{{Short description|Japanese railway company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox company | name = IR Ishikawa Railway | native_name = IRいしかわ鉄道 | native_name_lang = ja | logo = IR Ishikawa Railway logo.svg | logo_size = 150px | image = Ir ishikawa headquarter building.png | image_size = 250px | image_caption = Company headquarters | type = [[Public-Private Partnerships In Japan|Third sector]] | traded_as = | genre = [[Rail transport]] | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = 28 August 2012 | founder = | defunct = | location_city = [[Kanazawa, Ishikawa]] | location_country = Japan | location = | locations = | area_served = [[Ishikawa Prefecture]] | key_people = | industry = | products = | production = | services = [[Passenger railway]] | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|http://ishikawa-railway.jp}} | footnotes = | intl = }}
{{nihongo|'''IR Ishikawa Railway'''|IRいしかわ鉄道株式会社|IR Ishikawa Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha}} is a Japanese [[third-sector railway]] company established on 28 August 2012 to operate passenger railway services on the portion of the [[JR West]] [[Hokuriku Main Line]] within [[Ishikawa Prefecture]]. Services were transferred to IR Ishikawa Railway in two parts, corresponding with successive extensions of the [[Hokuriku Shinkansen]]. The company headquarters are in [[Kanazawa, Ishikawa]].<ref name="overview2">{{cite web |script-title=ja:会社概要 |trans-title=Company overview |url=http://ishikawa-railway.jp/company/index.html |access-date=21 March 2014 |publisher=IR Ishikawa Railway |language=ja |location=Japan}}</ref>
On 14 March 2015, the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from {{STN|Nagano|x}} to {{STN|Kanazawa|x}} opened and the Hokuriku Main Line between {{Station|Naoetsu|x}} and Kanazawa was separated from the JR West network, with IR Ishikawa Railway acquiring the section between Kanazawa and {{Station|Kurikara|x}}.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=IRいしかわ鉄道株式会社 |url=https://www.ishikawa-railway.jp/ |access-date=2025-07-24 |website=www.ishikawa-railway.jp |language=ja}}</ref>
On 16 March 2024, the Kanazawa to {{Station|Tsuruga|x}} extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened, with IR Ishikawa Railway acquiring the {{Station|Daishōji|x}} to Kanazawa section of the Hokuriku Main Line.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last= |date=16 March 2024 |title=JR北陸本線の県内区間は16日から第３セクターに |trans-title=JR Hokuriku Main Line sections within Ishikawa Prefecture will move to third-sector operations from the 16th of March. |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/kanazawa/20240316/3020019532.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316044053/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/kanazawa/20240316/3020019532.html |archive-date=16 March 2024 |access-date=16 March 2024 |website=NHK NEWS WEB |language=ja}}</ref>
==Shareholders== Shares in the company are owned by [[Ishikawa Prefecture]], the cities of [[Kanazawa, Ishikawa|Kanazawa]] and [[Komatsu, Ishikawa|Komatsu]], the town of [[Tsubata, Ishikawa|Tsubata]], and private-sector businesses.<ref name="overview2"/>
