Type Heavy rail Opened 1913 Line length 79.3 km (49.3 mi) Locale Tokushima Prefecture | Stations 30 Operator(s) JR Shikoku Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | |
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Terminis Tokushima Prefecture, Kaifu Station | ||
Local train of the mugi line bound for kaifu
The Mugi Line (牟岐線, Mugi-sen) is a railway line in southeastern Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). It connects the prefectural capital of Tokushima with the town of Kaiyō in Kaifu District. The line's official nickname is "Awa-Muroto Seaside Line" (阿波室戸シーサイドライン, Awa-muroto-shiisaido-rain), but this is rarely used by local residents as it doesn't directly service Muroto, the intended destination of the line.
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Services
Three limited express services run on the Mugi Line: the Muroto and Tsurugisan between Tokushima and Kaifu, and the Home Express Anan between Tokushima and Anan. Between Mugi and Kaifu, all limited express trains are operated as local services. All Tsurugisan and some Muroto trains have through service on the Tokushima and Dosan lines to/from Awa-Ikeda. On the New Year's holiday, the seasonal Yakuōji-gō limited express provides service to/from Takamatsu.
Although there are local trains that run the entire length of the Mugi Line, most service is divided at Mugi. There are trains that serve the Tokushima – Mugi, Tokushima – Kaifu, and Mugi – Kaifu sections, as well as a single round-trip between Tokushima and Anan. Some local trains have through service onto the Kōtoku, Tokushima, and Naruto lines. Driver-only operation is in effect for most daytime trains when there are few passengers.
Station list
History
The Awa Steamship Co., which operated a service between Honshu and Shikoku, built an 11km line from a port at Komatsushima to Tokushima which opened in 1913.
In 1916 the line was extended by 10km from Nakata to Furusho, resulting in the creation of the 2km Komatsushima - Nakata branch line, and the following year the lines were nationalised.
In 1936 the line was extended south from Hanoura 17km to Kumano, and the 2km Hanoura - Furusho section became a freight-only branch, which closed in 1961.
The line was extended a further 35km to Mugi in 3 stages opening 1937-42.
In 1959 it was decided to extend the line to Muroto, where it would connect with the planned extension of the Asa line from Kochi. The first 12km section to Kaifu opened in 1973, and further construction undertaken until work was suspended in 1980.
The Nakata - Komatsushima branch closed in 1985.
In 1987 with the privatization of JNR, the line became part of the Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku).
In 1988 construction work south of Kaifu was recommenced by a private company underwritten by the Tokushima Prefectural Government, and the next section opened in 1992 as the Asa Kaigan Railway Asato Line.