Echigo Line

The Echigo Line (越後線, Echigo-sen) is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects the cities of Kashiwazaki and Niigata in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The line's name is taken from the name of the ancient Echigo Province, which corresponds to most of modern-day Niigata Prefecture.

Echigo Line
An E129 series EMU between Aoyama and Sekiya stations
Overview
Native name	越後線
Status	In operation
Owner	JR East
Locale	Niigata Prefecture
Termini	Kashiwazaki Niigata
Stations	33
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR East
History
Opened	1912
Technical
Line length	83.8 km (52.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

History

An overhead line of Echigo Line (between Izumozaki and Myōhōji)

The Echigo Railway Co. opened the Hakusan - Kashiwazaki section of the line in 1912, and was nationalised in 1927. In 1951, the Hakusan - Niigata section was opened, CTC signalling was commissioned in 1982, the line was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1984, and freight services ceased in 1987.

A new station, Kamitokoro Station, opened on 15 March 2025. This station was built on the section between Niigata and Hakusan stations, becoming the first new station on the line and in Niigata Prefecture (except Shinkansen) since Uchino-Nishigaoka was opened in 2005.^[1]

Former connecting lines

• Teradomari Station: The Nagaoka Railway Co. opened a 39 km (24 mi) line to Raikoji (on the Shin'etsu Line) between 1915 and 1921. This company introduced Japan's first diesel railcar in 1928, and in 1951 electrified 31 km (19 mi) of the line at 750 V DC in 70 days, completing the balance the following year. Significant typhoon damage occurred in 1966, and in 1972, passenger services ceased between Raikoji and Nishinagaoka, with the entire line becoming freight-only three years later. The line closed in 1995.
• Sekiya Station: The Niigata Kotsu Co. opened a 34 km (21 mi) line, electrified at 1,500 V DC, to Tsubame on the Yahiko Line between 1933 and 1934. Freight services ceased in 1982, and the line closed between 1993 and 1999.

Services

Stations of Echigo Line

Although most services are operated to and from Niigata Station, operations are divided into two sections: Kashiwazaki – Yoshida and Yoshida – Niigata. Some services operate over the entire line and through to Niitsu on the Shinetsu Main Line, Shibata on the Hakushin Line, or Higashi-Sanjō on the Yahiko Line.

Between Kashiwazaki and Yoshida, there is a period of over three hours where no trains operate. Between Niigata and Uchino there are three trains per hour, with another one to two trains per hour to Yoshida.

Station list

• All stations are located within Niigata Prefecture.
• Trains can pass each other at stations marked "∥", "◇", "∨", and "∧"; they cannot pass at stations marked "｜".

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers		Location
		Between stations	Total
Kashiwazaki	柏崎	-	0.0	■Shinetsu Main Line	∨	Kashiwazaki
Higashi-Kashiwazaki	東柏崎	1.6	1.6		｜
Nishi-Nakadōri	西中通	3.4	5.0		｜
Arahama	荒浜	1.6	6.6		｜	Kariwa, Kariwa District
Kariwa	刈羽	3.3	9.9		｜
Nishiyama	西山	2.9	12.8		◇	Kashiwazaki
Raihai	礼拝	2.2	15.0		｜
Ishiji	石地	3.7	18.7		｜
Oginojō	小木ノ城	4.0	22.7		｜	Izumozaki, Santō District
Izumozaki	出雲崎	2.1	24.8		◇
Myōhōji	妙法寺	4.6	29.4		｜	Nagaoka
Ojimaya	小島谷	3.0	32.4		◇
Kirihara	桐原	3.8	36.2		｜
Teradomari	寺泊	2.8	39.0		◇
Bunsui	分水	2.5	41.5		◇	Tsubame
Aouzu	粟生津	4.3	45.8		｜
Minami-Yoshida	南吉田	2.0	47.8		｜
Yoshida	吉田	2.0	49.8	■Yahiko Line	◇
Kita-Yoshida	北吉田	1.9	51.7		｜
Iwamuro	岩室	2.1	53.8		｜	Nishikan-ku, Niigata
Maki	巻	4.0	57.8		◇
Echigo-Sone	越後曽根	4.6	62.4		◇
Echigo-Akatsuka	越後赤塚	2.5	64.9		◇	Nishi-ku, Niigata
Uchino-Nishigaoka	内野西が丘	3.8	68.7		｜
Uchino	内野	1.6	70.3		◇
Niigata University	新潟大学前	2.0	72.3		｜
Terao	寺尾	2.1	74.4		◇
Kobari	小針	1.9	76.3		◇
Aoyama	青山	1.4	77.7		｜
Sekiya	関屋	1.5	79.2		◇	Chūō-ku, Niigata
Hakusan	白山	1.5	80.7		◇
Kamitokoro	上所	1.6	82.3		∧
Niigata	新潟	1.5	83.8	Jōetsu Shinkansen ■Shinetsu Main Line ■Hakushin Line ■Banetsu West Line[a]	∥

Rolling stock

• E129 series 2/4-car EMUs (since December 2014)

• 
  Operations in Niigata area
• 
  115 series EMU (Aōzu - Bunsui, October 2019)

Previous

• 115 series 3-car EMUs (until March 2022)
• 165 series
• E127 series 2-car EMUs (Yoshida - Niigata) (until March 2022)

Notes

1. Although the official start of the Banetsu West Line is at Niitsu, some trains travel through via the Shinetsu Main Line to Niigata.