{{Clear}}
==IR Ishikawa Railway Line== {{Infobox rail line | box_width = | name = IR Ishikawa Railway Line | other_name = | native_name = IRいしかわ鉄道線 | native_name_lang = ja | color = 00BFFF <!-- DeepSkyBlue--> | logo = | logo_width = 120px | logo_alt = | image = IR Ishikawa Railway 521 tsubata.JPG | image_width = 300px | image_alt = | caption = A 521 series at [[Tsubata Station]] | type = [[Regional rail]] | system = | status = | locale = [[Ishikawa Prefecture]] | start = {{STN|Daishoji|x}} | end = {{STN|Kurikara|x}} | stations = 19 | routes = | daily_ridership = | open = 1 November 1898 | close = | owner = IR Ishikawa Railway | operator = | character = | depot = | stock = [[521 series]] EMUs | linelength = {{Convert|64.2|km|mi|abbr=on}} | tracklength = | tracks = | gauge = {{Track gauge|1067mm}} | minradius = | routenumber = | linenumber = | electrification = 20 kV AC (60 Hz) | speed = | elevation = | website = http://ishikawa-railway.jp/ | map_state = collapsed | map = {{routemap|inline=1 |map = STR~~[[Hapi-Line Fukui Line]] exKBHFa!~HUBaq\BHF!~HUBeq\~~0.0~~Daishōji exSTRr\STR\~~[[Hokuriku Railroad]] ''Yamanaka Line'' LSTR\STR\~~[[Hokuriku Shinkansen]] BHF!~HUBaq\BHF!~HUBeq\~~4.1~~Kagaonsen LSTR\STR\ exSTR+r\STR\exSTR+l~~[[Hokuriku Railroad|Hokutetsu]] ''Yamashiro Line'', ''Katayamazu Line'' exKBHFe!~HUBaq\BHF!~HUBq\exKBHFe!~HUBeq~~7.3~~Iburihashi exSTR+r\STR\~~Hokutetsu ''Awazu Line'' exKBHFe!~HUBaq\BHF!~HUBeq\~~12.2~~Awazu eABZgl~~For former Komatsu Navy Air Base exSTR+r\\STR\\~~''Ogoya Railway'' exKBHFe!~HUBa\LSTR\STR\\~~ ~~ ~~''Shin-Komatsu'' exKBHFeq!~HUBlf\BHF!~HUBq\BHF!~HUBeq\\~~18.0~~Komatsu~~Left: Hokutetsu ''Komatsu Line'' LSTR\STR\~~Hokuriku Shinkansen hKRZWae~~[[Kakehashi River]] BHF~~20.8~~Meihō eDST~~21.3~~''Matsunashi (Signal Box)''~~ ~~Until 1963 exSTR+r\STR\~~Hokutetsu ''Nomi Line'' exKBHFe!~HUBaq\BHF!~HUBeq\~~23.8~~Nomineagari~~Left： Shin-Terai \KRWgl\KRW+r \STR\KBSTe~~For [[Denki Kagaku Kogyo]] BHF~~26.8~~Komaiko hKRZWae~~Tedorigawa BHF~~28.6~~Mikawa BHF~~32.6~~Kaga-Kasama LSTR\STR\~~Hokuriku Shinkansen KDSTaq\ABZg+r\BHF\\~~35.1~~Nishi-Mattō~~Left: Hakusan Rail Yard exKBHFa!~HUBaq\STR!~HUBq\BHF!~HUBeq\\~~37.0~~Mattō exSTR\STR\ABZgl\KDSTeq\~~Kanazawa Rail Yard exSTRr\STR\STR\\~~Hokutetsu ''Shōkin Line'' STR\BHF\~~40.3~~Nonoichi STR+r\STR\STR\\~~Hokutetsu [[Hokuriku Railroad Ishikawa Line|Ishikawa Line]] BHF!~HUBaq\STR!~HUBq\BHF!~HUBeq\\~~42.7~~Nishi-Kanazawa~~Left: Shin-Nishikanazawa STRr\STR\STR\\ hKRZWae\hKRZWae\~~Saigawa \STR2\STR2+c3\STRc3\exKBHFaq!~HUBa~~ ~~ ~~''Nakabashi''/Hokutetsu ''Kanaiwa Line'' uexHSTq!~HUBa\uexSTR+r!~STRc1\STR+4+c1\STR+4\HUB~~ ~~Hokutetsu ''Kanazawa City Line''~~[[file:BSicon_exTRAM.svg|14px|]] (''Rokumaimachi'') uexHSTq!~HUBtl-2\uexSTRr!~HUBtf-3\BHF!~HUBq\BHF!~HUBq\HUBr~~46.4~~Kanazawa~~[[file:BSicon_exTRAM.svg|14px|]] (''Kanazawa Station'') exKBHFa!~HUBlf-R\KBHFa!~HUBrf-L\STR\STR\~~ ~~ ~~Kanazawa exHST\tSTRe\STR\STR\~~ ~~ ~~''Horikawa'' exSTRl\xABZql\KRZo\KRZo\STRq~~Hokutetsu [[Hokuriku Railroad Asanogawa Line|Asanogawa Line]] \hKRZWae\hKRZWae~~Asanogawa \STRc2\eSTR3+c2\exSTR3!