Osaka Metro Chūō Line

Osaka Metro Chūō Line
Osaka Metro Chūō Line
	A Chūō Line 400 series EMU
Overview
Other name(s)	Yumehanna
Owner	Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (Osakako — Nagata); Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. (Cosmosquare — Osakako)
Line number	4
Locale	Osaka and Higashiosaka
Termini	Cosmosquare; Nagata;
Stations	14
Color on map	Green (#019A66)
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Osaka Metro
Operator(s)	Osaka Metro (2018–present) ; Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (1961–2018)
Depot(s)	Morinomiya
History
Opened	11 December 1961; 62 years ago
Last extension	18 December 1997; 26 years ago
Technical
Line length	17.9 km (11.1 mi)
Track length	17.9 km (11.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC (Third rail)
Operating speed	70 km/h (43 mph)
Signalling	Automatic closed block
Train protection system	WS-ATC
Route map
Route map

Chūō Line

Legend

km

Nankō Port Town Line

0.0

Cosmosquare

2.4

Ōsakakō

3.9

Asashiobashi

5.5

Bentenchō

Osaka Loop Line

Hanshin Namba Line

6.8

Kujō

Kizu River

Sennichimae Line

8.3

Awaza

connecting line

connecting line
(under construction)

Yotsubashi Line

9.4

Hommachi

Midōsuji Line

Sakaisuji Line

10.1

Sakaisuji-Hommachi

Higashi-Yokobori River

Tanimachi Line

11.1

Tanimachi Yonchōme

connecting line

12.4

Morinomiya

Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line

Osaka Loop Line

JR West Suita Inspection Depot

Morinomiya Inspection Depot

and Workshop

Hirano River

Imazatosuji Line

13.6

14.7

16.1

17.9

↑ Chūō Line

↓ Keihanna Line

36.7

Gakken Nara-Tomigaoka

The Osaka Metro Chūō Line (中央線, Chūō-sen) is a rapid transit system in Osaka, Japan, operated by Osaka Metro. The line runs east-westerly under Chūō Avenue (中央大通, Chūō Ōdōri). Its official name is Rapid Electric Tramway Line No. 4 (高速電気軌道第4号線), and in MLIT publications, it is written as Line No. 4 (Chūō Line) (4号線（中央線）). Station numbers are indicated by the letter C.

Together with the through operation to the Keihanna Line, the two lines have a unified nickname "Yumehanna" (ゆめはんな).

On 1 July 2005, Osaka City bought the Technoport Line (テクノポート線) from Cosmosquare to Osakakō of its subsidiary Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. (大阪港トランスポートシステム), reducing fare to increase traffic. The section operationally became a part of the Chūō Line, but is however still owned by OTS.

The Chūō Line is the only line to connect to all other subway lines operated by the Osaka Metro, including the Nankō Port Town Line.

History

The line (initially known as Line No. 4) opened on December 11, 1961, initially running between Ōsakakō and Bentenchō (this was the first elevated portion of the Osaka subway system); trains were initially composed of single-car trainsets.^[1] Between 1964 and 1985, the line was expanded towards Nagata in four stages:

31 October 1964: Section between Bentenchō and Hommachi opens, with intermediate stations at Kujo and Awaza.
30 September 1967: The section between Tanimachi 4-chome and Morinomiya opens as a shuttle service with 2-car trains.
29 July 1968: The section of the shuttle service between Morinomiya and Fukaebashi opens.
6 December 1969: The section between Hommachi and Tanimachi 4-chome (including Sakaisuji-Hommachi) opens after construction delays; the shuttle service between Tanimachi 4-chome and Fukaebashi was absorbed into the line, which was now named the Chūō Line. 4-car trains begin operation.
5 April 1985: The section between Fukaebashi and Nagata opens. 6-car trains begin operation.
1 October 1986: Through service to Ikoma commences upon the opening of the Kintetsu Keihanna Line (then named the Higashiosaka Line).

On 18 December 1997, the OTS Technoport Line opened between Ōsakakō and Cosmosquare. This line was absorbed into the Chūō Line on 1 July 2005. The Keihanna Line was extended further into Nara when the extension to Gakken Nara-Tomigaoka opened on 27 March 2006.

