Hankai Line

The Hankai Line(阪堺電車阪堺線, Hankai Densha Hankai-sen) is a tramway in the cities of Osaka and Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Hankai Tramway Co., Ltd. owns and operates the line.

The line's name comes from Osaka(大阪) (the kanji character for saka is also pronounced han) and Sakai(堺) (whose kanji contributed the kai).

Services

While the Hankai Line is officially Ebisucho–Sumiyoshi–Abikomichi–Hamadera-Ekimae, all trams from Ebisucho operate only as far as Abikomichi, while Uemachi Line trams from Tennoji-ekimae operate through to Hamadera-ekimae.

Stations

Station numbering was introduced in March 2012.

All trams from Ebisucho operate only as far as Abikomichi, with the section of line between Abikomichi and Hamadera eki-mae being serviced by Uemachi Line trams operating from Tennoji-ekimae.

History

The Hankai Line has its origin in the Hankai Tramway Co., Ltd., founded in 1910. In 1915 the company merged with the Nankai Railway which runs north and south in Osaka. The city's overall tram network was once extensive. As motorization developed as an alternative form of transportation along with the construction of subway lines underneath major routes, the trams lost their passengers, causing Osaka's once-extensive tram network to shrink, with only the Hankai and Uemachi tram lines remaining. By 1980, Hankai Tramway split from Nankai.

See also

• Hankai Uemachi Line - the sister line of Hankai Line

External links

• Media related toHankai Tramway Hankai Lineat Wikimedia Commons
• (in Japanese)