Yamatoji Line

The Yamatoji Line (大和路線, Yamatoji-sen) is the common name of the western portion of the Kansai Main Line. The line is owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), and starts at Kamo Station in Kyoto Prefecture and ends at JR Namba Station in Naniwa-ku, Osaka.

Operations

Yamatoji Rapid Service (大和路快速, Yamatoji kaisoku, YR), Regional Rapid Service (区間快速, Kukan kaisoku, RR)

"Yamatoji Rapid Service" trains start at Kamo or Nara Station and divert from the Kansai Line at Shin-Imamiya Station instead of continuing to JR Namba. From Shin-Imamiya, they run on the Osaka Loop Line, making limited stops to Osaka Station, and then making every stop before completing the loop at Tennoji Station. In the rush hour, they are operated as the "Regional Rapid Service", covering the same route but making every stop on the Osaka Loop Line, and sometimes connecting to the Wakayama Line on the Nara side.

Rapid Service (快速, Kaisoku, R)

"Rapid Service" trains revived for the adjustment of diagram on March 15, 2008, and the color of the train type was changed from orange to green (the line color of the Yamatoji Line). The trains are operated between Kamo and JR Namba in the rush hour with 3 trains starting Kashiwara for JR Namba in the morning, 2 trains between Takada and JR Namba via the Wakayama Line and 2 trains between Oji and JR Namba in the non-rush hour.

Direct Rapid Service (直通快速, Chokutsū kaisoku, DR)

The operation of the "Direct Rapid Service" trains started on March 17, 2008, because of the opening of the Osaka Higashi Line and the adjustment of diagram on March 15, 2008. The trains are operated between Nara and Amagasaki via the Yamatoji Line, the Osaka Higashi Line, the Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line), and the JR Tōzai Line.

Local (普通, Futsū)

"Local trains" stop at every station on the Yamatoji Line between Kamo and JR Namba. They are operated between Oji and JR Namba in the non-rush hour. Trains are also operated from JR Namba to Kamo and through from JR Namba to the Nara Line in the early morning.

History

The oldest section of the Yamatoji Line is between Kashiwara and JR Namba, which opened on May 14, 1889. The present route was completed on August 21, 1907 when the new line between Kamo and Kizu, replacing the original route via Daibutsu, was opened.^[1] The name "Yamatoji Line" has been used since March 13, 1988.^[2]

Stations

• S: Trains stop.
• Start: Part of rains start from Kashiwara for JR Namba.
• |: Trains pass.

Local trains stop at every passenger station.

Rolling stock

• 103 series (Rapid and Local services)
• 201 series (Rapid and Local services)
• 207 series (Direct Rapid and Rapid services)
• 221 series (Yamatoji Rapid, Rapid and Local services)
• 321 series (Direct Rapid and Rapid services)

Former

• 105 series (until 1994)
• 113 series (until July 1989)
• 117 series
• 223-0/2500 series (Kansai Airport/Kishuji Rapid service, until March 2008)
• 223-6000 series (Direct Rapid service, until March 2011)
• 381 series (Yamatoji Liner Rapid service, until March 2011)

References

Mass Transport in Keihanshin (Greater Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe)
JR West lines ("Kinki Area")	A   Hokuriku/Tokaido/Sanyo Biwako JR Kyoto JR Kobe   A   Ako   B   Kosei   C   Kusatsu  D  Nara   E   Sagano Sanin   F   Osaka Higashi   G   JR Takarazuka (Fukuchiyama)   H   Gakkentoshi (Katamachi)   H   JR Tozai   I   Kakogawa   J   Bantan   K   Kishin   L   Maizuru   O   Osaka Loop   P  JR Yumesaki (Sakurajima)   Q   Yamatoji Kansai   R   Hanwa   S   Kansai Airport   T   Wakayama   U   Man-yo Mahoroba (Sakurai)   V   Kansai   W   Kisei Hagoromo Wadamisaki
Municipal Railway	Osaka Municipal Subway (list of stations) Midosuji Tanimachi Yotsubashi Chuo Sennichimae Sakaisuji Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Imazatosuji APM: New Tram Kobe Municipal Subway Seishin-Yamate Kaigan Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Tozai Kobe New Transit (semipublic) Port Island Line Rokko Island Line
5 Major Private rail operators	Hankyu ■ Hankyu Kobe Main ■ Itami ■ Imazu ■ Koyo ■ Hankyu Takarazuka Main ■ Minoo ■ Hankyu Kyoto Main ■ Senri ■ Arashiyama Hanshin Hanshin Main Namba Mukogawa Keihan Keihan Main Oto Nakanoshima Katano Otsu Lines Keishin Ishiyama Sakamoto Nankai Nankai Main Takashinohama Airport Tanagawa Kada Wakayamako Koya Shiomibashi Kintetsu  A  Namba/Nara  G  Ikoma  B  Kyoto/Kashihara  H  Tenri  I  Tawaramoto  C  Keihanna  D  Osaka  J  Shigi  F  Minami Osaka/Yoshino  N  Domyoji  O  Nagano  P  Gose
4 Semi-Major Private rail operators	Semboku Rapid Semboku Rapid Railway Kitakyu Namboku Line Kobe Rapid Tōzai Line Namboku Line Hokushin Line Sanyo Sanyo Main Line Aboshi Line
Other railways	Shintetsu Arima Line Sanda Line Koen-Toshi Line Ao Line Shintetsu Namboku Line Wakayama Railway Kishigawa Line Hankai Tram Osaka Monorail Hokushin Kyuko Noseden Myoken Line Nissei Line Randen (Keifuku) Arashiyama Tram Kitano Tram Eizan Electric Railway Eizan Main Line Kurama Line
Cable car and aerial tramways	Keihan Cable Car Ikoma Cable Car Nishi-Shigi Cable Car Katsuragisan Ropeway Kōyasan Cable Car Eizan Cable Car Eizan Ropeway
Terminals	Rail Osaka/Umeda/Nishi-Umeda/Higashi-Umeda/Kitashinchi Tennoji/Osaka Abenobashi Namba/Osaka Namba/JR Namba Kyobashi Shin-Osaka Osaka Uehommachi Kyoto Kawaramachi/Gion-Shijo Sanjo Sannomiya JR West others Sakaihigashi Kintetsu Nara Airports Itami Kansai/Wing Shuttle Kobe Tokushima Airport Ports Port of Kobe Port of Osaka Sakai Himeji
Miscellaneous	Shinkansen Ferry Operators Kanko Kisen Hankyu Ferry Nankai Ferry Akashi-Awaji Ferry Cards ICOCA PiTaPa Rail transport in Japan
Japan transit: Tokyo Osaka Nagoya Fukuoka Hakone Fuji Izu Hokkaido Sendai Niigata Toyama Nagano Okayama Hiroshima Shikoku Metro systems Shinkansen trams (list) aerial lifts (list)