Chūō Line (Rapid)
| Chūō Line (Rapid) | |
|---|---|
A Chūō Line (Rapid) E233-0 series train heads towards Tokyo, February 2025 | |
| Overview | |
| Other name | JC |
| Native name | 中央線快速 (Chūō-sen kaisoku) |
| Owner | JR East |
| Locale | Tokyo |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 24 |
| Color on map | Orange Vermillion No. 1 (#dd6935) |
| Service | |
| Type | Commuter rail |
| Operator(s) | JR East |
| Depot(s) | Musashi-Koganei, Toyoda |
| Rolling stock | E233-0 series |
| History | |
| Opened | 11 April 1889 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 53.1 km (33.0 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC (overhead line) |
| Operating speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
| Signalling | Automatic closed block |
| Train protection system | ATS-P |
The Chūō Line (Rapid) (Japanese: 中央線快速, Hepburn: Chūō-sen kaisoku) is the name given to a rapid train service in Greater Tokyo, operating between Tōkyō in Chiyoda, and Takao in Hachioji by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Some trains extend west beyond Takao to Ōtsuki in neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture. Other trains travel onward towards Ōme via the Ōme Line. It has been operating continuously in some form since April 1889 from its origins as part of the Kōbu Railway.
Chūō Line (Rapid) trains often rank among the most overcrowded in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It is the only mainline service to operate directly into the core of Tokyo without traveling through another company's tracks or customers having to change trains, and serves highly desirable communities in western Tokyo.
For station numbering, it is identified with the code JC. It is colored orange vermillion on railway maps, and E233-0 series trains assigned to the service have stripes with this color.