Midōsuji Line

Midōsuji Line
A Midōsuji Line 30000 series (right) and 21 series (left) train at Shin-Osaka Station in September 2021
Overview
Owner
Line number1
LocaleOsaka Prefecture
Termini
  • Esaka
  • Nakamozu
Stations20
Color on map     Crimson red (#E5171F)
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemOsaka Metro
Depot(s)Nagai, Nakamozu
Rolling stock
Daily ridership1,295,420 (daily 2015)
History
OpenedMay 20, 1933; 93 years ago (1933-05-20)
Last extension1987
Technical
Line length24.5 km (15.2 mi)
Track length24.5 km (15.2 mi)
Number of tracksDouble-track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC (third rail)
Operating speed70 km/h (43 mph)
SignallingAutomatic closed block
Train protection systemWS-ATC, TASC
Route map

The Midōsuji Line (御堂筋線, Midōsuji-sen) is a rapid transit line in Osaka, Japan, operated by Osaka Metro. Constructed under Midōsuji, a major north-south street, it is the oldest line in the Osaka subway system and the second oldest in Japan, following the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line. Its official name is Rapid Electric Tramway Line No. 1 (高速電気軌道第1号線), while the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau refers to it as Osaka City Rapid Railway Line No. 1 (大阪市高速鉄道第1号線), and in MLIT publications it is referred to as Line No. 1 (Midōsuji Line) (1号線（御堂筋線）). On line maps, stations on the Midōsuji Line are indicated with the letter "M".

North of Nakatsu it runs above ground in the median of Shin-midōsuji, an elevated freeway.

The section between Minoh-kayano and Esaka is owned and operated by Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway (北大阪急行電鉄, Kita Osaka Dentetsu), but is seamless to the passengers except with respect to fare calculations.

In June 2018, the Midōsuji Line is the most congested railway line in the Kansai region of Japan, at its peak running at 151% capacity between Umeda and Yodoyabashi stations.

History

Construction of the Midosuji line (circa 1930)
Midōsuji Line Yodoyabashi Station in 1933

The Midōsuji Line was the first subway line in Osaka and the first government-operated subway line in Japan. Its construction was partly an effort to give work to the many unemployed people in Osaka during the early 1930s. The initial tunnel from Umeda to Shinsaibashi, as well as the Umeda depot, were constructed entirely by hand and opened in 1933 after being initially plagued by cave-ins and water leakage caused by the poor composition of the earth below northern Osaka and the equally poor engineering skills of the work crew. The first cars were hauled onto the line by manpower and pack animals from the Government Railway tracks near Umeda.[citation needed]

Although the line only operated with single cars at first, its stations were designed from the outset to handle trains of up to eight cars. The line was gradually extended over the next few decades, completing its current length in 1987, making it the second-longest subway line in Osaka after the Tanimachi Line (excluding the Kita-Osaka Kyūkō Railway extension of the Midōsuji Line).

Poster for the extension and opening of Osaka Municipal Subway Tennōji Station in 1938

Line data

Stations

All stations are located within Osaka Prefecture.

No. Station Japanese Distance Transfers Location
↑ Through services to/from Minoh-kayano via the Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway ↑
 M 11  Esaka 江坂 0.0 Logo for Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway. Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway (through service) Suita
 M 12  Higashi-Mikuni 東三国 2.0   Yodogawa-ku, Osaka
 M 13  Shin-Ōsaka 新大阪 2.9
 M 14  Nishinakajima-
Minamigata		 西中島南方 3.6 Hankyu Kyoto Line network icon Hankyu Kyoto Main Line (HK-61)
 M 15  Nakatsu 中津 5.4   Kita-ku, Osaka
 M 16  Umeda 梅田 6.4
 M 17  Yodoyabashi
(Osaka City Hall)		 淀屋橋
（市役所前）		 7.7
Chūō-ku, Osaka
 M 18  Hommachi
(Semba-nishi)		 本町
（船場西）		 8.6
 M 19  Shinsaibashi 心斎橋 9.6 Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line (N15)
 M 20  Namba 難波・なんば 10.5
 M 21  Daikokuchō 大国町 11.7 Yotsubashi Line (Y16) Naniwa-ku, Osaka
 M 22  Dōbutsuen-mae
(Shinsekai)		 動物園前
（新世界）		 12.9
Nishinari-ku, Osaka
 M 23  Tennōji 天王寺 13.9
Abeno-ku, Osaka
 M 24  Shōwachō 昭和町 15.7  
 M 25  Nishitanabe 西田辺 17.0  
 M 26  Nagai 長居 18.3 R Hanwa Line (JR-R24) Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
 M 27  Abiko あびこ 19.5  
 M 28  Kitahanada 北花田 21.4   Kita-ku, Sakai
 M 29  Shinkanaoka 新金岡 23.0  
 M 30  Nakamozu なかもず 24.5

Fares and ticketing

Fares vary according to travel distance, ranging from 190 to 390 yen for adults and from 100 to 200 yen for children. As the distance increases, the fare rises in stages. Passengers also have the added option of using IC e-cards.

Distance Adult Children
Less than 3km 190 yen 100 yen
3km - 7km 240 yen 120 yen
7km - 13km 290 yen 150 yen
13km - 19km 340 yen 170 yen
Over 19km 390 yen 200 yen

Commuter passes come in the form of IC e-cards and can be purchased at Umeda station, Namba station, or Tennoji station at their respective sales counters or at the pink self-service machines in any station. Passes are available for 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month durations. Commuter pass prices vary depending on the duration and distance traveled in a designated route. Discounts are also available for students and children.

