Koya Line

The Koya Line (高野線, Kōya sen) is a railway line in Osaka Prefecture and Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by the Nankai Electric Railway, a private railway operator.[1] It connects Osaka and Koyasan, the capital of the Japanese Buddhist sect Shingon, via the suburbs of Osaka, such as Sakai, Osakasayama, Tondabayashi and Kawachinagano in Osaka Prefecture and Hashimoto and Kōya in Wakayama Prefecture. To distinguish it from other Nankai Lines, the Kōya Line is indicated with pictograms of coniferous-like trees which bring to mind Mount Kōya, or with the line colour, green.

Koya Line
A Rinkan limited express service
Overview
Native name高野線
OwnerNankai Electric Railway
LocaleOsaka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture
Termini
Service
Type
Depot(s)Chiyoda, Oharata
Technical
Line length64.5 km (40.1 mi)
Number of tracksDouble (Shiomibashi - Hashimoto)
Single (Hashimoto - Gokurakubashi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed100 km/h (60 mph)

For historical reasons, the line formally begins at Shiomibashi Station in Osaka and crosses the Nankai Main Line, the company's other main line, at Kishinosato-Tamade Station, though operationally it starts at Namba Station together with the Nankai Line, diverges at Kishinosato-Tamade Station and goes to Gokurakubashi Station, to connect to Koyasan through Nankai Cable Line.

The section from Shiomibashi to Kishinosato-Tamade, called the "Shiomibashi Line" (汐見橋線), has trains operating only in between those two stations. The section from Hashimoto to Gokurakubashi and the Koyasan Cable is named the "Koya Flower Railway" (こうや花鉄道) by operating a sightseeing train "Tenku".

Service patterns
Local (各駅停車, Kakueki Teisha)
Between Namba and Sakaihigashi, Kitanoda, Kongō, Chiyoda, Kawachinagano, Miikkaichichō, Rinkanden-entoshi or Hashimoto, and between Hashimoto and Kōyashita or Gokurakubashi.
Semi-Express (準急, Junkyū)
All the southbound trains are operated from Namba to Izumi-Chūō on the Semboku Rapid Railway Line. On weekday mornings, northbound trains for Namba are operated from Kawachinagano and Chiyoda in addition to the through trains from the Semboku Rapid Railway Line.
Sub Express (区間急行, Kukan Kyūkō)
Trains are operated between Namba and Kawachinagano, Miikkaichichō, Rinkanden-entoshi or Izumi-Chūō (Semboku Line).
Express (急行, Kyūkō)
Trains are operated mainly between Namba and Miikkaichichō, Rinkanden-entoshi or Hashimoto. Several trains are operated between Namba and Kōyashita or Gokurakubashi.
Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō)
All trains are operated between Namba and Gokurakubashi, and use a special "Zoomcar" rolling stock. On weekday evenings, southbound trains for Hashimoto from Namba are operated using other rolling stock.
Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū)
The Kōya (こうや) operates between Namba and Gokurakubashi, and the Rinkan (りんかん) between Namba and Hashimoto.
From December 5, 2015, Semboku Liner (泉北ライナー) services also commenced between Namba and Izumi-Chūō (Semboku Line). All seats on Limited Express trains are reserved.
Sightseeing train Tenku (観光列車「天空」)
From July 3, 2009, trains operate between Hashimoto and Gokurakubashi daily except Wednesdays and Thursdays from March until November, and on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays from December until February. They stop at Kamuro and Kudoyama.
  • For fare calculation, the distance between Tengachaya and Tezukayama is defined as 1.8 km[2]

Stations

Namba - Kishinosato-Tamade - Gokurakubashi

Legends:

  • ● : All trains stop.
  • ｜: All trains pass.
  • ◆ : Extra Limited Express trains originating at Hashimoto stop here
  • ▲ - Semboku Liner No Stop
Line name No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Semi-Express Sub-Express Express Rapid Express Tenkū Limited Express Transfers Location
from Shiomibashi
Nankai Main Line NK01 Namba 難波 (3.9) - ● ● ● ● ● Osaka Metro:

 A  Kintetsu Namba Line (A01: Osaka Namba)

Hanshin Namba Line (HS41: Osaka Namba)

JR West Kansai Main Line (Yamatoji Line) (JR-Q17:JR Namba)

 Chūō-ku, Osaka Osaka Prefecture
NK02 Imamiyaebisu 今宮戎 (3.0) - ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜   Naniwa-ku, Osaka
NK03 Shin-Imamiya 新今宮 (2.5) - ● ● ● ● ● JR West:

Osaka Metro (Dōbutsuen-mae):

Hankai Tramway Hankai Line (HN52: Shin-Imamiya-Ekimae)

