# Akō Line

Akō Line (赤穂線, Akō-sen) is a railway line owned by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Aioi, Hyōgo to Okayama, Okayama in Japan. A loop line off the Sanyō Main Line, the Akō Line commences at Aioi, is situated south of the main line approximately paralleling the Seto Inland Sea, and rejoins the main line at Higashi-Okayama.
The entire 57.4-kilometre (35.7 mi) line is single track. Only one train runs the entire length of the line, with service divided at Banshū-Akō, and no trains terminate at either of the official terminals. Trains from the east continue from Himeji on the Sanyō Main Line and terminate at Akō, while westbound services originating from Akō continue past Higashi-Okayama and continue on the Sanyō Main Line to Okayama and beyond. "Rapid" and "Special Rapid" trains from Kyoto and beyond make local stops between Aioi and Banshū-Akō, and the segment of the line is part of JR West's Kinki region Urban Network.

## Stations

The line is split into two sections at Banshū-Akō Station, where passengers would have to interchange for train services to/from the Keihanshin region and the Okayama region.
| Common name | Official line name | No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | Location |
| Common name | Official line name | No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | City | Prefecture |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | JR-A85 | Himeji | 姫路 | | Sanyō Shinkansen JR Kobe Line ( A85 ) Bantan Line Kishin Line | Himeji | Hyōgo |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | | Agaho | 英賀保 | | | Himeji | Hyōgo |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | | Harima-Katsuhara | はりま勝原 | | | Himeji | Hyōgo |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | | Aboshi | 網干 | | | Himeji | Hyōgo |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | | Tatsuno | 竜野 | | | Tatsuno | Hyōgo |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | | Aioi | 相生 | 0.0 | Sanyō Shinkansen Sanyō Main Line | Aioi | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Aioi | 相生 | 0.0 | Sanyō Shinkansen Sanyō Main Line | Aioi | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Nishi-Aioi | 西相生 | 3.0 | | Aioi | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Sakoshi | 坂越 | 7.8 | | Ako | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Banshū-Akō | 播州赤穂 | 10.5 | Akō Line (for Okayama) | Ako | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Banshū-Akō | 播州赤穂 | 10.5 | Akō Line (for Himeji) | Ako | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Tenwa | 天和 | 14.5 | | Ako | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | | Bizen-Fukukawa | 備前福河 | 16.4 | | Ako | Hyōgo |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N16 | Sōgo | 寒河 | 19.6 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N15 | Hinase | 日生 | 22.1 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N14 | Iri | 伊里 | 27.7 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N13 | Bizen-Katakami | 備前片上 | 31.0 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N12 | Nishi-Katakami | 西片上 | 32.3 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N11 | Inbe | 伊部 | 34.5 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N10 | Kagato | 香登 | 38.5 | | Bizen | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N09 | Osafune | 長船 | 42.3 | | Setouchi | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N08 | Oku | 邑久 | 45.9 | | Setouchi | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N07 | Odomi | 大富 | 48.0 | | Setouchi | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N06 | Saidaiji | 西大寺 | 51.2 | | Higashi-ku, Okayama | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N05 | Ōdara | 大多羅 | 54.1 | | Higashi-ku, Okayama | Okayama |
| Akō Line | Akō Line | JR-N04 | Higashi-Okayama | 東岡山 | 57.4 | Sanyō Main Line | Naka-ku, Okayama | Okayama |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | | Higashi-Okayama | 東岡山 | 57.4 | Sanyō Main Line | Naka-ku, Okayama | Okayama |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | JR-N03 | Takashima | 高島 | | | Naka-ku, Okayama | Okayama |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | JR-N02 | Nishigawara | 西川原 | | | Naka-ku, Okayama | Okayama |
| Sanyō Main Line | Sanyō Main Line | JR-N01 | Okayama | 岡山 | | Sanyō Shinkansen Sanyō Main Line Tsuyama Line Uno Line ( Seto-Ōhashi Line) Kibi Line (Momotaro Line) Okayama Electric Tramway Higashiyama Main Line | Kita-ku, Okayama | Okayama |

## History

The initial section between Aioi and Banshu-Ako opened in 1951, and the line was opened progressively, to Hinase in 1955, Inbe in 1958, and Higashi-Okayama in 1962. The Aioi - Banshu-Ako section was electrified in 1961, and the rest of the line in 1969.
CTC signalling was commissioned between Higashi-Okayama and Banshu-Ako in 1983.

### Former connecting lines

* Banshu-Ako Station: The Ako Railway operated a 13 km (8.1 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Une on the Sanyo Main Line between 1921 and 1951.
* Nishi-Katakami Station: The Dowa Mining Co. opened a 34 km (21 mi) line to Yanahara, to haul iron sulphide ore, between 1923 and 1931. The line is also connected to Wake station on the Sanyo Main Line. Passenger services commenced in 1931, freight services ceased in 1988 and the line closed in 1991.