# Hakushin Line

The Hakushin Line (白新線, Hakushin-sen) is a Japanese railway line which runs between Niigata and Shibata stations in the cities of Niigata and Shibata in Niigata Prefecture. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network.

## Basic data

* Operators, distances:
** East Japan Railway Company (JR East) (Services and tracks)
* Niigata – Shibata: 27.3 km (17.0 mi)
** Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) (Services only)
* Kami-Nuttari Junction – Shibata: 25.4 km (15.8 mi)
* Double-tracking: Niigata – Niizaki
* Railway signalling: ATS-Ps

## Services
### Limited express, Rapid

As of March 2018, the following services are operated.
| Name | Route | Service frequency (daily) |
| Limited Express Inaho | Niigata – Shibata – Sakata/Akita (Uetsu Main Line) | 7 return trips |
| Rapid Benibana | Niigata – Shibata – Yonezawa (Yonesaka Line) | 1 return trip |
| Rapid Rakuraku-Train-Murakami | Niigata – Shibata – Murakami (Uetsu Main Line) | 1 down trip in evening |
| Rapid | Niigata – Shibata – Murakami (Uetsu Main Line) | 1 down trip in morning, 1 up trip in evening |
| Rapid Kirakira Uetsu | Niigata – Shibata – Sakata (Uetsu Main Line) | 1 return trip (only weekends) |

### Local

    Niigata - Toyosaka: every 20 minutes
    Toyosaka - Shibata: every 60 minutes (every 20 minutes during peaks)

## Station list

* All stations are located in Niigata Prefecture.
| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Distance (km) | Inaho /Rapid | Transfers | | Location |
| Station | Japanese | Between stations | Total | Inaho /Rapid | Transfers | | Location |
| Niigata | 新潟 | - | 0.0 | ● | Jōetsu Shinkansen ■Shinetsu Main Line ■Echigo Line | ∥ | Chūō-ku, Niigata |
| Higashi-Niigata | 東新潟 | 5.0 | 5.0 | ｜ | | ∥ | Higashi-ku, Niigata |
| Ōgata | 大形 | 2.0 | 7.0 | ｜ | | ∥ | Higashi-ku, Niigata |
| Niizaki | 新崎 | 2.6 | 9.6 | ｜ | | ∨ | Kita-ku, Niigata |
| Hayadōri | 早通 | 1.9 | 11.5 | ｜ | | ◇ | Kita-ku, Niigata |
| Toyosaka | 豊栄 | 3.5 | 15.0 | ● | | ◇ | Kita-ku, Niigata |
| Kuroyama | 黒山 | 3.0 | 18.0 | ｜ | | ◇ | Kita-ku, Niigata |
| Sasaki | 佐々木 | 3.0 | 21.0 | ｜ | | ◇ | Shibata |
| Nishi-Shibata | 西新発田 | 3.3 | 24.3 | ｜ | | ◇ | Shibata |
| Shibata | 新発田 | 3.0 | 27.3 | ● | ■Uetsu Main Line | ◇ | Shibata |
Symbols:
* ◇ - Single-track; station where trains can pass
* ^ - Double-track section starts from this point
* ∥ - Double-track
* ∨ - Single-track section starts from this point

## Rolling stock
### Present

* E129 series 2/4-car EMUs (since December 2014)
* E653 series 7-car EMUs (Inaho limited express, since September 2013)
* E129 series

### Former

* 115 series 2/3/4-car EMUs (until March 2018)
* E127 series 2-car EMUs (until March 2015)
* 485 series 6-car EMUs (Inaho, until July 2014)
* 165 series
* 70 series
* 115 series
* E127 series
* 485 series EMU passing through Higashi-Niigata Station on an Inaho service, May 2008
* 165 series

## History

The first section opened on 23 December 1952 was the 12.3 km line between Shibata Station and Kuzutsuka Station (now Toyosaka Station). On 15 April 1956, the line was extended 14.9 km from Kuzutsuka to Niigata.
The line was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1972, and double-tracked in sections between 1978 and 1981.