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Tobu line2 min read

Tobu Ogose Line

越生線

The Tōbu Ogose Line (東武越生線, Tōbu Ogose-sen) is a 10.9-kilometre commuter branch line in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, operated by the private railway company Tōbu Railway.

It runs from Sakado Station, an interchange with the Tōbu Tōjō Line, to Ogose Station, where it meets the JR East Hachikō Line, serving eight stations in all. The line is laid to 1,067 mm narrow gauge and electrified at 1,500 V DC; it is single-track for most of its length, with only the short Bushū-Nagase–Higashi-Moro section doubled.

SaitamaMoroyamaTsurugashimaHatoyama2 km
Route of the Tobu Ogose Line · Saitama · Boundaries: MLIT / GSI / Japan Post

History

The line did not begin as part of Tōbu. It was promoted by the Ogose Railway, which was granted its railway licence on 22 September 1927 and was formally established on 28 September 1928. The company opened its first section, from Sakado to Komagawa, on 17 February 1932, but this initial stretch of about 5 kilometres carried freight only and had no passenger service.

On 16 December 1934 the line was extended onward to Ogose and passenger trains started running over the whole route. Intermediate stations were added as the line settled into service: Nishi-Ōya Station opened on 28 February 1936 and Bushū-Nagase Station on 1 October 1938.

On 1 July 1943 the Ogose Railway was absorbed by Tōbu Railway, and the route became the Tōbu Ogose Line. Wartime conditions soon interrupted it: in December 1944 the entire line was suspended after the military designated it a non-essential line. Service did not resume until 1 December 1945, and Ōya Station was closed that same month.

In the post-war years the line was modernised. It was fully electrified on 23 July 1950 at 1,500 V DC. On 1 February 1959 Morido Station was closed, and on 1 October that year centralised traffic control (CTC) was commissioned on the line — the first use of the system anywhere on the Tōbu network.

Freight service between Nishi-Ōya and Ogose ended on 21 February 1984, and the remaining freight working between Sakado and Nishi-Ōya ceased on 1 August 1984, leaving the line carrying passengers only. On 25 August 1987 the Bushū-Nagase–Higashi-Moro section was double-tracked.

From the start of the revised timetable on 14 June 2008 the Tōbu Ogose Line switched to driver-only (one-man) operation across its whole length.

Stations on this line

8 stations tracked on the map, listed alphabetically. Select any to read its page.

Timeline
  • 192722 September: a railway licence is granted to the Ogose Railway.
  • 192828 September: the Ogose Railway company is formally established.
  • 193217 February: the Ogose Railway opens its first section, Sakado–Komagawa (about 5 km), for freight service only.
  • 193416 December: the line is extended to Ogose and passenger service begins over the whole route.
  • 193628 February: Nishi-Ōya Station opens.
  • 19381 October: Bushū-Nagase Station opens.
  • 19431 July: the Ogose Railway is absorbed by Tōbu Railway and the route becomes the Tōbu Ogose Line.
  • 1944December: the entire line is suspended after the military designates it a non-essential line.
  • 19451 December: full service resumes; Ōya Station is closed the same month.
  • 195023 July: the line is fully electrified at 1,500 V DC.
  • 19591 February: Morido Station is closed. 1 October: CTC (centralised traffic control) is commissioned — the first use of the system on the Tōbu network.
  • 198421 February: freight service between Nishi-Ōya and Ogose ends. 1 August: freight between Sakado and Nishi-Ōya ends, leaving the line passenger-only.
  • 198725 August: the Bushū-Nagase–Higashi-Moro section is double-tracked.
  • 200814 June: the line switches to driver-only (one-man) operation across its whole length, from the start of the revised timetable.

Sources

Last updated 16 October 2026.

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