~ABZg2\STRc3 \STR+1\xSTR+1+c4\KDSTe!~exSTRc4!~STRc1\STR+4~~Kanazawa Depot \STR\exBHF\STRc2\ABZg3~~ ~~Higashi-Kanazawa~~ ~~Until 2002 \STR\exSTR\STR+1\DST!~STRc4~~49.0~~Kanazawa Freight Terminal \STR\exSTR\BHF!~STRc2\STR3~~49.0~~Higashi-Kanazawa \STR\xSTR+c2\ABZ3+1g\STRc4~~ ~~ ~~[[File:BSicon_exTRAM.svg|14px|]] (''Higashikanazawa Station'') STR\xABZg+1\STRc4 STR\BHF\~~51.8~~Morimoto STR\eDST\~~54.8~~''Hanazono (Signal Box)''~~ ~~Until 1938 LSTR\BHF\~~57.9~~Tsubata LSTR\ABZgl\~~JR West [[Nanao Line]] hKRZWae\hKRZWae\~~Tsubatagawa STRl\KRZu\STRq~~Hokuriku Shinkansen BHF~~64.2~~Kurikara STR~~[[Ainokaze Toyama Railway]] }} }}
From 14 March 2015, IR Ishikawa Railway took over control of local passenger operations on the {{Cvt|17.8|km}} section JR West [[Hokuriku Main Line]] between {{STN|Kanazawa|x}} and {{STN|Kurikara|x}}, with five stations (although Kanazawa Station remains under the control of JR West).<ref name="dj371">{{cite magazine |last= Osano|first=Kagetoshi |script-title=ja: 北陸新幹線並行在来線各社の姿 |trans-title=Guide to companies operating conventional lines alongside the Hokuriku Shinkansen |magazine=Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine |volume = 44|issue = 371 |pages=28–33 |publisher = Kōtsū Shimbun |location = Japan |language= ja |date = March 2015}}</ref> An additional {{Cvt|46.4|km}} section west to [[Daishōji Station|Daishoji]] with 14 stations was acquired from 16 March 2024.<ref name=":02"/>
===Service outline=== Train services are generally operated in two sections:<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=202501211727_凡例修正_営業課確認済み_ＩＲ詳細時刻表（2025年3月15日改正） |url=https://www.ishikawa-railway.jp/timetable/pdf/20250315.pdf |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=IRいしかわ鉄道株式会社}}</ref>
* Daishoji to Kanazawa * Kanazawa to Tsubata & Kurikara
[[Through service]]s are operated at both ends of the line.<ref name="dj371" /><ref name=":3" />
At the western end of the line at Daishoji, most trains operate through service to/from [[Fukui Station (Fukui)|Fukui]] on the [[Hapi-Line Fukui Line]].
At the eastern end of the line, all trains (other than a small number of weekday peak hour trips terminating at Tsubata) operate through service either:
* At Tsubata: to/from [[Nanao Station|Nanao]] on the [[Nanao Line|JR West Nanao Line]]; OR * At Kurikara: to/from [[Toyama Station|Toyama]] & [[Ichiburi Station|Ichiburi]] on the [[Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line]]
Limited-stop "Rapid" services named {{Nihongo|''Ainokaze Liner''|あいの風ライナー}} are operated between Kanazawa and {{STN|Tomari|x|Toyama}} by Ainokaze Toyama Railway during the weekday morning and evening peaks, but these do not serve any IR Ishikawa Railway stations other than Kanazawa.<ref name="dj371" />
Limited Express ''[[Noto Kagaribi]]'' (Kanazawa - {{STN|Wakuraonsen|x}}) services also operate over the section of the line between Kanazawa and Tsubata, with two of the Kanazawa-bound services stopping at Tsubata.<ref name="dj371" />
''See [[#Limited Express trains]] for details of previously operated Limited Express trains.''
===Stations=== All stations are in Ishikawa Prefecture.
