Although the Shibayama Railway is an independent operator, it functionally resembles an extension of the Keisei Higashi-Narita Line, as all trains provide through service to lines owned by Keisei.[3] The line is operated using equipment and crew leased from Keisei.[4] However, IC cards are not accepted on this route, unlike most railway lines operated by Keisei.[5] Most Shibayama Railway trains provide local service to Keisei Narita Station past Higashi-Narita, and express trains operate during rush hours through the Keisei Line from Haneda Airport Terminal 1·2 Station.[6] The fare between Higashi-Narita and Shibayama-Chiyoda is 220 yen for adults and 110 yen for children.[7]
A Toei 5300 series listing the destination as "(Higashi Narita) Shibayama"
Shibayama Railway was founded on May 1, 1981, and received an operating permit on June 24, 1988 for the 2.0 km (1.2 mi) line between Seibijyō-Mae Station (later renamed to Shibayama-Chiyoda)[8] and the Shibatetsu Narita Airport Station (now a part of Higashi-Narita Station). Initially, small train sets were planned to be used to operate inside the line only, but was changed due to demands from the residents.[9][10] In 1990, the railway applied for a permit to operate direct service with the Keisei Railway from Keisei Narita Station, which was approved in 1996.[9] The Narita Shinkansen plan came to a permanent halt around this time, and the Keisei Electric Railway used the abandoned buildings for the plan to build a new line towards the terminal of Narita International Airport branching off from Komaino signaling station [ja], which made the route from Keisei Narita Station to the old Narita International Airport station a new line named Keisei Higashi-Narita Line.[11][12] The line began construction in 1998.[13] However, the planned railway line was forced to be extended by a further 0.2 km due to problems with buying land in 2000, and the name of the new station was chosen to be Shibayama-Chiyoda on the same year.[6] The line opened for operation on October 27, 2002.[10]
There was a proposal to extend the line into Chiyoda until 1996. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has recommended studying an extension into central Shibayama Town.[16]
The Shibayama Railway Line advertises itself as the shortest railway line in Japan and gives out certificates for using the line for free.[3] However, the Kurama-dera Cable is the shortest cable car line in Japan with a length of 207 meters (0.1 mi),[17] and Seinō Railway operates the shortest freight-only railway line with an operational length of 1.3 km (0.8 mi).[18][19]
Rolling stock
Keisei 3500 series used by the Shibayama Railway
The Shibayama Railway leases its rolling stock from the Keisei Electric Railway.[20] The company has leased a Keisei 3500 series trainset since 2013. In 2022, the train's wrapping was changed to use red and green stripes, resembling the former 3600 series used on the line until 2013. During the time 3600 series was used by the Shibayama Railway, the train color was changed from Keisei's blue and red color scheme to red and green, the scheme used in the company's logo. This change was reverted when it was returned to Keisei.[21][22]
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