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KYOTO
 Japan

Kyoto Subway Map 2005 © Thomas B. Gray (UrbanRail.Net)

Click on map to expand to full metropolitan rail network!Kyoto Tram

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 SUBWAY

With 1.5 million inhabitants, the ancient capital Kyoto is Japan's sixth largest city. The Kyoto subway consists of 2 lines which are almost entirely underground, the Karasuma Line (1 station - Takeda - is above ground) runs north-south mainly under Karasumaru Road, and the Tozai Line runs from the west to the east and then turns south. The network uses 1435 mm gauge, catenary power supply at 1500V, and 6-car-trains that run at a maximum speed of 90 km/h. Most stations have central platforms (175 m) and those on the Tozai Line have platform screen doors.

The Kyoto Subway is operated by Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau.

In addition to the two subway lines there is a local north-south line, called Keihan Line, which runs underground along the Kamo River in the center of the city [Demachiyanagi – Marutamachi – Sanjo (interchange with Tozai subway line) – Shijo – Gojo – Schichijo – and then on to Osaka].

There is also another S-Bahn type line called Hankyu Kyoto Line which runs east-west underneath Shijo-dori street in downtown Kyoto.

The western districts of the city are served by Randen, a light railway operated by Keifuku Electric Railroad.

 

 Karasuma Line

The Karasuma Line (13.8 km) is connected to the Kintetsu Kyoto Line at its southern terminus Takeda with trains running through as far as Kintetsu Nara and Kintetsu trains running through the city on Karasuma Line tracks.

01 April 1981: Kyoto - Kitaoji (6.6 km)
06 Nov 1988: Kyoto - Takeda (3.4 km)
24 Oct 1990: Kitaoji - Kitayama (1.2 km)
03 June 1997: Kitayama - Kokusai-kaikan (2.6 km)

Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway

 

 Tozai Line

(17.5 km) - On the Tozai Line, some trains of the Keihan Railway (Keihan Keishin Line) from Hamaotsu run on subway tracks between Misasagi and Uzumasa-Tenjingawa. Actually the middle section between Keihan-Sanjo and Yamashina was built by the Keihan Electric Railway for shared use with the subway and to abandon a former street running section.

12 Oct 1997: Nijo - Daigo (12.7 km)
26 Nov 2004: Daigo - Rokujizo (2.4 km)
16 Jan 2008: Nijo - Uzumasa-Tenjingawa (2.4 km)

 

Kyoto Subway Tozai Line Kyoto Subway Tozai Line Kyoto Subway Tozai Line

 

 Projects

On the western end, the Tozai Line may eventually reach Rakusai new town (10 km).

The Karasuma Line might be extended from Takeda to Rakunan new town.

 Photos

Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway Kyoto Subway Tozai Line Kyoto Subway Tozai Line Kyoto Hankyu

 

 Links

Kyoto City Bus and Subway Guide (in English) (official site)

Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau

Kyoto Subway at Wikipedia

Subway Info in Japanese with map

Mark Zirnheld's Japon, L'Empire du Rail - Kyoto Subway

Kyoto Tramway (Randen) at UrbanRail.Net

BLOG: Read your webmaster's impressions of Kyoto's Subway (May 2016)

 

 Book

Metros & Trams in JapanAndrew Phipps & Robert Schwandl:

METROS & TRAMS in JAPAN - Vol. 3: West & South

Osaka - Kyoto - Kobe - Okayama - Hiroshima - Kitakyushu - Fukuoka - Nagasaki - Kumamoto - Kagoshima

The third volume of our trilogy about urban rail systems in Japan covers all the systems in West and South Japan, from the metros in Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka to the different special transit systems like monorails and people movers, and to the numerous tramways, including Japan's largest network in Hiroshima. As usual, the book is illustrated with a large number of recent colour photos and detailed network maps.

Text: German & English; 160 pages, ca. 300 photos; Detailed network maps
Oct 2018 - ISBN 978-3-936573-54-1

 

2007 © UrbanRail.Net by Robert Schwandl.