The is a railway line in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Shinonoi Station in Nagano with Shiojiri Station in Shiojiri.
The line is a corridor between the Shinetsu Main Line and the Chūō Main Line. All the limited express trains on the Shinonoi Line come from the Chūō Main Line: Azusa from Tokyo and Shinano from Nagoya.
Stations All stations are located in Nagano Prefecture.
●: All trains stop, ▲: Some trains stop, ｜: non-stop, Rapid Misuzu stops at all stations
Line nameNo.StationJapaneseDistance(km)RapidTransfersLocationShinonoi Line Shiojiri塩尻0.0● Chūō Main LineShiojiri Hirooka広丘3.8● Murai村井6.8● Matsumoto Hirata平田8.8● Minami-Matsumoto南松本10.9● Matsumoto松本13.3● Tazawa田沢21.6● Azumino Akashina明科28.2● Nishijō西条37.2▲ Chikuhoku, Higashichikuma District Sakakita坂北40.9▲ Hijiri-Kōgen聖高原45.0● Omi, Higashichikuma District Kamuriki冠着48.3▲ Chikuhoku, Higashichikuma District Obasute姨捨54.2▲ Chikuma Inariyama稲荷山62.9▲ Nagano Shinonoi篠ノ井66.7● Shinano Railway LineShin'etsu Main Line Imai今井68.8｜ Kawanakajima川中島71.0▲ Amori安茂里73.1｜ Nagano長野76.0●
Passing loops and switchbacks Hirase loop A passing loop is located in Azumino, known as . It has two tracks. Coordinates:
Haneo switchback A switchback is located in Azumino, known as Coordinates:
Kuwanohara switchback A switchback is located in Azumino, known as Coordinates:
Rolling stock
Limited express E353 series EMU (Azusa, Kaiji) 383 series EMU (Wide View Shinano)
Local E127 series EMU 211 series EMU 313 series EMU
Former rolling stock 115 series EMU 123 series EMU 381 series EMU (Shinano) E257 series EMU (Azusa, Kaiji) E351 series EMU (Super Azusa)
History
The Shinonoi to Nishijo section opened in 1900, and was extended via Matsumoto to Shiojiri in 1902.
The Shiojiri to Matsumoto section was double-tracked between 1961 and 1965, with the Tazawa to Akashina section double-tracked in 1966. The Akashina to Nishijo section was also double-tracked, but the original line was decommissioned in 1988.
The Shiojiri to Matsumoto section was electrified in 1964/5, and extended to Shinonoi in 1973, CTC signalling being commissioned on the entire line the previous year.
Station numbering was introduced on the Nagano area from February 2025, with Shinonoi Line stations numbered using the prefix "SN". Numbers increase towards Shinonoi.
Former connecting lines Matsumoto Station: The Chikuma Electric Railway opened a 5 km line, electrified at 600 V DC, to Asama Onsen in 1924. In 1958 the voltage was raised to 750 V DC, but the line closed in 1964.
References