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Tokaido Line
From Virtual Japan
Tokaido Line (often referred to as the Tokaido Main Line) is a widely used mass transit train spanning from Tokyo Station to Kobe Station. It is run by the Japan Railway (JR), though responsibility for the massive Tokaido Line has been split between three groups of the Japan Railway (JR):
The entire line is approximately 366 miles (589.5 KM long), and runs through several major cities in Japan.
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About the Tokaido Line
The Tokaido line when it first opened included the first Japanese railroad which stretched from the Shimbashi Station to the Yokohama Station, but the success of those routes meant progress on the Tokaido line was rapid, and the entire stretch quickly became one of the most often used train lines in all of Japan. There are currently plans of expanding the line even further. Originally scheduled for 2009 but now scheduled for 2013, the Tokaido line is expected to replace the now defunct Northeast Mainline Train from Ueno Station. A lot of the route was determined by military actions. There are various areas of the trip that were relocated due to either military testing or safety concerns. For example, near the Kogashima mountain route was a testing area for gunfire. There were also several alternate routes created in order to avoid bombings and other safety concerns, and these routes have either merged with the Tokaido line, remain separate, or are now no longer used regularly. In the last few decades, the Tokaido line has become a nickname rather than the name of the route itself, because it encompasses many routes along the way. In fact, regardless of where you are travelling via the Tokaido line, you likely have to switch at least one time to a different train if you hope to make your destination.
JR East Tokaido Line
The section of the Tokaido line run by the JR east is the busiest transit line in the entire world. This is the area that contains the Tokaido Shinkansen, which has served more passengers than any transit system anywhere else in the world combined. In addition, the Yamanote Line and Keihin Tohoku line are run by the JR East as well.
JR Central Tokaido Line
JR Central’s Tokaido Line is not nearly as busy as JR East’s, but busy nonetheless. It is home to the Atami and Ito line station, and runs through several streams and some mountains that are currently being worked on by JR.
JR West Tokaido Line
Also not as busy as the JR East line, the JR West has the Iida Meitetsu line and far nicer scenery than the other two lines.