 Nishinari-ku, Osaka
NK04 Haginochaya 萩ノ茶屋 (1.9) - ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK05 Tengachaya 天下茶屋 (0.9) - ● ● ● ● ●
  • Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line (K20)
NK06 Kishinosato-Tamade 岸里玉出 0.0 4.6 ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
Kōya Line
NK51 Tezukayama 帝塚山 1.1 5.7 ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
NK52 Sumiyoshihigashi 住吉東 2.0 6.6 ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK53 Sawanochō 沢ノ町 2.9 7.5 ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK54 Abikomae 我孫子前 3.5 8.1 ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK55 Asakayama 浅香山 4.8 9.4 ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ Sakai-ku, Sakai
NK56 Sakaihigashi 堺東 6.4 11.0 ● ● ● ● ▲
NK57 Mikunigaoka 三国ヶ丘 7.9 12.5 ● ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK58 Mozuhachiman 百舌鳥八幡 8.8 13.4 ● ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK59 Nakamozu 中百舌鳥 9.5 14.1 ● ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
Semboku Rapid Railway (through service)

Osaka Metro Midosuji Line (M30)

 Kita-ku, Sakai
NK60 Shirasagi 白鷺 10.5 15.1 ● ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK61 Hatsushiba 初芝 12.0 16.6 ● ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ Higashi-ku, Sakai
NK62 Hagiharatenjin 萩原天神 12.9 17.5 ● ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
NK63 Kitanoda 北野田 14.7 19.3 ● ● ● ● ｜
NK64 Sayama 狭山 15.6 20.2 ● ● ｜ ｜ ｜ Ōsakasayama
NK65 Ōsakasayamashi 大阪狭山市 17.2 21.8 ● ● ｜ ｜ ｜
NK66 Kongō 金剛 18.3 22.9 ● ● ● ● ●
NK67 Takidani 滝谷 20.0 24.6 ● ● ｜ ｜ ｜ Tondabayashi
NK68 Chiyoda 千代田 21.3 25.9 ● ● ｜ ｜ ｜ Kawachinagano
NK69 Kawachinagano 河内長野 23.4 28.0 ● ● ● ● ●
NK70 Mikkaichichō 三日市町 25.1 29.7 ● ● ● ● ｜
NK71 Mikanodai 美加の台 26.7 31.3 ● ● ● ｜
NK72 Chihayaguchi 千早口 28.6 33.2 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK73 Amami 天見 30.3 34.9 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK74 Kimitōge 紀見峠 34.0 38.6 ● ● ｜ ｜ Hashimoto Wakayama Prefecture
NK75 Rinkanden'entoshi 林間田園都市 35.3 39.9 ● ● ● ●
NK76 Miyukitsuji 御幸辻 37.3 41.9 ● ● ｜
NK77 Hashimoto 橋本 40.1 44.7 ● ● ● ●
NK78 Kii-Shimizu 紀伊清水 43.2 47.8 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK79 Kamuro 学文路 45.8 50.4 ● ● ● ◆
NK80 Kudoyama 九度山 47.6 52.2 ● ● ● ◆ Kudoyama, Ito District
NK81 Kōyashita 高野下 49.6 54.2 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK82 Shimo-Kosawa 下古沢 51.3 55.9 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK83 Kami-Kosawa 上古沢 53.0 57.6 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK84 Kii-Hosokawa 紀伊細川 56.0 60.6 ● ● ｜ ｜ Kōya, Ito District
NK85 Kii-Kamiya 紀伊神谷 58.4 63.0 ● ● ｜ ｜
NK86 Gokurakubashi 極楽橋 59.9 64.5 ● ● ● ●

Shiomibashi - Kishinosato-Tamade

The section is known as the Shiomibashi Line (汐見橋線).

No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
NK06-5 Shiomibashi 汐見橋 0.0
  • Osaka Metro Sennichimae Line (S15: Sakuragawa)
  • Hanshin Namba Line (HS42: Sakuragawa)
 Naniwa-ku, Osaka Osaka Prefecture
NK06-4 Ashiharachō 芦原町 0.9
  • JR West Osaka Loop Line (JR-O17: Ashiharabashi)
NK06-3 Kizugawa 木津川 1.6 Nishinari-ku, Osaka
NK06-2 Tsumori 津守 2.6
NK06-1 Nishi-Tengachaya 西天下茶屋 3.6
NK06 Kishinosato-Tamade 岸里玉出 4.6
  • Nankai Main Line
  • Koya Line

History

The Koya Railway opened the Shiomibashi to Sayama section between 1898 and 1900, and extended the line to Kawachinagano in 1902. That section was electrified at 600 V DC in 1912. All further extensions were electrified when opened.

The Kawachinagano - Mikkaichicho section opened in 1914, and the line was extended to Hashimoto the following year. In 1922, the company merged with Nankai, and the Hashimoto to Gokurakubashi section opened in 1929.

Double-tracking of the line commenced in 1924, reaching Kawachinagano in 1938. The line voltage was increased to 1,500 V DC in 1973, and the following year, double-tracking reached Mikkaichicho, and Hashimoto in 1995.

References
  1. "The Nankai Koya Line for Koyasan (Mount Koya) – Osaka Station". www.osakastation.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  2. "Access and Orientation". www.japan-guide.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
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