Setagaya Line

The Setagaya Line (世田谷線, Setagaya-sen) is a light rail line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by Tokyu Corporation. It connects Sangen-jaya to Shimo-takaido in Setagaya, Tokyo.^[1]

Setagaya Line
A Tokyu 300 series trainset in November 2005
Overview
Native name	世田谷線
Status	Operational
Owner	Tokyu Corporation
Locale	Setagaya, Tokyo
Termini	Sangen-jaya Shimo-takaido
Stations	10
Service
Type	Light rail (tramway)
Operator(s)	Tokyu Corporation
Rolling stock	Tokyu 300 series
Daily ridership	57,541 passengers per day (2017)[1]
History
Opened	January 18, 1925 (1925-01-18)
Technical
Line length	5 km (3.1 mi)
Number of tracks	Double track
Track gauge	1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in)
Electrification	600 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed	40 km/h (25 mph)
Route map Legend km 0.0 Sangen-jaya DT 0.3 Nishi-taishidō 0.9 Wakabayashi 1.4 Shōin-jinja-mae 1.8 Setagaya 2.2 Kamimachi 2.7 Miyanosaka 3.4 Yamashita 4.2 Matsubara 5.0 Shimo-takaido This diagram: view talk edit

Setagaya Line train running on the tracks, 2017

Unlike other Tokyu lines that are heavy rail commuter lines, the Setagaya Line is governed under the Tramways Act (軌道法, kidou-hou) of the Japanese government. Despite this, the entire line is located on its own right-of-way because it is a branch line of the former Tamagawa Line (玉川線), which is not the same line as the present-day Tōkyū Tamagawa Line.^[2]

Overview

The Setagaya Line was opened by the Tamagawa Electric Railway (玉川電気鉄道, Tamagawa Denki Tetsudō, "Tamaden") in 1923, running on surface streets between Shibuya and the Tama River. Since the railway merged with Tokyu in 1938, the balance of the line closed in 1969, leaving this isolated section as the sole Tokyu line to use 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in) gauge.^[2]

The Setagaya Line and the Toden Arakawa Line (the only surviving line of the former Tokyo Toden network) are the only railway lines in Tokyo proper to be legally classified as tramways (軌道, kidō).^[3]

The line had its own smart card system called Setamaru, which cannot be used on other Tokyu lines. Since March 2007, the PASMO contactless card has also been accepted on the Setagaya and other Tokyu lines. The smart card system was abolished and merged with PASMO in 2012.^[4]

History

The line was opened in 1925 as a branch line of the Tōkyū Tamagawa Line. Most of the Tamagawa line was closed and replaced by subways in 1969, although the line was renamed to Setagaya Line and kept in service. Although most of the line was closed due to it running on roads, causing traffic congestions, Setagaya line barely had any sections running on roads, contributing to it staying open.^[5] The line was separated from other lines owned by Tokyu until the Den-en-toshi Line opened in 1977.^[6]

Network and operations

Trains service the line from 4am to 0am, with an interval of 5-20 minutes. All trains stop at all stations.^[7]

Stations

All stations are located in Setagaya.

No.	Picture	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers
SG01		Sangen-jaya	三軒茶屋	0.0	DT03 Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line
SG02		Nishi-taishidō	西太子堂	0.3
SG03		Wakabayashi	若林	0.9
SG04		Shōin-jinja-mae	松陰神社前	1.4
SG05		Setagaya	世田谷	1.8
SG06		Kamimachi	上町	2.2
SG07		Miyanosaka	宮の坂	2.7
SG08		Yamashita	山下	3.4	Odakyū Odawara Line ( Gōtokuji)
SG09		Matsubara	松原	4.2
SG10		Shimo-takaido	下高井戸	5.0	KO Keiō Line

Ridership

Reference:^[8]

No.	Station	Passengers (2022)
SG01	Sangen-jaya	124,990
SG02	Nishi-taishidō	734
SG03	Wakabayashi	7,606
SG04	Shōin-jinja-mae	9,531
SG05	Setagaya	7,592
SG06	Kamimachi	8,814
SG07	Miyanosaka	4,002
SG08	Yamashita	7,784
SG09	Matsubara	3,113
SG10	Shimo-takaido	16,566