====Legend==== ● - All Rapid or Ainokaze liner trains stop<br/>| - All Rapid or Ainokaze liner trains pass {| class="wikitable" ! Station ! Japanese ! Distance<br />(km) ! Rapid ! Liner ! Transfers ! Location |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;" | ↑ Through service to/from [[Fukui Station (Fukui)|Fukui]] on the Hapi-Line Fukui Line ↑ |- |{{STN|Daishōji|x}} |大聖寺 | align=right|0.0 | align="center" | ● | rowspan="14"| |[[Hapi-Line Fukui Line]] | rowspan="3" |[[Kaga, Ishikawa|Kaga]] |- |{{STN|Kagaonsen|x}} |加賀温泉 | align=right|4.1 | align="center" | ● |[[File:Shinkansen_jrw.svg|18x18px]] [[Hokuriku Shinkansen]] |- |{{STN|Iburihashi|x}} |動橋 | align=right|7.3 | align="center" | ● | |- |{{STN|Awazu|x|Ishikawa}} |粟津 | align=right|12.2 | align="center" | ● | | rowspan="3" |[[Komatsu, Ishikawa|Komatsu]] |- |{{STN|Komatsu|x}} |小松 | align=right|18.0 | align="center" | ● |[[File:Shinkansen_jrw.svg|18x18px]] [[Hokuriku Shinkansen]] |- |{{STN|Meihō|x}} |明峰 | align=right|20.8 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- |{{STN|Nomi-Neagari|x}} |能美根上 | align=right|23.8 | align="center" | ● | |[[Nomi, Ishikawa|Nomi]] |- |{{STN|Komaiko|x}} |小舞子 | align=right|26.8 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | | rowspan="5" |[[Hakusan, Ishikawa|Hakusan]] |- |{{STN|Mikawa|x|Ishikawa}} |美川 | align=right|28.6 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- |{{STN|Kaga-Kasama|x}} |加賀笠間 | align=right|32.6 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- |[[Nishi-Mattō Station|Nishi-Matto]] |西松任 | align=right|35.1 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- |{{STN|Mattō|x}} |松任 | align=right|37.0 | align="center" | ● | |- |{{STN|Nonoichi|x|JR West}} |野々市 | align=right|40.3 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |[[Nonoichi, Ishikawa|Nonoichi]] |- |{{STN|Nishi-Kanazawa|x}} |西金沢 | align=right|42.7 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | | rowspan="5" |[[Kanazawa, Ishikawa|Kanazawa]] |- | {{STN|Kanazawa|x}} | 金沢 | align="right" | 46.4 | align="center" | ● | align="center" | ● | [[File:Shinkansen_jrw.svg|18x18px]] [[Hokuriku Shinkansen]]<br />[[Hokuriku Railroad Asanogawa Line]] (Hokutetsu-Kanazawa) |- |''Kanazawa Freight Terminal'' |金沢貨物ターミナル | align=right|49.0 | rowspan="4" | | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- | {{STN|Higashi-Kanazawa|x}} | 東金沢 | align="right" | 49.0 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- | {{STN|Morimoto|x}} | 森本 | align="right" | 51.8 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | |- | {{STN|Tsubata|x}} | 津幡 | align="right" | 57.9 | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | [[Nanao Line]] | [[Tsubata, Ishikawa|Tsubata]] |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |↓ Through service to/from [[Nanao Station|Nanao]] on the [[Nanao Line|JR West Nanao Line]] ↓ |- | {{STN|Kurikara|x}} | 倶利伽羅 | align="right" | 64.2 | | align="center" | <nowiki>|</nowiki> | [[Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line]] |[[Tsubata, Ishikawa|Tsubata]] |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| ↓ Through service to/from [[Toyama Station|Toyama]] & [[Ichiburi Station|Ichiburi]] on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line ↓ |}
==Rolling stock== ''Some content in this section is translated and summarised from the existing Japanese Wikipedia article at [[:ja:JR西日本521系電車|ja:京都市営地下鉄]]; see its history for attribution.''
{{As of|2024|October|1}}, the company operates a fleet of 24 two-car [[521 series]] [[Electric multiple unit|EMU]] trainsets (48 cars) numbered IR01-IR24. Trains were manufactured by [[Kinki Sharyo]] and [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries]] and are normally operated as two- or four-car formations.<ref name="railfan6503">{{cite magazine |last=Terada |first=Hirokazu |date=June 2015 |script-title=ja: 北陸新幹線長野ー金沢間開業 並行在来線4社5路線を訪ねて（１） |trans-title=Visiting the 5 parallel conventional lines of 4 companies following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa |magazine=[[Japan Railfan Magazine]] |publisher=Koyusha Co., Ltd. |location=Japan |pages=42–47 |language=ja |volume=55 |issue=650}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" ! Set Numbers !! Series !! Entered service !! style="text-align:right;" | No. of sets |- | IR01-IR05 || 521-0 || 14 March 2015 || style="text-align:right;" | 5 |- | IR06-IR08 || 521-100 || 3 December 2020 || style="text-align:right;" | 3 |- | IR09-IR24 || 521-0 || 16 March 2024 || style="text-align:right;" | 16 |- | || || Total: || style="text-align:right;" | 24 |}
