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13-657: The line forms part of the trunk route between Sapporo and Southern Hokkaido. As such, Hokuto limited express trains run between Sapporo and Hakodate once every 1 to 2 hours, as well as the Suzuran limited express between Sapporo and Muroran . The section between Sapporo and Minami-Chitose is also a part of the trunk route between Sapporo and eastern Hokkaido. The Ōzora and Tokachi limited express services to Obihiro and Kushiro run through. The rapid trains Special Rapid Airport and Rapid Airport previously ran approximately once every 12 minutes, functioning as

26-458: Is designated as a lounge car, featuring window-facing seats and transverse seating bays with tables. Cars 2 through 5 are ordinary-class cars, featuring 2+2 abreast seating throughout. The "Hamanasu" set was built at Kawasaki Heavy Industries ' Hyogo factory, and was delivered to JR Hokkaido in July 2020. It entered revenue service on 17 October of that year. The "Lavender" set was delivered from

39-524: The Hokutosei , Cassiopeia , Twilight Express , and Hamanasu . Source: The entire line opened on 21 August 1926. The Chitose-Eniwa section was double-tracked in September 1965, and extended to Kitahiroshima in September 1966. The Chitose-Uenae section was double-tracked in 1968, and extended to Numanohata in 1969. The Shiraishi-Kitahiroshima section was double-tracked in 1973, completing

52-508: The Hokuto is approximately 3 hours 40 minutes. Super Hokuto services started on 1 March 1994, and cut journey time by about 30 minutes due to the higher speeds through the many curves of the line between Sapporo and Hakodate. All trains have been renamed to Hokuto since 2020, after the KiHa 183 series used on the original Hokuto service was replaced with KiHa 261 series . Trains stop at

65-720: The airport rail link between New Chitose Airport Station and Sapporo or Otaru . Since the Chitose Line goes through the most urbanized area in Hokkaido, there are roughly 3 to 4 local train services per hour. On 16 March 2024, a new rapid service named " Semi-Rapid Airport " plying between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport Station was introduced, operating only during the daytime at two trains per hour. This train stops at Sapporo, Shin-Sapporo and all stations between Kita-Hiroshima and New Chitose Airport. Since then, no local services operate between Kita-Hiroshima and Chitose during

78-409: The daytime, and the daytime service frequency of other rapid trains was adjusted to one per hour for Special Rapid Airport trains and three per hour for Rapid Airport trains. Local services are operated at two trains per hour between Sapporo and Kita-Hiroshima and one train per hour between Chitose and Tomakomai during the daytime. There were sleeper trains between Honshu and Hokkaido , such as

91-502: The end of 2017, the KiHa 261-1000 series fleet were gradually repainted into a new livery with white front ends, yellow front-end gangway doors, and a purple bodyside stripe. On 17 October 2019, JR Hokkaido announced plans to introduce two new KiHa 261-5000 series 5-car sets. They each feature external colour schemes inspired by the hamanasu and lavender flowers, which, according to JR Hokkaido, are prominent throughout Hokkaido. Car 1

104-568: The following services. Sōya services are normally formed of four-car KiHa 261-100 series sets, and are sometimes lengthened to six cars during busy periods. Four-car sets are formed as follows. Six-car sets are formed by adding two cars as shown below. Car 1 (and car 21) includes Green (first) class and standard class accommodation. Super Tokachi services were originally formed of five-car KiHa 261-1000 series sets, but these were later reduced to four cars. The 4-car Super Tokachi sets are formed as follows. A four-car pre-production set

117-559: The following stations: Hokuto No. 2 (for Hakodate) does not stop at Noboribetsu and Shiraoi. Hokuto No. 4 (for Hakodate) and 21 (for Sapporo) does not stop at Shiraoi. The Hokuto is operated by 7-car KiHa 261 series DMUs , with car 1 at the Hakodate (southern) end. All cars are no-smoking. Until 30 September 2022, the Hokuto was also operated by KiHa 281 series DMUs. For departures using KiHa 281 series , cars 1, 2 and 4 to 7 were ordinary-class cars with 2+2 seating, and car 3

130-646: The work to double-track the line. Chitose Station and its approaches were elevated in 1980, and the line was electrified in association with the opening of the nearby Chitose airport. The Minami-chitose—Chitose Airport branch opened as an electrified line in 1992. Hokuto (train) Muroran Main Line (Oshamambe-Tomakomai) The Hokuto ( 北斗 ) is a limited express train service that runs between Sapporo and Hakodate in Hokkaido , operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The journey time of

143-433: Was a "Green" car with 2+1 seating. For departures using KiHa 261 series , car 1 is a "Green" car with 2+1 seating, and cars 2 to 7 are ordinary-class cars with 2+2 seating. KiHa 261 series The KiHa 261 series ( キハ261系 ) is a tilting diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) on limited express services in Hokkaido , Japan, since 2000. The running gear

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156-484: Was based on the KiHa 201 series trains introduced in 1997, and the body design was a joint venture with the Danish State Railways (DSB). As of 1 April 2013 , 35 KiHa 261 series vehicles were in operation. 14 were built by Fuji Heavy Industries , and 21 were built by JR Hokkaido . A further 28 vehicles are on order to be delivered from fiscal 2015. KiHa 261 series trainsets are used on

169-597: Was delivered from Fuji Heavy Industries in November 1998 for evaluation and testing. The first production trains were introduced on Super Sōya services between Sapporo and Wakkanai from the start of the revised timetable on 11 March 2000. New KiHa 261-1000 series 5-car sets were introduced on Super Tokachi services between Sapporo and Obihiro from October 2007. A further 28 KiHa 261 series vehicles were delivered from 2015 onward, and these are not equipped with tilting capability. From December 2015 until

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