Standard commuter pass
Duration Type Less than 3km 3km - 7km 7km - 13km 13km - 19km Over 19km
1 month Adult 7,930 yen 9,480 yen 11,030 yen 11,830 yen 12,770 yen
Children 3,970 yen 4,740 yen 5,520 yen 5,920 yen 6,390 yen
3 month Adult 22,610 yen 27,020 yen 31,440 yen 33,720 yen 36,400 yen
Children 11,310 yen 13,510 yen 15,720 yen 16,860 yen 18,200 yen
6 month Adult 42,830 yen 51,200 yen 59,570 yen 63,890 yen 68,960 yen
Children 21,420 yen 25,600 yen 29,790 yen 31,950 yen 34,480 yen
Student commuter pass
Duration Type Less than 3km 3km - 7km 7km - 13km 13km - 19km Over 19km
1 month Adult 3,430 yen 4,200 yen 4,880 yen 4,980 yen 5,410 yen
Children 1,720 yen 2,100 yen 2,440 yen 2,490 yen 2,710 yen
3 month Adult 9,780 yen 11,970 yen 13,910 yen 14,200 yen 15,420 yen
Children 4,890 yen 5,990 yen 6,960 yen 7,100 yen 7,710 yen
6 month Adult 18,530 yen 22,680 yen 26,360 yen 26,900 yen 29,220 yen
Children 9,270 yen 11,340 yen 13,180 yen 13,450 yen 14,610 yen

Passenger statistics

Reference:

Station Number of passengers (persons/day)
Umeda 376,997
Tennōji 230,570
Yodoyabashi 189,507
Honmachi 187,469
Shinsaibashi 128,279
Shin-Ōsaka 125,819
Esaka 93,022
Nishinakajima-Minamigata 56,702
Nakatsu 37,190
Higashi-Mikuni 32,031
Nagai 31,853
Daikokuchō 30,126
Dōbutsuen-mae 27,808
Shōwachō 23,891
Kitahanada 22,900
Nakamozu 21,343
Nishitanabe 21,264
Shinkanaoka 19,736

Rolling stock

A 30000-series train stabled at the pocket track after Shin Osaka Station.

Since 1987, all Midōsuji Line rolling stock operated by Osaka Metro are stored and maintained at Nakamozu Depot, the first underground depot in the Osaka Metro system. The first depot for the Midōsuji Line was located near Umeda station, which was replaced by Abeno Depot in 1950, Nagai Depot in 1954 (now used mainly for maintenance-of-way vehicles), and Abiko Depot in 1960 (closed in 1987). Since 2016, it is also possible for Midōsuji Line rolling stock to access Midorigi Depot on the Yotsubashi Line via pointworks before Daikokuchō station, after heavier repairs and maintenance of all third-rail-powered Osaka Metro rolling stock were consolidated there.

Former

Women-only passenger cars

Women-only cars were introduced on the line from November 11, 2002. There is one such designated car in each train (Car No. 6), the use of which is restricted all day on weekdays.

Women-only car
←NakamozuEsaka/Minoh-kayano→
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

References

  1. ↑ "平成27年 大都市交通センサス 近畿圏報告書" (PDF). P:84. 国土交通省. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ 大阪市交通局七十五年史 [Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau 75 Years History] (in Japanese). Osaka, Japan: 大阪市交通局. 1980.
  4. ↑ "公営地下鉄在籍車数ビッグ３ 大阪市交通局 (One of the big three public subway operators: Osaka Municipal Subway)". Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 49, no. 576. April 2009. pp. 88–99.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Duits, Kjeld (June 6, 2008). "Osaka 1930s • Digging Midosuji Subway". OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
  6. ↑ "官報. 1935年10月28日" [Official Bulletin. 28 October 1935] (in Japanese). October 28, 1935. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  7. ↑ 加古, 信志 (July 24, 2014). "れとろ探訪:地下鉄長居駅" [Retro Exploration: Nagai Subway Station]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese).
  8. ↑ 大阪市交通局百年史 [Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau 100 Years History] (in Japanese). 大阪市交通局. 2005. p. 1124. ISBN 978-4990172411.
  9. ↑ "鉄道ジャーナル" [Railway Journal]. 鉄道ジャーナル. 21: 122. July 1987.
  10. ↑ "12日からダイヤ改正". 交通新聞 (in Japanese). April 8, 1987.
  11. ↑ "大阪市交通局｜可動式ホーム柵".
  12. ↑ "Osaka Metroの車内で無料Wi-Fiをご利用いただけます～御堂筋線の3列車から順次導入～｜Osaka Metro".
  13. ↑ "御堂筋線なんば駅の可動式ホーム柵の運用開始について｜Osaka Metro".
  14. ↑ 小佐野, カゲトシ (2016). 日本縦断！ 地下鉄の謎 [Across Japan! Subway Mystery] (in Japanese). Japan: 実業之日本社. ASIN B01NAS4TMD.
  15. ↑ "可動式ホーム柵の設置状況" [Installation status of movable platform fences]. subway.osakametro.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  16. ↑ "乗車・定期運賃（地下鉄・大阪シティバス）｜Osaka Metro". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  17. ↑ "便利なカード乗車券｜Osaka Metro". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  18. ↑ "乗車・定期運賃（地下鉄・大阪シティバス）｜Osaka Metro". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  19. ↑ "大阪メトロ御堂筋線の駅別乗降客数ランキング". statresearch.jp. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ "国土数値情報 | 駅別乗降客数データ". nlftp.mlit.go.jp. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  21. ↑ "大阪市交御堂筋線用30000系が営業運転を開始" [Osaka Municipal Subway 30000 series begins revenue service on the Midosuji Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. December 11, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  22. ↑ "北大阪急行9000形が営業運転を開始" [Kita-Osaka Kyuko 9000 series enters revenue service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. April 29, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2022.