Yotsubashi Line

Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line
A refurbished Yotsubashi Line 23 series EMU in August 2012
Overview
Owner	Osaka Metro (2018–present) Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (1942–2018)
Line number	3
Locale	Osaka, Japan
Termini	Nishi-Umeda Suminoekōen
Stations	11
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Osaka Metro
Depot(s)	Midorigi, Morinomiya (located on Chuo Line)
Rolling stock	23 series EMUs
History
Opened	May 10, 1942
Technical
Line length	11.4 km (7.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	750 V DC, third rail
Operating speed	70 km/h (45 mph)
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Legend Connecting lines of Osaka Municipal Subway are unless noted Hankyū Takarazuka Main Line Midosuji Line Shin-Osaka extension reviewed Nishinakajima-Minamigata Hankyū Kobe Main Line, Hankyū Kyoto Main Line Jūsō extension reviewed Yodo River Nakatsu (Hankyu) Umeda Freight Line Nakatsu (Midosuji Line) Kita-Umeda extension reviewed Umeda (left: JR West Signal Box, right: Hankyū) Tōkaidō Main Line (JR Kyoto Line) (JR Kobe Line, JR Takarazuka Line)/Osaka Osaka Loop Line Umeda: M16 Umeda (Hanshin Main Line) T20: Higashi-Umeda 0.0 Y11 Nishi-Umeda Tanimachi Line Kitashinchi JR West: JR Tōzai Line Dōjima River Keihan Nakanoshima Line Watanabebashi Tosabori Riveer 1.3 Y12 Higobashi Yodoyabashi 2.2 Y13 Hommachi (M18) Chūō Line (C16) Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line Shinsaibashi: N15 3.2 Y14 Yotsubashi Shinsaibashi: M19 Sennichimae Line (S16) Kintetsu Namba Line and Hanshin Namba Line Ōsaka Namba 4.1 Y15 Namba (M20) JR Namba Nankai Main Line and Nankai Kōya Line Kansai Main Line (Yamatoji Line) 5.3 Y16 Daikokuchō (M21) Osaka Loop Line Kansai Main Line (Yamatoji Line) Midosuji Line 6.6 Y17 Hanazonochō 7.7 Y18 Kishinosato 9.0 Y19 Tamade 10.1 Y20 Kitakagaya Midorigi Depot 11.8 Y21 Suminoekōen Nankō Port Town Line (New Tram) (P18)   of Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau

The Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line (四つ橋線, Yotsubashi-sen) is an underground rapid transit line in Osaka, Japan, operated by Osaka Metro. The line connects Umeda, Hommachi, Yotsubashi, Namba, Daikokuchō and Suminoe, and runs parallel to the Midōsuji Line from Daikokuchō to Nishi-Umeda. Its official name is Rapid Electric Tramway Line No. 3 (高速電気軌道第3号線), while the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau refers to it as Osaka City Rapid Railway Line No. 3 (大阪市高速鉄道第3号線), and in Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport publications, it is written as Line No. 3 (Yotsubashi Line) (3号線（四つ橋線）). Station numbers are indicated by the letter Y.^[1]

Overview[]

The Yotsubashi Line runs in a north and south direction. connecting the Osaka Metro Nankō Port Town Line at Suminoekōen Station. At first, it was a branch of the Osaka Metro Midōsuji Line, branching off at Daikokuchō Station but was extended north to Nishi-Umeda Station and made a separate line. This new section of the Yotsubashi Line takes a more direct routing to Nishi-Umeda running only 300-400m east of the Midosuji Line.

Operations[]

Most trains are operated between Nishi-Umeda station and Suminoe-Koen Station, with 2–3 minute interval during the morning rush hour, 6–7.5 minutes interval during the day, 3–4 minute intervals at the afterloon, 5–10 minute interval at night, and 10 minute interval in the early morning and late night. During the morning and evening (afternoon on weekends only), there are train that only run between Kita-Kagaya station and Nishi Umeda Station, as Kita-Kagaya is connected to the Yotsubashi Line depot at Midorigi.

