The is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro in Tokyo, Japan. On average, the line carries 1,447,730 passengers daily (2017), the second highest of the Tokyo Metro network, behind the Tōzai Line (1,642,378).

The line was named after the Chiyoda ward, under which it passes. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color green, and its stations are given numbers using the letter "C".

Overview

The line serves the wards of Adachi, Arakawa, Bunkyō, Chiyoda, Minato and Shibuya, and a short stretch of tunnel in Taitō with no station. Its official name, rarely used, is . The Chiyoda Line was built as a bypass for the older Hibiya Line, with both lines following a similar route and having direct interchanges at three stations. Trains have through running onto other railway lines on both ends. More than half of these are trains to the northeast beyond Ayase onto the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) Joban Line to ( during the rush hour). The rest run to the southwest beyond Yoyogi-Uehara onto the Odakyu Odawara Line to .

Services on the Kita-Ayase branch consist of a combination of shuttle services to Ayase and through services to Yoyogi-Uehara.

The Chiyoda Line has direct interchanges with all other Tokyo Metro and Toei lines with the exception of the Toei Oedo Line. However, Yushima Station is located relatively close to Ueno-okachimachi Station on the Oedo Line without being marked as an official transfer between the lines.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, as of June 2009 the Chiyoda Line was the second most crowded subway line in Tokyo, at its peak running at 181% capacity between and stations. In 2016 congestion was reported at 178%. In both fiscal years 2021 & 2022 the congestion rate had dropped to 139%, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

Planning

The Chiyoda Line was originally proposed in 1962 as a route running from “Kitami – Harajuku – Nagatachō – Hibiya – Ikenohata – Nippori – Matsudo” under Urban Transportation Council Report No. 6 (都市交通審議会答申第6号); the initial name was Line 8.

In a revision issued in January 1964, it was indicated that the section from Nippori to Matsudo would connect to the Jōban Line via Nishi-Nippori, Machiya, and Kita-Senju, with the Jōban Line extended beyond Ayase. A further revision in March specified that the Odakyū Odawara Line would be extended between Kitami and Yoyogi-Uehara to serve the section from Kitami to Harajuku.

On December 16, 1964, Line 8 was formally designated as Line 9, officially named the Tokyo Metropolitan Rapid Transit Line No. 9, and the 32.5 km section between Kitami and Ayase was finalized. However, until April 1968, the line number differed by authority: it was referred to as Line 8 by the Urban Transportation Council under the Ministry of Construction, while the Tokyo Metropolitan Government designated it as Line 9.

The first stretch was opened on December 20, 1969 between and . The line was almost completed by October 10, 1972 when it reached , although the section to was not completed until March 31, 1978.

The branch line to was opened on December 20, 1979. This branch primarily serves as a connection to Ayase Depot, but also serves Kita-Ayase Station constructed in the area. A three-car shuttle service operated between Ayase and Kita-Ayase.

The Chiyoda Line was one of the lines targeted in the Aum sarin gas attack on March 20, 1995.

On May 15, 2006, women-only cars were introduced on early-morning trains from on the Joban Line to .

On March 18, 2008, the Chiyoda Line became the first subway line in Japan with operations by reserved-seating trains when Odakyu Romancecar limited express services began running between Kita-Senju and (on the Hakone Tozan Line) and (on the Odakyu Tama Line). Trains also run from/to using tracks connecting to the Yurakucho Line.

On March 16, 2019, 10-car trains commenced operation on the branch line to Kita-Ayase station after platforms were lengthened by 135m, allowing direct services from Kita-Ayase to Yoyogi-Uehara.

Basic data

  • Distance:
  • Double-tracking: Entire line
  • Railway signalling: New CS-ATC

Metro Morning Way, Metro Homeway and Metro Hakone

Metro Morning Way and Metro Homeway and are fully reserved seat commuter trains operating between Hon Atsugi on the Odakyu Odawara Line and Kita-Senju on the Chiyoda Line using 60000 series MSE Romancecar trains. These services require a seat reservation as well as payment of the Limited Express fee. Tickets can be purchased online or at ticket vending machines or ticket counters at Odakyu stations. Travel wholly within the Chiyoda Line is not permitted.

