The Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line (堺筋線, Sakaisuji-sen) is an underground rapid transit line in Osaka, Japan, operated by Osaka Metro. Its official name is Rapid Electric Tramway Line No. 6 (高速電気軌道第6号線), and in MLIT publications, it is written as Line No. 6 (Sakaisuji Line) (6号線(堺筋線)).

Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line
A refurbished Sakaisuji Line 66 series EMU in January 2016
Overview
Native name堺筋線
OwnerOsaka Metro (2018–present)
Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (1969–2018)
Line number6
LocaleOsaka
Termini
Stations10
Color on map     (#814721)
Service
TypeRapid transit
System Osaka Metro
Depot(s)Higashi-Suita (located on Hankyu Senri Line)
Rolling stock
History
Opened6 December 1969; 54 years ago (1969-12-06)
Last extension4 March 1993; 31 years ago (1993-03-04)
Technical
Line length8.1 km (5.0 mi)
Track length8.5 km (5.3 mi)
Number of tracksDouble-track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification1,500 V DC (overhead line)
Operating speed70 km/h (45 mph)
SignallingAutomatic closing block
Train protection systemWS-ATC
Route map

The Sakaisuji Line is unique in the Osaka Metro system in that despite being regulated as a tramway under the Railway Business Act like the other lines, the line was constructed as an extension of a line governed as a railway, specifically the Hankyu Senri Line, to which the Sakaisuji Line connects to at its northern end at Tenjimbashisuji Rokuchōme Station. Through services using both Osaka Municipal Subway and Hankyu rolling stock operates to and from the Senri Line and Arashiyama Line via the Kyoto Main Line.[1][2]

History

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The Sakaisuji Line was first envisioned in the Urban Transportation Council Report No. 3 (1958) as an underground line running from Tenjimbashisuji Rokuchōme to Tenma via Sakaisuji and Dobutsuen-mae, and it was to be operated by Hankyu Railway instead of the Osaka prefectural government. In 1963, the Urban Transportation Council Report No. 7 (1963) recommended that the southern terminus of the Sakaisuji Line be at Tengachaya instead of Tenma.

Later unrealised plans for the Sakaisuji Line included two separate extensions to Nakamozu and Sugimotochō, and at one point it was envisioned that through-services between the standard-gauge Hankyu Railway and the narrow-gauge Nankai Railway would be realised by connecting them together with the Sakaisuji Line through the use of dual gauge tracks, however that plan was abandoned due to the different electrification systems used by Hankyu and Nankai.[3][page needed]

The Sakaisuji Line opened on December 6, 1969 between Tenjimbashisuji Rokuchōme and Dōbutsuen-mae,[4] at which point the previous ground-level southern terminal of the Hankyu Senri Line at Tenjinbashi was closed.[citation needed] The line was extended from Dōbutsuen-mae to Tengachaya on 4 March 1993, as a metro-based replacement of the former Nankai Tennoji Branch Line which closed at the same time.[citation needed]

Stations

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Station numbers on the Sakaisuji Line (excluding Hankyu-operated stations) are indicated by the letter "K".

The seasonal Limited Express service known as "Hozu" (operated by Hankyu between Tengachaya and Arashiyama) stops at the stations with a "●", while other trains (local trains, Sakaisuji Semi-Express trains, and trains to Kawaramachi) stop at every station.[citation needed]

All stations are in Osaka.

No. Station name[5] Japanese Distance (km) Seasonal
Limited
Express
Hozu
[citation needed]
Transfers Location
Hankyu through services: From Tenjimbashisuji Rokuchōme:

to Kita-Senri on the   Senri Line
to Kawaramachi on the   Hankyu Kyoto Main Line via Awaji

to Arashiyama on the   Arashiyama Line via Awaji and Katsura (seasonal; Hozu services only)

 K 11  Tenjimbashisuji Rokuchōme 天神橋筋六丁目 0.0   Tanimachi Line (T18)

  Hankyu Senri Line (Through service)

Kita-ku
 K 12  Ōgimachi 扇町 0.7 | O Osaka Loop Line (Temma, JR-O10)
 K 13  Minami-morimachi 南森町 1.3 |
 K 14  Kitahama 北浜 2.1 |   Keihan Main Line (KH02)

  Keihan Nakanoshima Line (Naniwabashi, KH51)

Chūō-ku
 K 15  Sakaisuji-Hommachi
(Semba-higashi)
堺筋本町
(船場東)
3.0 |   Chūō Line (C17)
 K 16  Nagahoribashi 長堀橋 4.0 |   Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line (N16)
 K 17  Nippombashi 日本橋 4.9   Sennichimae Line (S17)
A Kintetsu Namba Line (A02)
 K 18  Ebisuchō
(Nippombashi-suji)
恵美須町
(日本橋筋)
5.9 |   Hankai Line (HN51) Naniwa-ku
 K 19  Dobutsuen-mae
(Shinsekai)
動物園前
(新世界)
6.6 |
Nishinari-ku
 K 20  Tengachaya 天下茶屋 8.1

Rolling stock

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The Sakaisuji Line is the first Osaka subway line to use overhead lines instead of third rail for power collection. All trains are based at Higashi-Suita Depot located on the Hankyu Senri Line.

Current

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Former

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ 【阪急+大阪市】阪急電鉄嵐山線と大阪市営地下鉄堺筋線との初の直通運転. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). 18 May 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  2. ^ "天下茶屋-河原町間に直通電車 5月から土日祝日に". Asahi Shimbun. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  3. ^ 鉄道ピクトリアル増刊2008年8月号南海電気鉄道
  4. ^ "堺筋線・阪急京都線の相互直通開始50周年記念列車運転". Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). 7 December 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  5. ^ 路線別で探す 堺筋線. Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 August 2014.