# Etsumi-Hoku Line > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Etsumi-Hoku_Line > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Etsumi-Hoku_Line.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etsumi-Hoku_Line > Source revision: 1342043201 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Railway line in Fukui prefecture, Japan Etsumi-Hoku Line (Kuzuryū Line) A JR West KiHa 120 series DMU at Ichijōdani Station Overview Native name 越美北線 Status In operation Owner JR West Locale Fukui Prefecture Termini Echizen-Hanandō Kuzuryūko Stations 22 Service Type Heavy rail Operator JR West Rolling stock KiHa 120 series DMU History Opened 1960 Technical Line length 52.5 km (32.6 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 This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Etsumi-Hoku Line" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The **Etsumi-Hoku Line** (越美北線, *Etsumi Hoku-sen*; "Etsumi North Line"), also called the **Kuzuryū Line** (九頭竜線, *Kuzuryū-sen*), is a railway line operated by [West Japan Railway Company](/source/West_Japan_Railway_Company) (JR West) in [Fukui Prefecture](/source/Fukui_Prefecture), Japan.[1] The line extends 52.5 km (32.6 mi) from [Echizen-Hanandō Station](/source/Echizen-Hanand%C5%8D_Station) in [Fukui](/source/Fukui_(city)) to [Kuzuryūko Station](/source/Kuzury%C5%ABko_Station) in [Ōno](/source/%C5%8Cno%2C_Fukui) with a total of 22 stations. The line was originally planned to connect to what is now the [Nagaragawa Railway](/source/Nagaragawa_Railway) (previously [Etsumi-Nan Line](/source/Etsumi-Nan_Line)), but the last 24.0 km (14.9 mi) section that would have involved extensive tunneling was never commenced.[1] A bus service provided a connection between the two lines until it ceased in 2002. ## Route data - Operating Company: - [West Japan Railway Company](/source/West_Japan_Railway_Company) (Services and tracks) - Distance: - Echizen-Hanandō — Kuzuryūko: 52.5 km / 32.6 mi. - [Gauge](/source/Track_gauge): 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) - Stations: 22 - Double-tracking: None - Electrification: Not electrified - [Railway signalling](/source/Railway_signalling): - Echizen-Hanandō — Echizen-Ōno: [Simplified automatic](/source/Automatic_Block_Signal) - Echizen-Ōno — Kuzuryūko Station: [Staff token](/source/Token_(railway_signalling)) ## Stations - All trains stop at all stations. - Between [Echizen-Hanandō](/source/Echizen-Hanand%C5%8D_Station) and [Fukui](/source/Fukui_Station_(Fukui)) trains run on the [Hapi-Line Fukui Line](/source/Hapi-Line_Fukui_Line) (formerly Hokuriku Main Line). - All stations located in Fukui Prefecture. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Tracks Location Between stations From Echizen-Hanandō Hapi-Line Fukui Line Fukui 福井駅 - 2.6 ■ Hapi-Line Fukui Line (for Kanazawa) Echizen Railway Katsuyama Eiheiji Line Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line Fukui Railway Fukubu Line (Fukui-eki) ∥ Fukui Etsumi-Hoku Line Echizen-Hanandō 越前花堂駅 2.6 0.0 ■ Hapi-Line Fukui Line (for Tsuruga) Y Fukui Rokujō 六条駅 2.3 2.3 ｜ Asuwa 足羽駅 1.4 3.7 ｜ Echizen-Tōgō 越前東郷駅 2.0 5.7 ｜ Ichijōdani 一乗谷駅 2.6 8.3 ｜ Echizen-Takada 越前高田駅 3.1 11.4 ｜ Ichinami 市波駅 1.2 12.6 ｜ Kowashōzu 小和清水駅 2.0 14.6 ｜ Miyama 美山駅 2.9 17.5 ◇ Echizen-Yakushi 越前薬師駅 2.0 19.5 ｜ Echizen-Ōmiya 越前大宮駅 2.7 22.2 ｜ Hakariishi 計石駅 2.2 24.4 ｜ Ushigahara 牛ヶ原駅 3.2 27.6 ｜ Ōno Kita-Ōno 北大野駅 1.8 29.4 ｜ Echizen-Ōno 越前大野駅 2.0 31.4 ◇ Echizen-Tano 越前田野駅 2.9 34.3 ｜ Echizen-Tomida 越前富田駅 1.4 35.7 ｜ Shimoyuino 下唯野駅 3.1 38.8 ｜ Kakigashima 柿ヶ島駅 1.0 39.8 ｜ Kadohara 勝原駅 2.5 42.3 ｜ Echizen-Shimoyama 越前下山駅 6.5 48.8 ｜ Kuzuryūko 九頭竜湖駅 3.7 52.5 ｜ **Legend** - ◇ - stations with passing loops - ∥ - double-tracked section - ｜- single-tracked section - Y - junction station ## History A [KiHa 120](/source/KiHa_120) DMU at Fukui Station - December 15, 1960: Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Hanandō — Kadohara section (43.1 km) opens. Freight operations begin between Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Ōno. - Echizen-Hanandō, Rokujō, Echizen-Tōgō, Ichijōdani, Ichinami, Kowashōzu, Miyama, Echizen-Yakushi, Echizen-Ōmiya, Hakariishi, Ushigahara, Echizen-Ōno, Echizen-Tomida, Shimo-Yuino, Kakigashima, Kadohara stations open. - May 20, 1964: Asuwa, Echizen-Takada, Echizen-Tano stations open. - October 15, 1965: Freight operations begin between Echizen-Ōno — Kadohara. - March 25, 1968: Kita-Ōno Station opens. - October 1, 1968: Freight operations end at Kadohara Station. - December 15, 1972: Extension from Kadohara to Kuzuryūko (10.2 km) opens, including the 5251m Arashima tunnel. - April 1, 1973: Freight operations end between Echizen-Ōno — Echizen-Tomida - October 1980: Seasonal rapid train "Okuetsu-gō" begins operation. - November 15, 1982: Freight operations end between Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Ōno, ending freight service on the entire line. - April 1, 1987: With the breakup and privatization of Japan National Railways, line becomes part of West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Beginning of line moved 800 meters to Echizen-Hanandō Station. - June 1, 1990: Driver-only operation begins. - September 1, 1992: Regular rapid service begins. - September 12, 1995: "Kuzuryū Line" name goes into use. - September 1, 1997: Seasonal rapid train "Okuetsu-gō" ceases operation. - March 3, 2001: Regular rapid service ends. - July 18, 2004: Due to heavy rains, five railway bridges are washed away, forcing operations to stop. - July 20, 2004: Service restored between Echizen-Ōno — Kuzuryūko. - September 11, 2004: Service restored between Echizen-Hanandō — Ichijōdani, Miyama — Echizen-Ōno. - June 30, 2007: Service restored between Ichijōdani — Miyama, allowing full service on the line to resume. ## See also - [List of railway lines in Japan](/source/List_of_railway_lines_in_Japan) ## References Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Etsumi-Hoku Line](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Etsumi-Hoku_Line). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) ["Etsumi Hokusen (Kuzuryû-sen) 越美北線 – The Railways of Japan"](https://railwaysofjapan.net/etsumi-hokusen-kuzuryu-sen/). *railwaysofjapan.net*. Retrieved 2026-03-06. v t e JR West lines Shinkansen San'yō Shinkansen (Hakataminami) Hokuriku Shinkansen Main Kansai Kisei Sanin San'yō Takayama Tōkaidō Hokuriku Local Akō Bantan Line Etsumi-Hoku JR Takarazuka Line Fukuen Line Gantoku Geibi Line Hakubi Line Hanwa Line Himi Honshi-Bisan Line Inbi Line Jōhana JR Tōzai Line Kabe Line Kakogawa Line Kansai Airport Line Gakkentoshi Line Kibi Line Kishin Line Kisuki Line Kosei Line Kure Line Kusatsu Line Maizuru Line Mine Nanao Nara Line Obama Ōito Onoda Osaka Higashi Line Osaka Loop Sakai Line Man-yō Mahoroba Line (Sakurai Line) JR Yumesaki Line Tsuyama Line Ube Uno Line Wakayama Line Yamaguchi Other Biwako Line JR Kyōto Line JR Kōbe Line Sagano Yamatoji Seto-Ōhashi Past Gannichi Hokuriku Main Hapi Fukui Ishikawa Ainokaze Toyama Echigo Tokimeki Nihonkai Hisui Kajiya Miki Miyazu Noto Sankō Shigaraki Taisha Toyamakō Wakasa Gakkentoshi Kyobashi - Katamachi --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Etsumi-Hoku Line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etsumi-Hoku_Line) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etsumi-Hoku_Line?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.