Bantan Line

Bantan Line
J
KiHa 189 series DMU on a Hamakaze limited express service
Overview
Locale	Hyōgo Prefecture
Termini	Himeji Wadayama
Stations	18
Operation
Opened	1894
Owner	JR West
Rolling stock	103 series EMU, 221 series EMU, 223-6000 series EMU, KiHa 40/41 DMU, KiHa 189 series DMU
Technical
Line length	65.7 km (40.8 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC, overhead lines (Himeji–Teramae)
Operating speed	95 km/h (60 mph) (Himeji–Fukusaki, Teramae–Wadayama) 110 km/h (70 mph) (Fukusaki–Teramae)

The Bantan Line (播但線, Bantan-sen^?) is a railway line that connects Himeji and Wadayama station in Asago City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The line is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and serves as a connector between the Sanyo Main Line and the Sanin Main Line. The name refers to the ancient provinces of Harima (播磨) and Tajima (但馬), which the line connects.

The line is 65.7 kilometres (40.8 mi) long, with 18 stations.

Local train operation is divided into the electrified section between Himeji and Teramae, and the non-electrified section between Teramae and Wadayama. All local trains makes every stop on the line, and no local train runs the entire length of the line.

The Hamakaze limited express, which connects the Kinki region to the San'in region, uses the Bantan Line to access the Sanin Main Line.

The 29.6km section from Himeji north to Teramae was constructed by the private Bantan Railway (播但鉄道, Bantan Tetsudō^?) company and opened in 1894, with the 6.3km section to Hase opening in January the following year, and the 7.7km section to Ikuno three months later. The 8.3km section to Nii opened in 1901. The Bantan Railway was purchased by the Sanyō Railway (山陽鉄道, Sanyō Tetsudō^?) in 1903, which extended the line 13.8km to Wadayama, opening in April 1906, 8 months before the company was nationalised. Individual section opening dates are given below.