Chitose Line

Chitose Line
A 721 series EMU on an Airport rapid service at Minami-Chitose Station
Overview
Native name	千歳線
Type	Airport rail link Commuter rail
Locale	Hokkaido
Termini	Numanohata Shiroishi
Stations	15
Operation
Opened	1926
Owner	JR Hokkaido
Technical
Line length	56.6 km (35.2 mi)
Number of tracks	Double
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	20 kV AC, overhead catenary
Route map

Chitose Line (千歳線, Chitose-sen^?) is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), connecting Numanohata, Tomakomai and Shiroishi Station, Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo, linking the Muroran Main Line and Hakodate Main Line. There also is a branch line to New Chitose Airport.

The line forms part of the trunk route between Sapporo and southern Hokkaido. As such, Super Hokuto and Hokuto limited express trains run between Sapporo and Hakodate once every 1 to 2 hours, as well as the Suzuran between Sapporo and Muroran.

The section between Sapporo and Minami-Chitose is also a part of the trunk route between Sapporo and eastern Hokkaido. The limited express trains Super Ōzora and Super Tokachi run through.

The rapid train Airport runs once every 15 minutes, functioning as the airport rail link between New Chitose Airport Station and Sapporo or Otaru. Since the Chitose Line goes through the most urbanized area in Hokkaido, there are roughly 3 to 4 local train services per hour.