View source for Kosei Line

{{short description|Railway line in Japan}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox rail line
| caption          = Special Rapid Service train (right) and ''[[Thunderbird (train)|Thunderbird]]'' limited express (left) at Hira Station
| color            = 00A8E4
| electrification  = {{1,500 V DC}}, [[overhead catenary]]
| end              = {{STN|Ōmi-Shiotsu}}
| gauge            = {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}}
| image            = JR West 223 series EMU 053.JPG
| image_alt        = An image of a 223 series electric multiple unit.
| image_width      = 300px
| linelength       = {{convert|74.1|km|miles|abbr=on}}
| locale           = [[Kyoto Prefecture]] and [[Shiga Prefecture]]
| logo             = JRW kinki-B.svg
| logo_alt         = An image of the JR West Kosei Line logo.
| logo_width       = 50
| map              =
| map_state        = collapsed
| name             = Kosei Line
| native_name      = 湖西線
| native_name_lang = ja
| open             = {{Start date|1974|07|20}}
| operator         = [[JR West]]<br>[[JR Freight]]
| owner            = [[JR West]]
| speed            = {{convert|130|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| start            = {{STN|Yamashina}}
| stations         = 21
| system           = Urban Network (Yamashina – Nagahara)
| trainprotection  = [[ATS-P]] and ATS-SW
| type             = [[Heavy rail]]
}}

The {{Nihongo|'''Kosei Line'''|湖西線|''Kosei-sen''|{{lit|lake west line}}}} is a [[commuter rail]] line in [[Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto|Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area]], operated by [[West Japan Railway Company]] (JR West). The line was completed in 1974 by the former [[Japanese National Railways]] (JNR) to provide faster access from the [[Kansai region]] to the [[Hokuriku region]]. It originates at [[Yamashina Station]] in [[Yamashina-ku, Kyoto]] and ends at [[Ōmi-Shiotsu Station]] in [[Nagahama, Shiga]].

Its name means "the line to the west of the lake," indicating that it approximately parallels the western shore of [[Lake Biwa|Biwako]]. Trains continue from [[Omi-Shiotsu Station]] to [[Tsuruga Station]] on the [[Hokuriku Main Line]] Yamashina to [[Kyoto Station]] on the [[Tōkaidō Main Line]] for convenient transfer to lines serving the [[Kansai]] as well as the [[Tōkaidō Shinkansen]].

In addition to local, Rapid and Special Rapid services, limited express trains such as the ''[[Thunderbird (train)|Thunderbird]]'', as well as freight trains are frequently operated on the line. Only few of limited express trains stop at Katata or Omi-Imazu and others skip all stations on the line.

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
A direct Tsuruga – Kyoto line was included in the 1922 Railway Construction Act.

In the meantime, the Kojaku Railway Co. opened a line from Hamaotsu on the [[Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line]] {{Convert|51|km|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Ōmi-Imazu Station|Omi-Imazu]] between 1923 and 1929. Between 1947 and 1965 there was a connection between Zeze on the [[Tokaido Main Line]] and Hamaotsu, allowing direct connection to the Tokaido Line.

The line was purchased by JNR and closed in 1969 so the Kosei line could be constructed over parts of the alignment, with the entire new line opening in 1974 as a dual track electrified line with CTC signalling.

The section from Nagahara to Ōmi-Shiotsu, originally electrified with 20 kV AC, was re-electrified to 1,500 V DC on September 24, 2006 enabling DC-only EMUs used in Osaka-Kyoto region to operate, and the Special Rapid through train service from [[JR Kyoto Line]] ([[Tokaido Main Line]]) was extended beyond Ōmi-Shiotsu to [[Tsuruga Station|Tsuruga]] on the [[Hokuriku Main Line]].

==Services and stations==
'''Legends:'''

*● : All trains stop
*○ : Only ''"Kosei Leisure (湖西レジャー)"'' extra seasonal service (in winter) makes stop at Shiga
*| : All trains skip

'''Local (普通)''' trains stop at all stations, but they do not operate through services to the JR Kyoto Line.

