Hakataminami Line

The Hakataminami Line (博多南線, Hakataminami-sen) is an 8.5-kilometre-long (5.3 mi) railway line in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, connecting Hakata Station in Fukuoka with Hakataminami Station in Kasuga. It is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West).^[1]

Hakataminami Line
700-7000 series set on the Hakataminami Line, June 2004
Overview
Native name	博多南線
Owner	JR West
Locale	Fukuoka City
Termini	Hakata Hakataminami
Stations	2
Color on map	(#0073bc)
Service
Type	Heavy rail
System	Shinkansen
Services	Kodama shuttle
Operator(s)	JR West
Depot(s)	Hakata Shinkansen Depot
Rolling stock	500-7000 series, 700-7000 series, N700-7000/8000 series
History
Opened	1 April 1990; 35 years ago (1990-04-01)
Technical
Line length	8.5 km (5.3 mi)
Number of tracks	Double-track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 60 Hz AC (overhead line)
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph)
Signalling	Cab signalling
Train protection system	ATC-NS

Service

Although the line uses Shinkansen equipment, trains are officially designated as limited express trains.^[2] In practice, however, most services are extensions of San'yō Shinkansen Kodama services. The Kyushu Shinkansen, opened on 12 March 2011, shares part of the route.

The trip from Hakata to Hakataminami takes ten minutes and costs ¥300. (¥100 until the end of March 2023)

• 
  A pair of tickets for travel from Hakata to Hakataminami. The ticket on top, corresponding to the express fare portion of the total cost, is priced at ¥100.

Rolling stock

Current

• 500-7000 series 8-car sets
• 700-7000 series 8-car Hikari Rail Star sets
• N700-7000/8000 series 8-car sets

• 
  A 500 series Shinkansen at Hakataminami Station
• 
  A 700-7000 series Hikari Rail Star Shinkansen at Hakataminami Station
• 
  A N700-7000 series Shinkansen at Hakataminami Station

Former

• 0 series 4/6-car sets
• 100 series 4/6-car sets

• 
  Set R67 of the 0 series Shinkansen, similar to those running on the Hakataminami Line. This train is running a Kodama 638 service at Higashi-Hiroshima Station
• 
  The side view of a 0 series Shinkansen bound for Hakataminami station
• 
  A 100 series Shinkansen at Hakataminami Station

History

The line was originally opened in March 1975 to transport San'yō Shinkansen trains from the Hakata terminal to Hakata Depot in Kasuga. At that time, Kasuga was a rural region and did not merit a railway station of its own. By the late 1980s, however, the area had become a sprawling suburb of Fukuoka. JR decided to build a station adjacent to the depot, and inaugurated service on 1 April 1990 with 0 Series Shinkansen trains.^[1]

See also

• Gala-Yuzawa Line, a similar section of the Shinkansen network classed as a conventional line