Ohmi Railways

Ohmi Railway (近江鉄道; Ohmi (also Omi, Oumi) Tetsudo)
Location	Shiga Prefecture(s)
Terminal Stations	Maibara Station, Omi-Hachiman Station, Yokaichi Station, Kibukawa Station
Major Stations	Maibara Station, Yokaichi Station, Omi-Hachiman Station, Kibukawa Station
Train Types	Futsu only
Train Schedule	Main line at ekikara.jp, Taga Line, Yokaichi Line
Total Distance	Main Line 47.7 km, Yokaichi Line 9.3 km, Taga Line 2.5 km
Opened	Main Line first opened in 1898 and completed in 1931. Yokaichi Line opened in 1913. Taga Line opened in 1914.
Operator	Ohmi Railway Corporation
Others	Other Railways in Shiga, Railways in Japan
Links

Ohmi Railway Corporation (Ohmi Tetsudo) (sometimes spelled Omi and Oumi) is a private railway company (affiliated with Seibu which operates railways in the Tokyo area) operating a few train lines and bus routes in the interior area of eastern Shiga Prefecture, namely Maibara, Hikone, Higashi-Omi, and Koka. The trains are short, usually only two or three cars, and they run on single tracks. Travel time is quite slow. All the trains stop at every station. No express trains. The train line is nicknamed "Gachakon" (ガチャコン) which refers to the banging sound it makes on the rails. Ohmi Railway official Website

On Fri., Sat., Sun., and national holidays (except Dec. 31-Jan. 3), the "One Day Smile Ticket" is available for only 820 yen for adults (410 yen for kids) and you can use it to ride the Ohmi Railways all day. A good deal if you plan to ride the Ohmi Railways train at least twice. Showing the ticket to temples and museums along the Ohmi Railways will also give you a discount on the admission. (Details in Japanese here.)

Also, during 9 am - 4 pm, you can bring your bicycle aboard the train at most Ohmi Railways stations except Hikone, Minakuchi Ishibashi, and station from Omi-Hachiman to Shin-Yokaichi. (Details here.)

For residents, there are more discounts available. If you have a commuter's pass, you can travel beyond your commuter's pass on Ohmi Railways on weekends and national holidays for only 100 yen. (Details here.)

Ohmi Railways also has a small outdoor and indoor museum Ohmi Tetsudo Museum (近江鉄道ミュージアム) at Hikone Station's east side. Open only one Saturday a month. Admission 200 yen. (Details here for 2014.)

There are three train lines:

• The Main Line (Honsen) is the longest, passing through Maibara, Hikone, Higashi Omi (Yokaichi), Hino-cho, and Koka.
• The short Taga Line (Taga-sen) is for people wanting to worship at Taga Taisha Shrine.
• The Yokaichi Line (Yokaichi-sen) connects Yokaichi with Omi-Hachiman Station. The terminal stations are Maibara, Omi-Hachiman, Yokaichi, and Kibukawa.

Train Stations

List of all train stations including transfer lines and popular destinations. Click on the station name to see a map of the station's location.

Main Line (Honsen 本線)

From Maibara Station to Kibukawa Station.

• Maibara Station (米原駅) - Transfer point for the Tokaido Line, shinkansen bullet train, Hokuriku Line, and Ohmi Railways.
• Fujitec-mae Station (フジテック前駅) - New station opened in Mar. 2006. Near the factory of Fujitec, maker of elevators and escalators.
• Toriimoto Station (鳥居本駅) - Toriimoto-juku is a former stage town on the Nakasendo Road. The Western-style station building was built in 1931.
• Hikone Station (彦根駅) - Hikone Castle and temples are nearby.
• Hikone Serikawa Station (ひこね芹川駅) - New station opened in April 2009. Near a few public schools.
• Hikone-guchi Station (彦根口駅) -
• Takamiya Station (高宮駅) - Transfer point between the Ohmi Railways Main Line and the Taga Line for Taga Taisha Shrine.
• Amago Station (尼子駅) - Buses leave this station for the Koto Sanzan Temple Trio. Bicycle rental at the station (drop off OK at Echigawa Station).
• Toyosato Station (豊郷駅) - Home base of Itochu Corporation founder.
• Echigawa Station (愛知川駅) - Bicycle rental at the station (drop off OK at Amago Station).
• Gokasho Station (五箇荘駅) - Famous for Omi merchant homes. Bicycle rental at the station.
• Kawabe-no-Mori Station (河辺の森駅) - Near Kawabe Ikimono no Mori nature park.
• Yokaichi Station (八日市駅) - Main station for Higashi Omi city and transfer point for the Ohmi Railways' Main Line and Yokaichi Line (for Omi-Hachiman). Bicycle rental at the station.
• Nagatanino Station (長谷野駅) -
• Daigaku-mae Station (大学前駅) -
• Kyocera-mae Station (京セラ前駅) - Near Kyocera factories.
• Sakuragawa Station (桜川駅) -
• Asahi Otsuka Station (朝日大塚駅) -
• Asahino Station (朝日野駅) -
• Hino Station (日野駅) - Main station for Hino-cho town. Buses and bicycle rental in front of the station.
• Minakuchi Matsuo Station (水口松尾駅) - Very rural area.
• Minakuchi Station (水口駅) -
• Minakuchi Ishibashi Station (水口石橋駅) -
• Minakuchi Jonan Station (水口城南駅) - Main station for Minakuchi and Koka city. Minakuchi-juku was a former stage town on the Nakasendo Road. Minakuchi Castle is also nearby. Bicycle rental at station.
• Kibukawa Station (貴生川駅) - Transfer point between the Ohmi Railway Line, JR Kusatsu Line, and Shigaraki Kogen Line.

Ohmi Railways Taga Line (多賀線)

Only three stations on this line which shoots off the Main Line. From Maibara and Hikone Stations, some trains run directly to Taga Taisha-mae. On other train runs, you may have to transfer at Takamiya Station.

• Takamiya Station (高宮駅) - Transfer point between the Main Line and Taga Line. Takamiya-juku is also a former stage town on the Nakasendo Road.
• Screen Station (スクリーン駅) - New station opened on March 15, 2008. Near Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd.'s semiconductor R&D center. The station was built by the company for its employees.
• Taga Taisha-mae Station - (多賀大社前駅) - Nearby is Taga Taisha Shrine, one of Shiga's most popular shrines.

Ohmi Railways Yokaichi Line (八日市線)

Runs between Omi-Hachiman Station on the Tokaido Main Line and Yokaichi Station in Higashi Omi.

• Omi-Hachiman Station (近江八幡駅) - Major city on the Tokaido Line.
• Musa Station (武佐駅) - Former stage town on the Nakasendo Road.
• Hirata Station (平田駅) -
• Ichinobe Station (市辺駅) -
• Tarobogu-mae Station (太郎坊宮前駅) - Unmanned train station. Mainly residential and farmland. Mountaintop Tarobogu Shrine is nearby.
• Shin-Yokaichi Station (新八日市駅) - Nice Taisho-Period station building.
• Yokaichi Station (八日市駅) - Main station for Higashi-Omi city (formerly Yokaichi city). Giant kite festival and museum.

Map of Main Line from Maibara to Kibukawa Station (gray). An alternate route is to take the Biwako/Tokaido Line from Maibara to Kusatsu, then transfer to the Kusatsu Line for Kibukawa.

Map of Yokaichi Line from Omi-Hachiman to Yokaichi Station.

Map of Taga Line connecting from Maibara Station.