Furano Line

Furano Line
Kiha 150 Diesel Multiple Unit on the Furano Line
Overview
Native name	富良野線
Status	In operation
Owner	Hokkaido Railway Company
Locale	Hokkaido, Japan
Termini	Asahikawa Furano
Stations	18
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	Hokkaido Railway Company
Rolling stock	KiHa 150 series DMU, KiHa 183 series DMU
History
Opened	1899
Technical
Line length	54.8 km (34.1 mi)
Number of tracks	Entire line single tracked
Character	Rural
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

The Furano Line (富良野線, Furano-sen) is part of the Hokkaido Railway Company network in Hokkaidō, Japan. It connects Furano Station in the city of Furano and Asahikawa Station in the city of Asahikawa. Popular with tourists, it has recently come to serve commuters in the bedroom towns that are developing as suburbs of Asahikawa.

History

The Furano Line opened on September 1, 1899, as the Hokkaidō Kansetsu Railway (北海道官設鉄道, Hokkaidō Kansetsu Tetsudō), operating between Asahikawa and Biei Stations. In the next month, service extended to Kami-Furano Station, and in the following year it reached Shimo-Furano Station.

In 1909 it became part of the Nemuro Main Line from Asahikawa Station to Kushiro Station, but in 1913 it took its present name and covered the route from Asahikawa Station to Shimo-Furano Station. The eruption of Mount Tokachi on May 24, 1926, caused a protracted interruption of service between Biei and Kami-Furano. In 1942, Shimo-Furano Station changed its name to Furano Station.

On April 1, 1987, with the breakup of the Japanese National Railways, the line became part of the Hokkaido Railways. In 2007, the station-numbering plan took effect.

On November 19, 2016, JR Hokkaido's President announced plans to rationalise the network by up to 1,237 km, or ~50% of the current network, including the proposed conversion to Third Sector operation of the Furano Line, but if local governments protest this decision, the line will face closure.

Former connecting lines

The private Asahikawa Electric Railway line to Higashikawa (15.5 km) branched from the Furano line south of Asahikawa station, operating from 1927-73. A 6.7 km branch to Asahiyama Park operated from 1930-73. Both lines were electrified at 600 V DC.

Operations

All trains are local trains within the Furano Line which operate only within the Furano Line, half covering the route between Asahikawa and Biei. Nearly all rolling stock is KiHa 150 Diesel Multiple Units. On 18 March 2023, 38 H100 series trainsets were introduced to the Furano Line.

Stations

Station numbers, names, other lines serving the stations and line distances from Asahikawa are as follows. Other than seasonal Lavender Farm, trains may also randomly skip stations marked "◌".

No.	Station name	Japanese	Distance (km)	Passing loop	Transfers
A28	Asahikawa	旭川	0.0	n/a	■ Hakodate Main Line ■ Sekihoku Main Line ■ Sōya Main Line
F29	Kaguraoka	神楽岡	2.4
F30	Midorigaoka	緑が丘	4.0
F31	Nishi-Goryō	西御料	5.2
F32	Nishi-Mizuho ◌	西瑞穂	7.4
F33	Nishi-Kagura	西神楽	9.9	+
F34	Nishi-Seiwa ◌	西聖和	12.3
F35	Chiyogaoka	千代ヶ岡	16.6	+
F36	Kita-Biei ◌	北美瑛	20.3
F37	Biei	美瑛	23.8	+
F38	Bibaushi	美馬牛	30.6	+
F39	Kami-Furano	上富良野	39.7	+
F40	Nishinaka ◌	西中	44.2
F41	Lavender Farm (open seasonally)	ラベンダー畑	45.8
F42	Naka-Furano	中富良野	47.3	+
F43	Shikauchi ◌	鹿討	49.7
F44	Gakuden ◌	学田	52.5
T30	Furano	富良野	54.8	+	■ Nemuro Main Line

External links

• Route Map JR Hokkaido.
• 北海道ふるさとの駅 The Hokkaido Shimbun Press.