=== History ===
==== From 14 March 2015 (opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa) ==== For operation of the Kanazawa to Kurikawa section from 14 March 2015, five two-car 521 series trainsets - three second-batch sets (10, 14, and 30) were transferred from JR West, and two third-batch sets (55 and 56) were newly built. The two new sets were initially delivered in February 2015 in standard JR West livery but were repainted into the IR Ishikawa Railway livery before entering service.<ref name="railfan6503"/>
{{As of|2015|4|1}}, the 521 series fleet is as follows.<ref name="jrr2015_summer2">{{cite book |date=20 May 2015 |publisher=Kotsu Shimbunsha |isbn=978-4-330-56915-4 |location=Japan |page=142 |language=ja |script-title=ja: JR電車編成表 2015夏 |trans-title=JR EMU Formations - Summer 2015}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" !Set no. !Former JR West set no. !Batch !Manufacturer !Delivery date !Livery accent colour |- ! colspan="6" |521-0 series |- |IR01 |10 |2nd batch |[[Kinki Sharyo]] |22 December 2009 |{{colorbull|YellowGreen}} Light green |- |IR02 |14 |2nd batch |Kinki Sharyo |2 March 2010 |{{colorbull|Purple}} Purple |- |IR03 |30 |2nd batch |[[Kawasaki Heavy Industries]] |15 February 2011 |{{colorbull|DarkBlue}} Indigo |- |IR04 |55 |3rd batch |Kinki Sharyo |6 February 2015 |{{colorbull|DarkGoldenrod}} Ochre |- |IR05 |56 |3rd batch |Kinki Sharyo |6 February 2015 |{{colorbull|Maroon}} Maroon |}
==== From 3 December 2020 ==== Three newly built 2-car 521 series trains were acquired in conjunction with JR West introducing 521 series trains on the Nanao Line, as the Nanao Line operates a through service on the IR Ishikawa Railway Line to/from Kanazawa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IRいしかわ鉄道向け521系100番台6両が登場｜鉄道ニュース｜2020年12月4日掲載｜鉄道ファン・railf.jp |url=https://railf.jp/news/2020/12/04/000000.html |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=鉄道ファン・railf.jp |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New EMUs For JR West's Nanao Line |url=https://www.railvolution.net/news/new-emus-for-jr-west-s-nanao-line |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=Railvolution |language=en}}</ref>
These sets were built for JR West but delivered to IR Ishikawa Railway and became set numbers IR06-IR08. {| class="wikitable" !Set no. !Manufacturer !Delivery date |- ! colspan="3" |521-100 series |- |IR06 |Kinki Sharyo |3 December 2020 |- |IR07 |Kinki Sharyo |3 December 2020 |- |IR08 |Kinki Sharyo |3 December 2020 |}
==== From 16 March 2024 (opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Kanazawa to Tsuruga) ==== For operation of the Daishōji to Kanazawa section, 16 two-car 521 series trains were transferred from JR West. These were numbered IR09-IR24.<gallery widths=180> File:IR Ishikawa Railway 521 tsubata station.JPG|IR Ishikawa 521-0 series EMU set IR03, June 2015 </gallery>
== Limited Express trains ==
=== From 14 March 2015 (opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa) === ''[[Thunderbird (train)|Thunderbird]]'' Limited Express services from {{STN|Osaka|x}} prior to this date ran as far as {{Station|Toyama|x}} (14 round trips per day) & {{Station|Uozu|x}} (1 round trip per day) on the Hokuriku Main Line and {{Station|Wakuraonsen|x}} on the [[Nanao Line]] (4 round trips per day).<ref>{{Cite web |title=平成22年春ダイヤ改正について |url=http://www.westjr.co.jp/news/newslist/article/pdf/20091218_kaisei_kanazawa.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228213150/http://www.westjr.co.jp/news/newslist/article/pdf/20091218_kaisei_kanazawa.pdf |archive-date=2009-12-28 |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=JR東日本：東日本旅客鉄道株式会社}}</ref> From this date ''Thunderbird'' services were truncated to only operate between Osaka and Kanazawa, except for one daily round trip to Wakuraonsen.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2014-08-27 |title=北陸新幹線 長野～金沢間開業に伴う運行計画の概要について |url=https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2014/20140814.pdf |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=JR東日本：東日本旅客鉄道株式会社}}</ref>
