections

Asahi-Ekimaedōri Station: JR Dosan Line (Asahi)
Asakura-Ekimae Station: JR Dosan Line (Asakura)
Edagawa Station: JR Dosan Line
Gomenmachi Station: Tosa Kuroshio Railway Asa Line
Ino-Ekimae Station: JR Dosan Line (Ino)
Kōchi-Ekimae Station: JR Dosan Line (Kōchi)

Bus lines

The company operates fairly many highway buses linking Kōchi City and major cities of Japan, including Tokyo, Nagoya, Ōsaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and others. It also operates a local network in/around the city.