Niihama Station is served by the JR Shikoku Yosan Line and is located 103.1 km from the beginning of the line at Takamatsu.[4] Yosan line local trains which serve this station ply the Kan'onji - Iyo-Saijō sector. Passengers on local services continuing eastwards or westwards have to change trains. The Rapid Sunport, and Nanpū Relay local trains serve this station and provide a through service to Takamatsu.[5]
In addition, the following JR Shikoku limited express services also serve the station:[5]
Midnight Express Takamatsu - in one direction only, from Takamatsu to Iyo-Saijō
Morning Express Takamatsu - in one direction only, from Iyo-Saijō to Takamatsu
Midnight Express Matsuyama - in one direction only, from Matsuyama and ends here
Morning Express Matsuyama - in one direction only, starts here for Matsuyama
Layout
The station consists of an island platform and a side platform serving three tracks. The station building houses a waiting room, shops, a JR Midori no Madoguchi ticket window and a JR Travel Centre (Warp Plaza). Car parking and rental are available.[3][6][7][8] The island platform is reached by means of a bridge equipped with elevators for barrier-free access.[9]
Numerous sidings and passing loops branch off on the south side of the station serving a freight container platform and freight yard.[4]
A view of the side and island platform in 2011. To the right is a freight train on a passing siding.
To the left is the island platform with a freight train. Next to it can be seen two passing sidings, the rightmost one served by the container platform. This photo was taken in 2012.
Niihama Station in 2015. To the right can be seen the North-South free passage, an elevator equipped bridge which allows pedestrians to cross the tracks.
Niihama Station opened on 21 June 1921 as an intermediate stop when the then Sanuki Line was extended westwards from Iyo-Doi to Iyo-Saijō. At that time the station was operated by Japanese Government Railways, later becoming Japanese National Railways (JNR). With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, control of the station passed to JR Shikoku and JR Freight.[10][11]
On 25 September 2017, JR Shikoku completed a barrier-free upgrade project for the station. The existing footbridge linking the platforms was replaced by a new bridge equipped with elevators.[9][12]
Surrounding area
Niihama Station North-South Free Passage (新居浜駅南北自由通路) - a bridge equipped with elevators which crosses the tracks, allowing access to parts of the town north and south of the station. The bridge opened on 1 February 2014 and was part of a municipal project to upgrade the area surrounding the station with plazas and parking lots.[13][14][15]
^ ab"新居浜" [Niihama]. hacchi-no-he.net. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^ abKawashima, Ryōzō (2013). 図説: 日本の鉄道 四国・九州ライン 全線・全駅・全配線・第2巻 四国西部エリア [Japan Railways Illustrated. Shikoku and Kyushu. All lines, all stations, all track layouts. Volume 2 Western Shikoku] (in Japanese). Kodansha. pp. 10, 66. ISBN9784062951616.
^Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. II. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 635. ISBN4-533-02980-9.
^Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. pp. 213–215. ISBN4-533-02980-9.
^"JR新居浜駅" [JR Niihama Station]. Barrier free journal (blog of barrier free investigator Mai). Retrieved 1 January 2018. See images of new bridge.
^"Cover story". Niihama (news magazine of Niihama city administration) (in Japanese). Niihama, Japan: Niihama City Administration. March 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^"出逢いロード(新居浜駅南北自由通路)" [Niihama Station north-south free passage]. sne.co.jp. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^"新居浜駅周辺整備の現状と今後の予定" [Niihama Station surrounding area development current situation and future plans] (PDF). Niihama City official website. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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