Yamatoji Line

Yamatoji Line
Yamatoji Line
	207 series EMU on a Yamatoji Line Direct Rapid Service
Overview
Native name	大和路線
Owner	JR West
Locale	Kansai (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka prefectures)
Termini	Kamo; JR Namba;
Stations	22
Service
Type	Heavy rail
System	Urban Network
Depot(s)	Nara Depot
Rolling stock	201 series EMU; 221 series EMU; 207 series EMU (Kizu–Nara); 321 series EMU (Kizu–Nara)
History
Opened	1988 (1889)
Technical
Line length	54.0 km (33.6 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC (overhead lines)
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph) (Nara–Tennoji); 95 km/h (59 mph) (Kamo–Nara, Tennoji–JR Namba)

The Yamatoji Line (大和路線, Yamatoji-sen) is the common name of the western portion of the Kansai Main Line. The line is owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), and starts at Kamo Station in Kyoto Prefecture and ends at JR Namba Station in Naniwa-ku, Osaka.

Operations

Yamatoji Rapid Service

Yamatoji Rapid Service (大和路快速, Yamatoji Kaisoku) trains operate between Kamo or Nara Station and Tennoji, via a complete loop on the Osaka Loop Line. Trains divert from the Kansai Line at Shin-Imamiya Station instead of continuing to JR Namba. From Shin-Imamiya, they run on the Osaka Loop Line, making limited stops to Osaka Station, and then making every stop before completing the loop at Tennoji Station. However, some services do not complete the loop, as they terminate in Kyobashi. Trains also stop at every station east of Ōji.

4 services are operated every hour during weekday daytime and weekend nighttime, with 2 of which operating as far as Kamo. Some weekend services operate through service to the Wakayama Line towards Takada and Gojō.

All trains are operated using 221 series EMUs, with every of them being 8 cars.

Regional Rapid Service

Regional Rapid Service (区間快速, Kukan Kaisoku) operate the same route as the Yamatoji Rapid but making every stop on the Osaka Loop Line. They are operated in weekday rush hours, plus weekend nights. There are also services which operate through services to the Wakayama Line. All services are operated using 221 series EMUs.

Rapid Service

Rapid Service (快速, Kaisoku)" operate between JR Namba and either Takada on the Wakayama Line (daytime), or Nara / Kamo (morning, evening, night), with an interval of 2 trains per hour. Among the through trains towards the Wakayama Line during the evening rush, some of them are coupled with Nara-bound services before decoupling at Ōji. However there are no Namba-bound services where two trains couple at Ōji. Additionally, there are a few Namba-bound through service trains starting from Nara and detours the Sakurai Line in the morning rush.; Trains stop at JR Namba, Shin-Imamiya, Tennoji, Kyūhōji, Ōji and every station after Ōji.; During daytime, trains are operated using 4-car 221 series EMUs. During rush hours, 6-car 201 series EMUs are also used, but now there is a higher tendency that 221 series trains are used. From the timetable revision on 15 March 2008 until 11 March 2022, 3 Rapid services starting from Kashiwara (where Rapid trains normally skip) to Namba were operated.
Direct Rapid Service (直通快速, Chokutsū Kaisoku): The operation of the "Direct Rapid Service" trains started on March 17, 2008, with the opening of the Osaka Higashi Line and the timetable revision on March 15, 2008. The trains are now operated between Nara and Shin-Osaka, via the Yamatoji Line and the Osaka Higashi Line. On weekdays, 4 Shin-Osaka-bound trains are operated in the mornings, while 4 Nara-bound trains are operated in the evenings. On weekends, 2 round trips are operated both in the mornings and in the evenings. Trains stop at all stations from Nara to Ōji, Kyūhōji, JR Kawachi-Eiwa, Takaida-Chuo, Hanaten and Shin-Osaka. Trains are operated using 207 series or 321 series EMUs from the Aboshi Depot.; Before 16 March 2019, when the Osaka Higashi Line still hadn't extended to Shin-Osaka, Direct Rapid trains operated between Nara and Amagasaki via the Yamatoji Line, the Osaka Higashi Line, the Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line), and the JR Tōzai Line.
Local (普通, Futsū): "Local trains" stop at every station on the Yamatoji Line between Kamo and JR Namba. They are operated between Oji and JR Namba in the non-rush hour. Trains are also operated from JR Namba to Kamo and through from JR Namba to the Nara Line in the early morning.

History

The oldest section of the Yamatoji Line is between Kashiwara and JR Namba, which opened on May 14, 1889. The present route was completed on August 21, 1907 when the new line between Kamo and Kizu, replacing the original route via Daibutsu, was opened.^[1] The name "Yamatoji Line" has been used since March 13, 1988, and the term “Yamatoji“ roughly translates to “Road to Yamato Province”.^[2]

Station numbering was introduced in March 2018 with the Yamatoji Line being assigned station numbers between JR-Q17 and JR-Q39 with the exception of JR-Q35 (which will be assigned to a future station between Koriyama and Nara).^[3]^[4]

Stations

● : All trains stop.
| : All trains pass.

