# Narita Line

The Narita Line (Japanese: 成田線, romanized: Narita-sen) is the name for a combination of three railway lines located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).
The main line connects Sakura Station and Matsugishi Station (as an alternate route to the Sōbu Main Line), and is sometimes referred to as the Samatsu Line (Japanese: 佐松線, romanized: Samatsu-sen). A branch line from Abiko Station to Narita Station is often called the Abiko Line (Japanese: 我孫子線, romanized: Abiko-sen), and a second branch, known as the Airport Line (Japanese: 空港線, romanized: Kūkō-sen) connects Narita to Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station. The first two lines are owned and operated by JR East; the Airport Line is owned by a separate company, Narita Airport Rapid Railway, which allows JR East and Keisei Railway to use the line for passenger services.

## Stations
### Main line

Legend:
* ● : All trains stop
* | : All trains pass
All stations are located in Chiba Prefecture.
| Line name | No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Rapid | Transfers | Location |
| Line name | No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Rapid | Transfers | Town/city |
| Sōbu Main Line | JO28 | Chiba | 千葉 | From Chiba 0.0 | ● | JO Sōbu Line (Rapid) (JO28) (some through services) JB Chūō-Sōbu Line (JB39) ■ Uchibō Line ■ Sotobō Line Chiba Urban Monorail Line 1, Line 2 KS Keisei Chiba Line (Keisei Chiba: KS59) | Chūō-ku |
| Sōbu Main Line | JO29 | Higashi-Chiba | 東千葉 | 0.9 | | | | Chūō-ku |
| Sōbu Main Line | JO30 | Tsuga | 都賀 | 4.2 | ● | Chiba Urban Monorail Line 2 | Wakaba-ku |
| Sōbu Main Line | JO31 | Yotsukaidō | 四街道 | 7.7 | ● | | Yotsukaidō |
| Sōbu Main Line | JO32 | Monoi | 物井 | 11.9 | ● | | Yotsukaidō |
| Sōbu Main Line | JO33 | Sakura | 佐倉 | 16.1 | ● | ■ Sōbu Main Line (for Narutō) | Sakura |
| Narita Line | JO33 | Sakura | 佐倉 | From Sakura 0.0 | ● | ■ Sōbu Main Line (for Narutō) | Sakura |
| Narita Line | JO34 | Shisui | 酒々井 | 6.4 | ● | | Shisui |
| Narita Line | JO35 | Narita | 成田 | 13.1 | ● | ■ Airport branch line for Narita Airport Terminal 1 ■ Abiko branch line for Abiko KS Keisei Main Line (Keisei Narita: KS40) KS Keisei Higashi-Narita Line (Keisei Narita: KS40) | Narita |
| Narita Line | — | Kuzumi | 久住 | 20.0 | | | Narita |
| Narita Line | — | Namegawa | 滑河 | 25.5 | | | Narita |
| Narita Line | — | Shimōsa-Kōzaki | 下総神崎 | 31.6 | | | Kozaki |
| Narita Line | — | Ōto | 大戸 | 36.1 | | | Katori |
| Narita Line | — | Sawara | 佐原 | 40.0 | | ■ Kashima Line | Katori |
| Narita Line | — | Katori | 香取 | 43.6 | | ■ Kashima Line | Katori |
| Narita Line | — | Suigo | 水郷 | 47.5 | | | Katori |
| Narita Line | — | Omigawa | 小見川 | 52.7 | | | Katori |
| Narita Line | — | Sasagawa | 笹川 | 57.7 | | | Tonosho |
| Narita Line | — | Shimōsa-Tachibana | 下総橘 | 62.9 | | | Tonosho |
| Narita Line | — | Shimōsa-Toyosato | 下総豊里 | 66.2 | | | Chōshi |
| Narita Line | — | Shiishiba | 椎柴 | 71.0 | | | Chōshi |
| Narita Line | — | Matsugishi | 松岸 | 75.4 | | ■ Sōbu Main Line | Chōshi |
| Sōbu Main Line | — | Matsugishi | 松岸 | From Tokyo 117.3 | | ■ Sōbu Main Line | Chōshi |
| Sōbu Main Line | — | Chōshi | 銚子 | 120.5 | | Chōshi Electric Railway Line | Chōshi |
Note: Commuter Rapid service was discontinued on 12 March 2022.

