Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Kodomonokuni Line

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Kodomonokuni Line Y000 series EMU near Onda (September 2007)

The Kodomonokuni Line (こどもの国線, Kodomonokuni-sen^?) is a railway line in Kanagawa Prefecture operated by the Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company.

Data

Length: 3.4 km
Gauge: 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrified segments: Entire line
Electrification: 1,500 V DC
Stations: 3 (including terminals)

History

The line opened in April 1967, at the same time as its 'parent' station, Nagatsuta. It is a single track local line designed principally to cater for visitors to Kodomonokuni Theme Park (Children's Land) park. Consequently, the two-car trains are particularly busy during summer weekends and holidays.

The line originally was built and opened as a transportation link to the park (which opened in 1965) from the Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line. The Children's Land Association (Shakai Fukushi Houjin Kodomonokuni Kyokai) owned the right-of-way and the Kodomonokuni Station, but the actual operation was contracted out to Tokyu Corporation.

In 1997 the line was sold to Yokohama Minatomirai Railway Company, a joint venture of Tokyu Corporation, Kanagawa prefectural government and the City of Yokohama. In 2000, an intermediate station, Onda, opened in Aoba-ku, Yokohama to reflect the changing role of this line as a commuter line. MMR today owns the right-of-way, Kodomonokuni and Onda stations and the rolling stock, but the actual operation continues to be managed by Tōkyū.

Local residents along the train line have expressed an interest in getting the Kodomonokuni Line extended northward to meet the Odakyū Odawara Line at Tsurukawa; however the planning has not yet taken off because the proposed rail alignment, despite its short distance, involves two prefectures (Kanagawa, Tokyo) and three cities (Aoba-ku, Yokohama; Asao-ku, Kawasaki and Machida, Tokyo).

The travelling time from Nagatsuta is 7 minutes (with one stop at Onda Station). At both Kodomonokuni and Nagatsuta stations there are ticket machines for this line, but the ticket gates are at Kodomonokuni only. Thus, entry is open to the Kodomonokuni Line platform at Nagatsuta.

Trains depart every 20 minutes throughout the day (every 10 minutes between 8 and 9 a.m. both directions) and at weekends; however, services are more regular during morning and evening peak times, and during Golden Week.

Stations

Kodomonokuni Station (Nara-chō, Aoba, Yokohama)
Onda Station (Akanedai 1-chōme, Aoba, Yokohama)
Nagatsuta Station (Nagatsuta 4-chōme, Midori, Yokohama) - connection to Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line and JR Yokohama Line