As of July 2024, on weekdays there are 2 Metro Morning Way services to Kita-Senju arriving 07:53 & 09:40, and there are 5 Metro Homeway services departing Otemachi hourly between 17:30 & 21:30 of which only the 18:30 departure commences from Kita-Senju at 18:14.

| style="text-align:right;" | -

| style="text-align:right;" |0.0

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |※

| (OH05)

| rowspan="3" |Shibuya

|-

|

|

|代々木公園

| style="text-align:right;" |1.0

| style="text-align:right;" |1.0

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| (: OH04)

|-

|

| (Harajuku)

|明治神宮前

| style="text-align:right;" |1.2

| style="text-align:right;" |2.2

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

|-

|

|

|表参道

| style="text-align:right;" |0.9

| style="text-align:right;" |3.1

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |●

|

| rowspan="3" |Minato

|-

|

|

|乃木坂

| style="text-align:right;" |1.4

| style="text-align:right;" |4.5

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|&nbsp;

|-

|

|

|赤坂

| style="text-align:right;" |1.1

| style="text-align:right;" |5.6

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|&nbsp;

|-

|

|

|国会議事堂前

| style="text-align:right;" |0.8

| style="text-align:right;" |6.4

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

| rowspan="6" |Chiyoda

|-

|

|

|霞ケ関

| style="text-align:right;" |0.8

| style="text-align:right;" |7.2

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |●

|

|-

|

|

|日比谷

| style="text-align:right;" |0.8

| style="text-align:right;" |8.0

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

|-

|

|

|二重橋前

| style="text-align:right;" |0.7

| style="text-align:right;" |8.7

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

|-

|

|

|大手町

| style="text-align:right;" |0.7

| style="text-align:right;" |9.4

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |●

|

|-

|

|

|新御茶ノ水

| style="text-align:right;" |1.3

| style="text-align:right;" |10.7

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

|-

|

|

|湯島

| style="text-align:right;" |1.2

| style="text-align:right;" |11.9

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

| rowspan="3" |Bunkyō

|-

|

|

|根津

| style="text-align:right;" |1.2

| style="text-align:right;" |13.1

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|&nbsp;

|-

|

|

|千駄木

| style="text-align:right;" |1.0

| style="text-align:right;" |14.1

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|&nbsp;

|-

|

|

|西日暮里

| style="text-align:right;" |0.9

| style="text-align:right;" |15.0

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

| rowspan="2" |Arakawa

|-

|

|

|町屋

| style="text-align:right;" |1.7

| style="text-align:right;" |16.7

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

|

|-

|

|

|北千住

| style="text-align:right;" |2.6

| style="text-align:right;" |19.3

| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" |●

|

| rowspan="2" |Adachi

|-

|

|

|綾瀬

Tokyo Metro

  • 16000 series (x37) (since November 2010)
  • 05 series 3-car trains (x4) (since April 2014, used on Kita-Ayase Branch)

<gallery widths="180">

File:Tokyo-metro 16108.jpg|16000 series 10-car set in September 2011

File:Tokyo Metro 05-013F Chiyoda line Kita-Ayase branch line for test run.jpg|05 series 3-car set in March 2014

</gallery>

Odakyu

  • 4000 series (since September 2007)
  • 60000 series MSE (since spring 2008, used on Metro Morning Way, Metro Homeway & Metro Hakone services)

<gallery widths="180">

File:Odakyu 4000 Jōban Local train.jpg|An Odakyu 4000 series set in April 2016

File:Odakyu 60000kei metro hakone.JPG|An Odakyu 60000 series MSE Romancecar EMU on a Metro Hakone service in April 2012

</gallery>

JR East

  • E233-2000 series (x19) (since summer 2009)

<gallery widths=180>

File:E233系2000番台マト10編成.jpg|A Jōban Line/Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line E233-2000 series set in April 2019

</gallery>

Former rolling stock

  • 6000 series (x35) (from 1971 until November 2018)
  • JNR 103-1000 series (x16) (from 1971 until April 1986)
  • JR East 203 series (x17) (from August 27, 1982 until September 26, 2011)
  • JR East 209-1000 series (x2) (from 1999 until October 13, 2018)
  • JNR 207–900 series (x1) (from 1986 until December 2009)
  • 5000 series 3-car trains (x2) (from 1969 until 2014, later used on branch line)
  • 6000 series 3-car train (x1) (prototype of the series built in 1968 until 2014, used on branch line)
  • 06 series (x1) (from 1993 until January 2015)
  • 07 series (x1) (September 2008 – December 2008)
  • Odakyu 1000 series (1988–2010)
  • Odakyu 9000 series (1978–1990)

<gallery widths=180>

File:Model 5000-Chiyoda of Teito Rapid Transit Authority.JPG|5000 series (Aluminum prototype)

File:Tokyometro 6000 Chiyoda.jpg|A Tokyo Metro 6000 series set in December 2014

File:Chiyoda-line series07.jpg|An 07 series set in December 2008

File:Oer9000mikaku.JPG|An Odakyu 9000 series set in October 1977

</gallery>

Notes

a. Crowding levels defined by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism:

:100% — Commuters have enough personal space and are able to take a seat or stand while holding onto the straps or hand rails.

:150% — Commuters have enough personal space to read a newspaper.

:180% — Commuters must fold newspapers to read.

:200% — Commuters are pressed against each other in each compartment but can still read small magazines.

:250% — Commuters are pressed against each other, unable to move.

References

  • Tokyo Metro website