'''Rapid (快速)''' trains operate only in the mornings, which heads south to the JR Kyoto Line. 2 services are operated every weekday morning and 1 service is operated every weekend morning.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jr-odekake.net/eki/timetable.php?id=0611201|title=大津京駅｜時刻表：JRおでかけネット|last=|first=|date=16 March 2019|website=JR Odekake Net|trans-title=Timetable of Otsukyo Station.|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

'''Special Rapid (新快速)''' trains operate one train per hour for both directions, throughout daytime.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" |Official line name
! rowspan="2" |No.
! rowspan="2" |Name
! rowspan="2" |Japanese
! colspan="2" |Distance (km)
! rowspan="2" |Rapid
! rowspan="2" |Special<br />Rapid
! rowspan="2" |Transfers
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Location
|-
!between<br />stations
!from<br />Yamashina
|-
! colspan="11" style="border-bottom:solid 3px #00acd1"|''Special Rapid & Rapid: Through service to/from [[JR Kyoto Line]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" |Tōkaidō Main Line
|{{RouteBox|JR-B31||#00bfff}}
|[[Kyoto Station|Kyoto]]
|京都
| style="text-align: right;" |5.5
| style="text-align: right;" |5.5
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|[[File:Shinkansen jrc.svg|20px]] [[Tōkaidō Shinkansen]]<br />[[File:JRW kinki-A.svg|20px]] [[Tōkaidō Main Line]] ([[JR Kyoto Line]]) (JR-A31)<br />[[File:JRW kinki-D.svg|20px]] [[Nara Line]] (JR-D01)<br />[[File:JRW kinki-E.svg|20px]] [[San'in Main Line]] ([[Sagano Line]]) (JR-E01)<br>{{Rint|jp|kintetsu|B}} [[Kintetsu Railway|Kintetsu]] [[Kyoto Line (Kintetsu)|Kyoto Line]] (B01)<br />[[File:Subway KyotoKarasuma.svg|20px]] [[Kyoto Municipal Subway]] [[Karasuma Line]] (K11)
|[[Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto|Shimogyō-ku,<br />Kyoto]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Kyoto Prefecture|Kyoto]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{RouteBox|JR-B30||#00bfff}}
| rowspan="2" |[[Yamashina Station|Yamashina]]
| rowspan="2" |山科
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: right;" | –
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: right;" |0.0
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center" |●
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center" |●
| rowspan="2" |[[File:JRW kinki-A.svg|20px]] Tōkaidō Main Line ([[Biwako Line]]) (JR-A30)<br />[[File:Subway KyotoTozai.svg|20px]] [[Kyoto Municipal Subway]] [[Tōzai Line (Kyoto)|Tōzai Line]] (T07)<br />[[File:Number prefix Otsu lines.svg|20px|OT]] [[Keihan Keishin Line]] (OT31: Keihan Yamashina)
| rowspan="2" |[[Yamashina-ku, Kyoto|Yamashina-ku,<br />Kyoto]]
|-
| rowspan="21" |'''Kosei Line'''
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B29||#00bfff}}
|[[Ōtsukyō Station|Ōtsukyō]]
|大津京
| style="text-align: right;" |5.4
| style="text-align: right;" |5.4
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|[[File:Number prefix Otsu lines.svg|20px|OT]] [[Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line]] (OT15: {{STN|Keihan-otsukyo}})
| rowspan="12" |[[Ōtsu, Shiga|Ōtsu]]
| rowspan="21" |[[Shiga Prefecture|Shiga]]
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B28||#00bfff}}
|[[Karasaki Station|Karasaki]]
|唐崎
| style="text-align: right;" |3.1
| style="text-align: right;" |8.5
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B27||#00bfff}}
|[[Hieizan Sakamoto Station|Hieizan Sakamoto]]
|比叡山坂本
| style="text-align: right;" |2.6
| style="text-align: right;" |11.1
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B26||#00bfff}}
|[[Ogoto-onsen Station|Ogoto-onsen]]
|おごと温泉
| style="text-align: right;" |3.4
| style="text-align: right;" |14.5
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B25||#00bfff}}
|[[Katata Station|Katata]]
|堅田
| style="text-align: right;" |3.2
| style="text-align: right;" |17.7
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B24||#00bfff}}
|[[Ono Station (Shiga)|Ono]]
|小野
| style="text-align: right;" |2.1
| style="text-align: right;" |19.8
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B23||#00bfff}}
|[[Wani Station|Wani]]
|和邇
| style="text-align: right;" |2.7
| style="text-align: right;" |22.5
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B22||#00bfff}}
|[[Hōrai Station|Hōrai]]
|蓬莱
| style="text-align: right;" |2.4
| style="text-align: right;" |24.9
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B21||#00bfff}}
|[[Shiga Station|Shiga]]
|志賀
| style="text-align: right;" |2.4
| style="text-align: right;" |27.3
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|○
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B20||#00bfff}}
|[[Hira Station (Shiga)|Hira]]
|比良
| style="text-align: right;" |2.7
| style="text-align: right;" |30.0
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B19||#00bfff}}
|[[Ōmi-Maiko Station|Ōmi-Maiko]]
|近江舞子
| style="text-align: right;" |2.2
| style="text-align: right;" |32.2
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B18||#00bfff}}
|[[Kita Komatsu Station|Kita Komatsu]]
|北小松
| style="text-align: right;" |2.3
| style="text-align: right;" |34.5
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B17||#00bfff}}
|[[Ōmi-Takashima Station|Ōmi-Takashima]]
|近江高島
| style="text-align: right;" |6.4
| style="text-align: right;" |40.9
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
| rowspan="6" |[[Takashima, Shiga|Takashima]]
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B16||#00bfff}}
|[[Adogawa Station|Adogawa]]
|安曇川
| style="text-align: right;" |4.1
| style="text-align: right;" |45.0
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B15||#00bfff}}
|[[Shin-Asahi Station|Shin-Asahi]]
|新旭
| style="text-align: right;" |3.3
| style="text-align: right;" |48.3
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B14||#00bfff}}
|[[Ōmi-Imazu Station|Ōmi-Imazu]]
|近江今津
| style="text-align: right;" |4.9
| style="text-align: right;" |53.2
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B13||#00bfff}}
|[[Ōmi-Nakashō Station|Ōmi-Nakashō]]
|近江中庄
| style="text-align: right;" |4.8
| style="text-align: right;" |58.0
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B12||#00bfff}}
|[[Makino Station (Shiga)|Makino]]
|マキノ
| style="text-align: right;" |3.2
| style="text-align: right;" |61.2
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B11||#00bfff}}
|[[Nagahara Station (Shiga)|Nagahara]]
|永原
| style="text-align: right;" |7.1
| style="text-align: right;" |68.3
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
| rowspan="3" |[[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{RouteBox|JR-B10||#00bfff}}
| rowspan="2" |[[Ōmi-Shiotsu Station|Ōmi-Shiotsu]]
| rowspan="2" |近江塩津
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: right;" |5.8
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: right;" |74.1
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" rowspan="2" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" rowspan="2" align="center"|●
| rowspan="2" |[[File:JRW kinki-A.svg|20px]] [[Hokuriku Main Line]] (JR-A03)
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hokuriku Main Line
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B09||#00bfff}}
|[[Shin-Hikida Station|Shin-Hikida]]
|新疋田
| style="text-align: right;" |7.8
| style="text-align: right;" |81.9
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|&nbsp;
| rowspan="2" |[[Tsuruga, Fukui|Tsuruga]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Fukui Prefecture|Fukui]]
|-
|{{RouteBox|JR-B08||#00bfff}}
|[[Tsuruga Station|Tsuruga]]
|敦賀
| style="text-align: right;" |6.7
| style="text-align: right;" |88.6
|style="background-color:#ffc966;" align="center"|●
|style="background-color:#cdf;" align="center"|●
|[[File:JRW kinki-A.svg|20px]] Hokuriku Main Line (JR-A01)<br />[[Obama Line]]<br>[[Hapi-Line Fukui|Hapi-Line Fukui Line]]<br>[[Hokuriku Shinkansen]]
|}
Only 4-car trains are capable of going as far as Tsuruga at the moment, and the rear eight cars in a 12-car set are uncoupled at Omi-Imazu Station.