Local trains stop at every passenger station.

No.	Station name		Regional Rapid	Direct Rapid	Rapid	Yamatoji Rapid	Transfers	Location
JR-Q39	Kamo	加茂	●		●	●	Kansai Main Line (for Kameyama)	Kizugawa	Kyoto Prefecture
JR-Q38	Kizu	木津	●		●	●	Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line) Nara Line	Kizugawa	Kyoto Prefecture
JR-Q37	Narayama	平城山	●		●	●		Nara	Nara Prefecture
JR-Q36	Nara	奈良	●	●	●	●	Nara Line Sakurai Line (Man-yō Mahoroba Line)	Nara
JR-Q35	TBD						Expected to open in 2024
JR-Q34	Kōriyama	郡山	●	●	●	●		Yamatokōriyama
JR-Q33	Yamato-Koizumi	大和小泉	●	●	●	●		Yamatokōriyama
JR-Q32	Hōryūji	法隆寺	●	●	●	●		Ikaruga, Ikoma District
Through service from/to Wakayama Line Through service from Sakurai Line via Wakayama Line
JR-Q31	Ōji	王寺	●	●	●	●	Wakayama Line G Kintetsu Ikoma Line I Kintetsu Tawaramoto Line (Shin-Ōji Station)	Ōji, Kitakatsuragi District	Nara Prefecture
JR-Q30	Sangō	三郷	\|	\|	\|	\|		Sangō, Ikoma District	Nara Prefecture
JR-Q29	Kawachi-Katakami	河内堅上	\|	\|	\|	\|		Kashiwara	Osaka Prefecture
JR-Q28	Takaida	高井田	\|	\|	\|	\|
JR-Q27	Kashiwara	柏原	\|	\|	\|	\|	N Kintetsu Domyoji Line D Kintetsu Osaka Line (Katashimo Station)
JR-Q26	Shiki	志紀	\|	\|	\|	\|		Yao
JR-Q25	Yao	八尾	\|	\|	\|	\|
JR-Q24	Kyūhōji	久宝寺	●	●	●	●	Osaka Higashi Line
JR-Q23	Kami	加美	\|		\|	\|		Hirano-ku, Osaka
JR-Q22	Hirano	平野	\|		\|	\|		Hirano-ku, Osaka
JR-Q21	Tōbu-shijō-mae	東部市場前	\|		\|	\|		Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
JR-Q20	Tennōji	天王寺	●		●	●	Osaka Loop Line Hanwa Line Osaka Metro Midōsuji Line, Tanimachi Line F Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line (Osaka Abenobashi Station) Hankai Uemachi Line (Tennoji-eki-mae Station)	Tennoji-ku, Osaka
JR-Q19	Shin-Imamiya	新今宮	●		●	●	Osaka Loop Line Nankai Main Line, Nankai Kōya Line Osaka Metro: Midōsuji Line (Dōbutsuen-mae Station), Sakaisuji Line (Dōbutsuen-mae Station) Hankai Line (Shin-Imamiya-Ekimae Station)	Naniwa-ku, Osaka
JR-Q18	Imamiya	今宮	●		\|	\|	Osaka Loop Line
JR-Q17	JR Namba	JR難波			●		A Kintetsu Namba Line (Osaka Namba Station) Hanshin Namba Line (Osaka Namba Station) Nankai Main Line, Koya Line (Namba Station) Osaka Metro: Midōsuji Line (Namba Station), Yotsubashi Line (Namba Station), Sennichimae Line (Namba Station)
Yamatoji Rapid, Regional Rapid: Through service from/to Osaka Loop Line Direct Rapid: Through service from/to Osaka Higashi Line

A 201 series train pulling out of a train station, 2013.

Rolling stock

201 series (Rapid and Local services, until 2024)
207 series
221 series (Yamatoji Rapid, Direct Rapid, Rapid and Local services)
287 series (Rakuraku Yamato services)^[5]
321 series

Former

103 series (until 2018)
105 series (until 1994)
113 series (until July 1989)
117 series
205 series (until March 2022)
223-0/2500 series (Kansai Airport/Kishuji Rapid service, until March 2008)
223-6000 series (Direct Rapid service, until March 2011)
381 series (Yamatoji Liner Rapid service, until March 2011)

References

^ 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. p. 182. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
^ Teramoto, Mitsuteru. "関西本線（大阪方）快速運転ものがたり". The Railway Pictorial. 878 (August 2013): 59.
^ "近畿エリアの12路線のべ300駅に「駅ナンバー」を導入します！" ["Station numbers" will be introduced at a total of 300 stations on 12 lines in the Kinki area!]. westjr.co.jp (in Japanese). 20 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "「駅ナンバー」一覧表" ["Station number" list] (PDF). westjr.co.jp (in Japanese). 20 July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "より便利になる通勤特急を「らくラク～」シリーズに統一します" [Unification of the more convenient commuter express trains into the "Rakuraku" series.] (PDF). West Japan Railway Company (in Japanese). Japan. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.