# Etsumi-Hoku Line

The Etsumi-Hoku Line (越美北線, Etsumi Hoku-sen, "Etsumi North Line"), also called the Kuzuryū Line (九頭竜線, Kuzuryū-sen), is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The line extends 52.5 km (32.6 mi) from Echizen-Hanandō Station in Fukui to Kuzuryūko Station in Ōno with a total of 22 stations.
The line was originally planned to connect to what is now the Nagaragawa Railway (previously Etsumi-Nan Line), but the last 24.0 km (14.9 mi) section that would have involved extensive tunneling was never commenced. A bus service provided a connection between the two lines until it ceased in 2002.

## Route data

* Operating Company:
** West Japan Railway Company (Services and tracks)
* Distance:
** Echizen-Hanandō — Kuzuryūko: 52.5 km / 32.6 mi.
* Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
* Stations: 22
* Double-tracking: None
* Electrification: Not electrified
* Railway signalling:
** Echizen-Hanandō — Echizen-Ōno: Simplified automatic
** Echizen-Ōno — Kuzuryūko Station: Staff token

## Stations

* All trains stop at all stations.
* Between Echizen-Hanandō and Fukui trains run on the Hapi-Line Fukui Line (formerly Hokuriku Main Line).
* All stations located in Fukui Prefecture.
| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Distance (km) | Transfers | Tracks | Location |
| Station | Japanese | Between stations | From Echizen-Hanandō | Transfers | Tracks | Location |
| Hapi-Line Fukui Line |||||||
| Fukui | 福井駅 | - | 2.6 | ■ Hapi-Line Fukui Line (for Kanazawa) Echizen Railway Katsuyama Eiheiji Line Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line Fukui Railway Fukubu Line (Fukui-eki) | ∥ | Fukui |
| Etsumi-Hoku Line |||||||
| Echizen-Hanandō | 越前花堂駅 | 2.6 | 0.0 | ■ Hapi-Line Fukui Line (for Tsuruga) | Y | Fukui |
| Rokujō | 六条駅 | 2.3 | 2.3 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Asuwa | 足羽駅 | 1.4 | 3.7 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Echizen-Tōgō | 越前東郷駅 | 2.0 | 5.7 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Ichijōdani | 一乗谷駅 | 2.6 | 8.3 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Echizen-Takada | 越前高田駅 | 3.1 | 11.4 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Ichinami | 市波駅 | 1.2 | 12.6 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Kowashōzu | 小和清水駅 | 2.0 | 14.6 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Miyama | 美山駅 | 2.9 | 17.5 | | ◇ | Fukui |
| Echizen-Yakushi | 越前薬師駅 | 2.0 | 19.5 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Echizen-Ōmiya | 越前大宮駅 | 2.7 | 22.2 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Hakariishi | 計石駅 | 2.2 | 24.4 | | ｜ | Fukui |
| Ushigahara | 牛ヶ原駅 | 3.2 | 27.6 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Kita-Ōno | 北大野駅 | 1.8 | 29.4 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Echizen-Ōno | 越前大野駅 | 2.0 | 31.4 | | ◇ | Ōno |
| Echizen-Tano | 越前田野駅 | 2.9 | 34.3 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Echizen-Tomida | 越前富田駅 | 1.4 | 35.7 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Shimoyuino | 下唯野駅 | 3.1 | 38.8 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Kakigashima | 柿ヶ島駅 | 1.0 | 39.8 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Kadohara | 勝原駅 | 2.5 | 42.3 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Echizen-Shimoyama | 越前下山駅 | 6.5 | 48.8 | | ｜ | Ōno |
| Kuzuryūko | 九頭竜湖駅 | 3.7 | 52.5 | | ｜ | Ōno |
Legend
* ◇ - stations with passing loops
* ∥ - double-tracked section
* ｜- single-tracked section
* Y - junction station

## History

* December 15, 1960: Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Hanandō — Kadohara section (43.1 km) opens. Freight operations begin between Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Ōno.
** Echizen-Hanandō, Rokujō, Echizen-Tōgō, Ichijōdani, Ichinami, Kowashōzu, Miyama, Echizen-Yakushi, Echizen-Ōmiya, Hakariishi, Ushigahara, Echizen-Ōno, Echizen-Tomida, Shimo-Yuino, Kakigashima, Kadohara stations open.
* May 20, 1964: Asuwa, Echizen-Takada, Echizen-Tano stations open.
* October 15, 1965: Freight operations begin between Echizen-Ōno — Kadohara.
* March 25, 1968: Kita-Ōno Station opens.
* October 1, 1968: Freight operations end at Kadohara Station.
* December 15, 1972: Extension from Kadohara to Kuzuryūko (10.2 km) opens, including the 5251m Arashima tunnel.
* April 1, 1973: Freight operations end between Echizen-Ōno — Echizen-Tomida
* October 1980: Seasonal rapid train "Okuetsu-gō" begins operation.
* November 15, 1982: Freight operations end between Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Ōno, ending freight service on the entire line.
* April 1, 1987: With the breakup and privatization of Japan National Railways, line becomes part of West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Beginning of line moved 800 meters to Echizen-Hanandō Station.
* June 1, 1990: Driver-only operation begins.
* September 1, 1992: Regular rapid service begins.
* September 12, 1995: "Kuzuryū Line" name goes into use.
* September 1, 1997: Seasonal rapid train "Okuetsu-gō" ceases operation.
* March 3, 2001: Regular rapid service ends.
* July 18, 2004: Due to heavy rains, five railway bridges are washed away, forcing operations to stop.
* July 20, 2004: Service restored between Echizen-Ōno — Kuzuryūko.
* September 11, 2004: Service restored between Echizen-Hanandō — Ichijōdani, Miyama — Echizen-Ōno.
* June 30, 2007: Service restored between Ichijōdani — Miyama, allowing full service on the line to resume.