''[[Noto Kagaribi]]'' Limited Express services between Kanazawa and {{STN|Wakuraonsen|x}} commenced operation on this date (5 round trips per day) to compensate for removal of all but one of the ''Thunderbird'' services to Wakuraonsen.<ref name=":2" /> These operate over the section of the line between Kanazawa and Tsubata, with two of the Kanazawa-bound services stopping at Tsubata.<ref name="dj3712">{{cite magazine |last=Osano |first=Kagetoshi |date=March 2015 |script-title=ja: 北陸新幹線並行在来線各社の姿 |trans-title=Guide to companies operating conventional lines alongside the Hokuriku Shinkansen |magazine=Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine |publisher=Kōtsū Shimbun |location=Japan |pages=28–33 |language=ja |volume=44 |issue=371}}</ref> On 12 March 2022, one round trip was removed reducing the number of round trips per day from five to four.<ref>{{Cite web |title=211217_05_kanazawa.pdf |url=https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/211217_05_kanazawa.pdf |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=JR東日本：東日本旅客鉄道株式会社}}</ref>
=== From 16 March 2024 (opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Kanazawa to Tsuruga) === All ''Thunderbird'' services from this date were truncated to operate between Osaka and Tsuruga only (25 round trips per day).<ref>{{Cite web |title=JR西日本，3月16日にダイヤ改正を実施 〜北陸新幹線 金沢—敦賀間が延伸開業〜｜鉄道ニュース｜2023年12月15日掲載｜鉄道ファン・railf.jp |url=https://railf.jp/news/2023/12/15/162300.html |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=鉄道ファン・railf.jp |language=ja}}</ref>
''Noto Kagaribi'' Limited Express services between Kanazawa and Wakuraonsen continue to operate on the IR Ishikawa Railway Line and have been increased from four to five daily round trips in lieu of the removed ''Thunderbird'' round trip to Wakuraonsen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=231215_00_press_daiyakaisei_hokuriku.pdf |url=https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/231215_00_press_daiyakaisei_hokuriku.pdf |access-date=2025-07-25 |website=JR東日本：東日本旅客鉄道株式会社}}</ref>
==History== The line eastward from Kanazawa was opened on 1 November 1898 on the [[Hokuriku Main Line]].<ref name="teishajo1998">{{cite book |script-title=ja: 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 |trans-title=Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR|publisher = JTB | editor1-last = Ishino| editor1-first = Tetsu| year = 1998 |location = Japan |language = ja | volume = II|page = 137|isbn = 978-4-533-02980-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nex4AAAACAAJ|title=停車場変遷大事典: 国鉄・jr編}}</ref> With the [[privatization]] of [[JNR]] on 1 April 1987, the line came under the control of [[West Japan Railway Company|JR West]].<ref name="teishajo1998"/>
The new third-sector operating company was founded on 28 August 2012<ref name="overview2"/> and was renamed IR Ishikawa Railway from 1 August 2013.<ref name="47news20130802">{{cite web|url= http://www.47news.jp/localnews/ishikawa/2013/08/post_20130802071856.html|script-title= ja:ＩＲいしかわ鉄道 始動並行在来線三セク会社 看板掲げ準備本格化|trans-title= IR Ishikawa Railway: Preparation starts in earnest for third-sector company|date= 2 August 2013|website= 47 News|publisher= Press Net Japan Co., Ltd.|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 21 March 2014|archive-date= 21 March 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140321030855/http://www.47news.jp/localnews/ishikawa/2013/08/post_20130802071856.html|url-status= dead}}</ref> The company was formally granted a railway operating license by the [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism]] on 28 February 2014.<ref name="mlit20140226">{{cite web |url= http://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/tetsudo03_hh_000054.html|script-title=ja:しなの鉄道（株）、えちごトキめき鉄道（株）、あいの風とやま鉄道（株）及びＩＲいしかわ鉄道（株）申請の第一種鉄道事業許可について |trans-title=Details of railway business approval for Shinano Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Railway Company, Ainokaze Toyama Railway, and IR Ishikawa Railway|date= 26 February 2014|website= News release |publisher= Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 21 March 2014}}</ref>
Effective the timetable revision that took place on 16 March 2024, the section of the Hokuriku Main Line from Kanazawa Station to [[Daishōji Station|Daishoji Station]] was transferred from JR West to IR Ishikawa Railway.<ref name=":02"/> The line has been running between Daishoji and [[Kurikara Station|Kurikara]] effective the same date.
==See also== *[[List of railway companies in Japan]] *[[List of railway lines in Japan]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website|http://ishikawa-railway.jp}} {{in lang|ja}} {{Parallel_Conventional_Lines_(Japan)}} {{Hokuriku_Main_Line_(undivided)|station=0|i=true}}
[[Category:Railway companies of Japan]] [[Category:Companies based in Kanazawa]] [[Category:Japanese companies established in 2012]] [[Category:Railway lines opened in 1898]] [[Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan]] [[Category:Japanese third-sector railway lines]]