1. No category

October 30, 2014
East Japan Railway Company
Opening of the Ueno-Tokyo Line to Set in Motion a Major North-South Artery in Tokyo
-Overview of the Opening Date and Direct Services on the LineEast Japan Railway Company (JR East) is preparing to open the Ueno-Tokyo Line in order to
enhance its railway network in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
After the line opens, passengers will have direct access from the Utsunomiya, Takasaki and Joban
lines to Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station, and from the Tokaido Line to Ueno Station. The
resulting elimination of transfers will shorten travel times and dramatically improve convenience for
passengers.
Please look forward to the Ueno-Tokyo Line opening soon as a major north-south artery connecting
“Tokyo,” the center of Japan’s politics and economics, and “Ueno,” the city of arts and culture.
1. Opening Date of the Ueno-Tokyo Line
Saturday, March 14, 2015
2. Overview of the Direct Services
・Direct services will begin between the Utsunomiya and Takasaki lines
and the Tokaido Line in both directions.
・Direct services on the Joban Line will extend to Shinagawa Station.
(*Direct services on the Joban Line will be available from the peak commuting hours in the
morning (from around 8 a.m. at Tokyo Station))
・Frequency of direct services during the peak commuting hour in the
morning (from around 8 to 9 a.m. at Tokyo Station) will be 5 trains
each on the Utsunomiya, Takasaki and Joban lines.
(*The number of south-bound trains headed for Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station from each line)
(*Direct services on the Joban Line during peak commuting hours in the morning will be limited to trains
operating as rapid service from Toride Station further south)
・All limited express trains on the Joban Line during the daytime, and
some during the evening and night hours, will arrive and depart from
Shinagawa Station.
・Some local trains during the daytime from Tsuchiura Station, and all
trains in the evening and night hours operating as rapid service from
Toride Station further south on the Joban Line will arrive and depart
from Shinagawa Station.
*Above are details of the operating framework on weekdays. The operating framework on Saturday,
Sunday and holidays will be based on weekdays.
* Specific operating frameworks will be announced as they are decided.
Operating Framework after the Opening of the Ueno-Tokyo Line
【After the Opening of the Ueno-Tokyo Line】
【Present】
Utsunomiya
・Takasaki Line
Tokaido Line
Utsunomiya・Takasaki Line
宇
都
宮
・
高
崎
線
宇
都
宮
・
高
崎
線
Joban Line
常
磐
線
京
浜
東
北
Keihin-Tohoku
線
Ueno 上野
京
浜
東
Keihin-Tohoku
北
線
上
野
東
京
ラ
イ
ン
Yamanote
山 Line
Yamanote山Line
手
線
常
磐
線
Ueno-Tokyo
Line
Ueno
上野
Joban Line
手
線
Line
東京
Tokyo
Line
東京
Tokyo
東
海
道
線
東
海
道
Tokaido
Line
線
Shinagawa
品川
Shinagawa
品川
3. Names of New Limited Express Trains on the Joban Line
・Name of limited express trains for the fastest operation: Hitachi
・Name of limited express trains stopping at most stations: Tokiwa
4. Other Improvements
・Along with launching the Hitachi and Tokiwa limited express trains on
the Joban Line,
(1) New seating services will be offered to passengers.
(*JR East will strive to enhance seating services by making all seats on ordinary cars available for
reservation, as well as introducing a service that will let passengers without reservations sit in the
unoccupied seats)
(2) Limited express charges will be simplified and made easier to understand.
(3) Economical services such as the “eki-net Ticketless Service” will be introduced.
Apart from these improvements, train schedules such as for the direct services will be revised to
increase convenience.