Future plans

The OTS Hokkō Technoport Line [ja] is a planned extension of the Chūō Line from Cosmosquare on Sakishima [ja] to Yumeshima, Maishima, and Sakurajima [ja]. Its first phase, consisting of a one-stop extension to Yumeshima Station, is currently under construction with a projected opening date of 19 January 2025, ahead of the opening of the Osaka 2025 Expo.^[2]^[3]

Separately, a new station is planned to be built on the spur track to the Morinomiya depot facility as part of local revitalization efforts and also to serve the new Morinomiya campus of Osaka Metropolitan University, with a projected completion date of 2028.^[4]

Line data

Above-ground section: west of Ōsakakō to west of Awaza; east of Aramoto (Keihanna Line)
Block signalling: Automatic
Train protection system: WS-ATC
Cars per train: 6 (1984 – present)
Maximum possible cars per train (platform length): 8

Stations

No.	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
C 10	Cosmosquare	コスモスクエア	0.0	Nankō Port Town Line (P09)	Suminoe-ku, Osaka
C 11	Ōsakakō (Tempozan)	大阪港（天保山）	2.4		Minato-ku, Osaka
C 12	Asashiobashi	朝潮橋	3.9
C 13	Bentenchō	弁天町	5.5	O Osaka Loop Line
C 14	Kujō	九条	6.8	Hanshin Namba Line	Nishi-ku, Osaka
C 15	Awaza	阿波座	8.3	Sennichimae Line (S13)	Nishi-ku, Osaka
C 16	Hommachi (Semba-nishi)	本町（船場西）	9.4	Midōsuji Line (M18) Yotsubashi Line (Y13)	Chūō-ku, Osaka
C 17	Sakaisuji-Hommachi (Semba-higashi)	堺筋本町（船場東）	10.1	Sakaisuji Line (K15)
C 18	Tanimachi Yonchōme	谷町四丁目	11.1	Tanimachi Line (T23)
C 19	Morinomiya	森ノ宮	12.4	Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line (N20) O Osaka Loop Line
C 20	Midoribashi	緑橋	13.6	Imazatosuji Line (I20)	Higashinari-ku, Osaka
C 21	Fukaebashi	深江橋	14.7		Higashinari-ku, Osaka
C 22	Takaida	高井田	16.1	F Osaka Higashi Line	Higashiosaka
C 23	Nagata	長田	17.9	C Keihanna Line	Higashiosaka
↓ Through services to/from Gakken Nara-Tomigaoka Station via the C Keihanna Line ↓

Rolling stock

Osaka Metro

24 series (from 1991)
30000A series (from July 2022)^[5]
400 series (from 25 June 2023)^[6]

Kintetsu Railway

7000 series (from 1986)
7020 series (from 2004)

The Osaka Metro trains are based at Morinomiya Depot, while the Kintetsu Railway trains are based at Higashi-Hanazono and Tomigaoka Depots located on the Keihanna Line.

24 series (in green livery)
30000A series
400 series
Kintetsu 7000/7020 series

Former

800 series (1961–1978)
900 series (1964–1978)
30 series (1967–1969, 1983–1995)
50 series (1969–1991)
20 series (1984–2024)

References

^ Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.
^ "Osaka Metro 中央線延伸部（コスモスクエア駅から夢洲駅間）が2025年1月19日（日曜日）に開業します". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved September 8, 2024.
^ "大阪市高速電気軌道，中央線延伸部の開業日を2025年1月19日に決定" [Osaka Municipal Subway sets opening date for Chuo Line extension on January 19, 2025]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
^ "森之宮新駅構想について｜Osaka Metro". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2023.
^ デビュー秒読み異形の地下鉄「400系」新機軸だらけの秘密とは？大阪メトロが動画公開 [Osaka Metro announces debut countdown for innovative "400 series" – what makes it so unusual?]. Traffic News (in Japanese). Japan: Mediavague Co., Ltd. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
^ 「大阪メトロ」新型車両400系、6/25運行開始へ - ダイヤは公開せず ["Osaka Metro" delays new 400 series introduction to 25 June]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.

[terada2002-1] Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.

[2] "Osaka Metro 中央線延伸部（コスモスクエア駅から夢洲駅間）が2025年1月19日（日曜日）に開業します". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved September 8, 2024.

[3] "大阪市高速電気軌道，中央線延伸部の開業日を2025年1月19日に決定" [Osaka Municipal Subway sets opening date for Chuo Line extension on January 19, 2025]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.

[4] "森之宮新駅構想について｜Osaka Metro". Osaka Metro (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2023.

[5] デビュー秒読み異形の地下鉄「400系」新機軸だらけの秘密とは？大阪メトロが動画公開 [Osaka Metro announces debut countdown for innovative "400 series" – what makes it so unusual?]. Traffic News (in Japanese). Japan: Mediavague Co., Ltd. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.

[6] 「大阪メトロ」新型車両400系、6/25運行開始へ - ダイヤは公開せず ["Osaka Metro" delays new 400 series introduction to 25 June]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.

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