The fully elevated, double-tracked line is 9.7 km (6.0 mi) long with 13 stations, and it provides access to the Yamanote Line at both Nippori and Nishi-Nippori stations. A journey from end to end takes 20 minutes, compared to as long as 60 minutes by bus during rush hour.
In fiscal 2008, an average of 48,943 people used the line each day.[1] This compares to a 2007 forecast of 51,000 passengers per day.[2] By 2018, ridership grew to 90,737 passengers per day.[3] In 2018, the Nippori Toneri Liner peaked at 189% capacity[a] on the AM peak hour between Nishi-Nippori and Akado-shogakkomae stations.[4] This level of crowding rivaled other bustling train lines in Tokyo, slotting in between the Tokaido line in Tokyo and the Keihin-Tohoku line, but at the time, the line was only operating with headways every 3-4 minutes during the AM rush.[4][3]
As of April 2020, services on the line are operated using:[5]
300 series (5-car sets × 16, since 30 March 2008)
330 series (5-car sets × 3, since 10 October 2015)
320 series (5-car set × 1, since 10 May 2017)
From its opening, the line has used a fleet of 300 series trainsets with stainless steel bodies.[5] From 10 October 2015, one new 330 series trainset was introduced on the line.[5] This five-car set was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and has an aluminium body.[5] A new 320 series trainset (set 21) entered service on the line on 10 May 2017.[6] Like the 330 series, this set has two pairs of sliding doors on the side of each car, and all seating is longitudinal bench seating.[6]
300 series set 09 in July 2021
330 series set 31 undergoing testing in September 2015
The western part of Adachi is poorly served by public transport and planning of the line started in 1985, with the initial intention of constructing a full-fledged subway. However, this was scrapped due to the high cost and projected low ridership, and a more cost-efficient AGT system was selected instead. Construction of the line started in 1997, and service commenced on 30 March 2008.[7] The main contractor was the Tokyo Metropolitan Subway Construction Company, which also built the Toei Oedo Line.[citation needed]
Accidents
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake[8] partly derailed three cars of a train of the Nippori-Toneri Liner at 10:41 pm on Thursday, 7 October 2021. Three passengers were injured, but there were no fatalities. Repair works were expected to last several days.[9][needs update]
^ abcd 私鉄車両編成表 2016 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2016. p. 34. ISBN978-4-330-70116-5.
^ ab 東京都交通局 日暮里・舎人ライナーに320形を導入 [320 series introduced on Toei Nippori-Toneri Liner]. Tetsudo Daiya Joho Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 46, no. 399. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. July 2017. p. 69.
^"新交通システム「日暮里・舎人線」(仮称)路線名・駅名決定!" [New transportation system "Nippori-Toneri Line" (provisional name) route name and station name decided!]. kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp (in Japanese). 13 November 2006. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2022.