is a Japanese

third-sector railway In Japan, , sometimes translated as semi-public sector railways, are railways operated by a joint corporation that has been invested in by both public and private sectors, and which maintain a public–private partnership. These lines are most of ...

company established in 2019 that operates passenger railway services on the section of the former

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

Hokuriku Main Line The Hokuriku Main Line () is a railway line owned by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) connecting Maibara Station in Maibara, Shiga, with Tsuruga Station in Tsuruga, Fukui. The line formerly extended as far as Naoetsu Station in ...

that lay within

Fukui Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 737,229 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,190 Square kilometre, km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture border ...

. This section of the Hokuriku Main Line was separated from the JR West network on 16 March 2024, coinciding with the opening of the

Hokuriku Shinkansen The Hokuriku Shinkansen () is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo with Tsuruga, Fukui, Tsuruga in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR ...

extension from to , and Hapi-Line Fukui trains began operation on that day.

History

In preparation for the opening of the

extension between and stations, the company was founded on 13 August 2019 to inherit the parallel section between Tsuruga and stations on the

. Its headquarters are located in the city of Fukui,

. Shares in the company are owned by Fukui Prefecture, the cities of Fukui and Tsuruga, the

Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency The , or JRTT, is an created by an Act of the National Diet, effective 1 October 2003. JRTT was founded by integrating the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation (JRCC) and the Corporation for Advanced Transport and Technology (CATT). ...

, and private-sector businesses. Hapi-Line Fukui paid JR West to purchase the station buildings, tracks, and rolling stock. At this time, the company announced an expected annual income of , primarily from passenger fares. As of April 2024, 75% of Hapi-Line Fukui's income comes from commuter passes, including student passes.

JR Freight , or , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It provides transportation of cargo nationwide throughout Japan. Its headquarters are in Shibuya, Tokyo near Shinjuku Station. The Japan Railways Group was foun ...

continue to pays the company track usage fees for over 30 freight trains per day. Long-term, the company aims for a stable annual revenue of . Along with the takeover from JR, Hapi-Line Fukui introduced rapid trains, and increased the number of trains running on the line from 102 to 132. The company has collaborated with other railways in the prefecture, namely Echizen Railway and

Fukui Railway is a bus and railway company located in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It owns and operates the Fukubu Line between Tawaramachi Station in Fukui and Takefu-shin Station in Echizen. Overview Although Fukui Railway's name refers to its fou ...

(Fukutetsu), to consolidate purchasing and construction contracts, saving an estimated 5% .

Hapi-Line Fukui Line

On 16 March 2024, Hapi-Line Fukui took over control of local passenger operations on the section JR West

between and , with 20 stations (although Tsuruga Station remains under the control of JR West, Daishōji was transferred to

IR Ishikawa Railway The is a Japanese Public-Private_Partnerships_In_Japan, third-sector railway company established in 2012 to operate passenger railway services on the section of the JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Ishikawa Prefecture. The main line was separa ...

). In addition, a new service type called "Rapid" was introduced on that same day, which operates during peak hours between Tsuruga and and stops at major stations along the route. From the time of takeover on 16 March 2024, 5 northbound trips and 4 southbound trips of Rapid Service are operated daily. Some Hapi-Line Fukui trains provide through-service to the

IR Ishikawa Railway Line The is a Japanese third-sector railway company established in 2012 to operate passenger railway services on the section of the JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Ishikawa Prefecture. The main line was separated from the JR West network on 14 Ma ...

, which continue on to

Kanazawa Station is a major railway station in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), the private railway operator Hokuriku Railroad, and the Public–private partnership#Japan, third-sector operator IR Ishikawa Railway. B ...

Stations

Aside from the northern terminus, all stations are located in Fukui Prefecture. Legend:

Rolling stock

The company inherited 16 521 series EMU trainsets.

References

External links