==Rolling stock==
===Current===
====Passenger====
=====Local and Rapid=====
* [[113 series]] (within the line and to Kyoto only)
* [[117 series]] (same as above)
* [[207 series (JR West)|207 series]]
* [[221 series]] (mostly through rapid services to the Tokaido Main Line and the Sanyo Main Line, also some operate as local)
* [[223 series|223-2500 series]] (same as above)
* [[223 series|223-6000 series]] (same as above)
* [[321 series]]
* [[521 series|521-0 series]] (only through services continuing to the Hokuriku Main Line)

=====Special Rapid and Local=====
* [[223 series|223-1000/2000 series]]
* [[225 series|225-0/100 series]]

=====Limited Express=====
* [[681 series]] (''[[Thunderbird (train)|Thunderbird]]'' services)
* [[683 series]] (''Thunderbird'' services)

====Freight====
* [[JNR Class EF81|EF81]]
* [[JR Freight Class EF510|EF510]]

===Former===
====EMU====
* [[125 series]] (until March 2009)
* [[201 series]] 
* [[419 series]] (until October 2006)
* [[475 series]] (until October 2006)
* [[485 series]] (''[[Raichō]]'' services, until March 2011)

====DMU====
* [[KiHa 20 series]] (until 1991)
* [[KiHa 26 series]] (until 1991)
* [[KiHa 40 series|KiHa 48]] (until 1991)

==See also==
* [[List of railway lines in Japan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Osaka transit}}
{{West Japan Railway Company Lines}}

[[Category:Lines of West Japan Railway Company]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1974]]
[[Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan]]