### Abiko branch line

All stations are in Chiba Prefecture.
| Name | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location |
| Name | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Town/city |
| Abiko | 我孫子 | 0.0 | JJ Jōban Line (Rapid) (JJ08) (through service to Ueno or Shinagawa) JL Jōban Line (Local) (JL30) | Abiko |
| Higashi-Abiko | 東我孫子 | 3.4 | | Abiko |
| Kohoku | 湖北 | 6.3 | | Abiko |
| Araki | 新木 | 8.9 | | Abiko |
| Fusa | 布佐 | 12.1 | | Abiko |
| Kioroshi | 木下 | 14.0 | | Inzai |
| Kobayashi | 小林 | 18.3 | | Inzai |
| Ajiki | 安食 | 23.2 | | Sakae |
| Shimōsa-Manzaki | 下総松崎 | 27.3 | | Narita |
| Narita | 成田 | 32.9 | ■ Narita Line (Main line, Airport branch line) (JO35) KS Keisei Lines (Keisei-Narita, as above) | Narita |

### Airport branch line

All stations are in Narita, Chiba.
| No. | Name | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers |
| JO35 | Narita | 成田 | 0.0 | ■ Narita Line Main line for Chiba (through services) and for Chōshi ■ Abiko branch line for Abiko KS Keisei Main Line (Keisei Narita: KS40) KS Keisei Higashi-Narita Line (Keisei Narita: KS40) |
| JO36 | Narita Airport Terminal 2·3 | 空港第２ビル | 9.8 | KS Keisei Main Line (KS41) KS Narita Sky Access Line (KS41) |
| JO37 | Narita Airport Terminal 1 | 成田空港 | 10.8 | KS Keisei Main Line (KS42) KS Narita Sky Access Line (KS42) |

## Services
### Main line and Airport branch line

Narita Express trains travel on the Narita Line but stop only at Narita Airport Terminal 2·3 and Narita Airport Terminal 1 stations, except during morning and evening rush hours when some trains stop at Narita Station.
Rapid commuter trains run between Tokyo and Narita Airport Terminal 1, stopping at all stations between Tsuga and Narita Airport Terminal 1.

### Abiko branch line

All services on the Abiko branch line are local trains stopping at all stations. Some trains travel through onto the Jōban Line (Rapid) to Ueno and Shinagawa.

## Rolling stock

Local service
* E131 series EMUs (since 13 March 2021, on Kashima Line through services)
* 209-2000/2100 series EMUs
Abiko Branch Line, Jōban Line through service
* E231 series EMUs
Sōbu Line (Rapid) through service
* E235-1000 series EMUs
Narita Express
* E259 series EMUs
* A 209-2100 series EMU in March 2021
* An E231 series EMU in May 2021
* An E235-1000 series EMU in June 2022
* An E257-500 series EMU in November 2006
* An E259 series EMU in May 2021

### Past

* E217 series EMUs (until March 2025)
* 103 series EMUs (Abiko branch line services until March 2006)
* 113 series EMUs (until September 2011)
* 183 series EMUs (Ayame limited express services)
* 211-3000 series EMUs (local services since 21 October 2006 until March 2013)
* 253 series EMUs (Narita Express limited express services until June 2010)
* E257-500 series (Ayame limited express services)
* A 103 series EMU in January 2003
* A 113 series EMU in May 2010
* A 183 series EMU on an Ayame service in November 2005
* A 253 series EMU on a Narita Express service in August 2003
* 211-3000 series EMU, May 2010
* An E217 series EMU in March 2021

## History

The Sakura - Narita - Namegawa section of the line was opened on 19 January 1897, by Sobu Railway, extended to Sawara the following year. The Narita to Abiko branch opened in 1901. The company was nationalised in 1920, and the Sawara to Matsugishi section opened between 1931 and 1933.
The Sakura to Narita section was electrified (at 1,500 V DC overhead) in 1968. The Abiko branch was electrified from 1 October 1973. The Narita to Matsugishi section was electrified in 1974, and freight services ceased between 1984 and 1986.
The Sakura to Narita section was double-tracked in 1986, and the Airport branch opened in 1991 as an electrified, CTC-signalled line.

## Accidents

In the early hours of 10 March 2011, a day before 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami occurred, a freight train carrying ethylene oxide derailed and overturned on the Narita Line near Namegawa Station.