In addition, on the day of the Suminoe boat race at night(excluding Sundays), one special train will operate at between 9pm and 10pm.

It is connected with the New-Tram at Suminoe-Koen station.

On March 23, 2013, the Osaka Bureau of Transport revised the timetable for the Yotsubashi Line. By using the train that was a going to a depot without any passengers, the final train became 0:20pm for the northbound and 0:10pm (for Suminoe-Koen) and 0:36pm (for Kita-Kagaya) for the southbound. And because of passenger demand, for weekdays between 10am and 12am was changed from 5 minute to 6 minute interval and for weekends and on holidays between 10am and 3pm was changed for 5-6 minute interval to 7-7.5 minute interval.

Since 2016, the regular inspection of the trains used on the third rail lines of Osaka Metro has been carried at Midorigi depot, trains of the Midosuji Line, the Tanimachi Line, the Chuo Line, and the Sennichimae Line may run on the Yotsubashi Line.

Stations[]

No.	Distance (km)	Station	Japanese	Connections	Location
Y11	0.0	Nishi-Umeda	西梅田	Midōsuji Line (M16) Tanimachi Line (T20) JR West Tokaido Line (JR Kyoto Line, JR Kobe Line, JR Takarazuka Line) – Osaka Osaka Loop Line – Osaka JR Tōzai Line – Kitashinchi Hankyu Railway Kobe Line Takarazuka Line Kyoto Line Hanshin Railway: Main Line	Kita-ku, Osaka
Y12	0.9	Higobashi	肥後橋	Keihan Nakanoshima Line – Watanabebashi	Nishi-ku, Osaka
Y13	1.9	Hommachi	本町	Chūō Line (C16) Midōsuji Line (M18)
Y14	2.9	Yotsubashi	四ツ橋	Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line – Shinsaibashi (N15) Midōsuji Line - Shinsaibashi (M19)
Y15	3.7	Namba	難波・なんば	Sennichimae Line (S16) Midōsuji Line (M20) Nankai Railway Nankai Main Line Kōya Line Kintetsu: Namba Line Hanshin: Hanshin Namba Line JR West Kansai Line (Yamatoji Line)	Naniwa-ku, Osaka
Y16	4.9	Daikokuchō	大国町	Midōsuji Line (M21)
Y17	6.2	Hanazonochō	花園町		Nishinari-ku, Osaka
Y18	7.3	Kishinosato	岸里
Y19	8.6	Tamade	玉出
Y20	9.7	Kitakagaya	北加賀屋		Suminoe-ku, Osaka
Y21	11.4	Suminoekōen	住之江公園	Nankō Port Town Line (New Tram) (P18)

Rolling stock[]

Current[]

• 23 series (since 1990)

All trains are based at Midorigi Depot. Since 2014, Yotsubashi Line trains are also able to access Morinomiya Depot located on the Chuo Line, after a connecting track was built between these two lines near Hommachi Station. Currently all trains are 6 cars long but subway platforms are long enough to accommodate trains up to 8 cars long.

Former[]

• 400 series (1942–1969)
• 1000 series (1956–1971)
• 1100 series (1958–1979)
• 1200 series (1958–1980)
• 50 series (1960–1980)
• 30 series (1972–1996)

History[]

• May 10, 1942 – Daikokuchō – Hanazonochō (opening)
• Construction stopped during World War II.
• June 1, 1956 – Hanazonochō – Kishinosato (opening)
• May 31, 1958 – Kishinosato – Tamade (opening)
• October 1, 1965 – Daikokuchō – Nishi-Umeda (opening)
• November 9, 1972 – Tamade – Suminoekōen (opening)

Plans[]

A northward extension to Jūsō Station is under review.^[2]

See also[]

• List of railway electrification systems in Japan

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yotsubashi Line.