Sasebo Line

The Sasebo Line (佐世保線, Sasebo-sen) is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kōhoku Station in Kōhoku, Saga Prefecture to Sasebo Station in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. It is part of the route connecting Sasebo with Saga and Fukuoka. Most of the line runs parallel to National Routes 34 and 35. From 1898 to 1934 the Kōhoku - Haiki section was part of the original Nagasaki Main Line.

Sasebo Line
Midori Express at Sasebo Station
Overview
Native name佐世保線
OwnerJR Kyushu
LocaleSaga Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Termini
Stations14
History
Opened5 May 1895 (1895-05-05)
Technical
Line length48.8 km (30.3 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map
Map of Japan with the Sasebo Line highlighted in red

History

The Kyushu Railway Co. opened the Yamaguchi (present-day Kōhoku) - Takeo (present-day Takeo-Onsen) section in 1895 as part of the original Nagasaki Main Line. It was extended to Haiki in 1897, and to Sasebo the following year. The company was nationalised in 1907.

In 1934 the Hizen-Yamaguchi (present-day Kōhoku) - Isahaya line opened as the new Nagasaki Main line, with the line being renamed the Sasebo Line. The history of the line beyond Sasebo is covered under the Matsuura Line.

The entire line was electrified in 1976, and freight service ceased between Haiki - Sasebo in 1985, Arita - Haiki in 1987 and on the balance of the line in 1996.

The section between Takahashi station and Omachi station will be double-tracked as the current compromise until the construction of the Kyushu Shinkansen Nagasaki route between Takeo-Onsen and Shin-Tosu can be decided.

Former connecting lines
  • Takahashi station - Yutoku Railway Co. opened a 24.2 km 915mm (3') gauge line to Yutoku Inari Shrine between 1904 and 1907, and a 1.5 km branch line to the south of Hyakkan Bridge in 1909. Both lines closed in 1931. The 9.8 km 1067mm gauge Hizen Electric Railway Co. line to Ureshino, electrified at 600 VDC, connected to this line and operated between 1915 and 1931.
  • Sasebo station - A 5 km line to a US Forces Japan oil storage facility operated between 1950 and 1978.

Route data
  • Operators and distances
  • Track gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Stations: 14
  • Double-track: Ōmachi - Takahashi[1]
  • Electrified track: Whole line
  • Maximum speed: 120 km/h (75 mph)

Rolling stock

Stations
●： Station stop
Station Japanese Distance from Kōhoku Transfers Location
Kōhoku 江北 0.0 Nagasaki Main Line Kōhoku Saga Prefecture
Ōmachi 大町 5.1   Ōmachi
Kitagata 北方 7.4   Takeo
Takahashi 高橋 11.4  
Takeo Onsen 武雄温泉 13.7 Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen
Nagao 永尾 18.3  
Mimasaka 三間坂 21.5  
Kami-Arita 上有田 25.7   Arita
Arita 有田 28.2 Nishi-Kyūshū Line
Mikawachi 三河内 35.7   Sasebo Nagasaki Prefecture
Haiki 早岐 39.9 Ōmura Line
Daitō 大塔 42.6  
Hiu 日宇 45.5  
Sasebo 佐世保 48.8 Nishi-Kyūshū Line

References
  1. JR 佐世保線の大町駅と高橋駅の間で複線による運行が開始されました [Double-track operation has started on the JR Sasebo Line between Omachi Station and Takahashi Station] (PDF) (in Japanese). Nagasaki Prefecture. Retrieved 4 October 2022.

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