Nishioji Station (西大路駅)
Nishioji Station, located in Karahashi-nishi-hiragaki-cho, Minami Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a railway station of the Tokaido Main Line (JR Kyoto Line) that is operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West).
ICOCA and J-through cards can be used at this station. PiTaPa (SURUTTO KANSAI ASSOCIATION) card, which is mutually usable between ICOCA, can also be used.
Station layout
This station is a ground station located on a mound, and it has two platforms to serve four tracks. Only two inner tracks are used for passengers' getting on and off (however, depending on the time zone rapid trains pass through on the inner tracks).
The track for the Tokaido Shinkansen is located above the station building and Platform 1.
According to JR's railway fare system of specific metropolitan and urban areas, this station is categorized as being 'inside Kyoto City' and is the westernmost station of the Tokaido Main Line in this category.
Passenger use
According to statistics compiled by the Kyoto Prefectural Government, the average number of passengers a day in fiscal year 2006 was 15,496.
Station surroundings
Rakuyo Technical High School, Kyoto City
The Kyoto Goshonouchi post office
Wacoal Holdings Corp. Head Office
Lopro Corporation Head Office (formerly Nichiei)
GS Yuasa Corporation (Kyoto) Head Office (formerly Yuasa Denchi)
Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., Head Office
HORIBA, Ltd., Head Office
Bus stop
Nishioji-Eki (station)-Mae
The bus stop isn't situated in front of the station but instead along Nishioji-dori Street, a two-minute walk from the station. The background of the above is that the canal structure of the grade separate crossing situated just below the station made it impossible to place a bus stop there. Incidentally, the name of this bus stop was Nishioji Kujo until 1983, but after the Nishioji Kujo bus stop was placed in its current location, the name of this bus stop was changed from Nishioji Kujo to Nishioji-Eki (station)-Mae.
Kyoto City bus
Route 13: Buses bound for Kuze Kogyodanchi (industrial park) /Shijo Karasuma (via Nishioji-dori Street)
Route 13 Special: Buses bound for Koga Ishiharacho/Shijo Karasuma (via Nishioji-dori Street)
Route 13 Ad hoc: Buses bound for Kamitoba Umamawashi/Shijo Karasuma (via Nishioji-dori Street)
Route 43: Buses bound for Kuzebashi Higashizume/Shijo Karasuma (via Gojo-dori Street)
Route 202: Buses bound for Kujo-shako Depot (via Nishioji Kujo)/Kumano Jinja (shrine) (via Nishinokyo Enmachi)
Rapid Route 202: Buses bound for Kujo-shako Depot/Ritsumeikan University (via Kitano Hakubaicho)
Route 208: Buses bound for Kyoto Station (via Higashiyama Nanajo)/Kyoto Station, Higashiyama Nanajo (via Nanajo-dori Street)
History
September 16, 1938: The station commenced operation as a facility of Japan National Railways (JNR).
Passenger service only
April 1, 1987: The station became a facility of JR West due to the division and privatization of JNR.
Others
From this station to Mukomachi Station, the line runs through Minami Ward of Kyoto City, Nishikyo Ward, Minami Ward again, and Muko City. Katsuragawa Station was established at the place where the line 'runs through Minami Ward again,' but eventually no station was established in Nishikyo Ward (JR West' station located in Nishikyo Ward is Hozukyo Station of the Sanin Main Line (Sagano Line) (located nearly at the border with Kameoka City)).
The congestion at this station in the morning rush hour is so heavy that passengers often miss their trains because they can't go up to the platform due to the large numbers of passengers who have left the train in question. In order to improve the situation, the line that divides passengers going up and those going down was drawn on the stairs; however, it isn't observed at all, so there has been no improvement in the situation. Though elevators and/or escalators aren't yet installed, large-scale renovation is required for the installation of such facilities due to narrow platforms and stairs; moreover, barrier-free facilities aren't sufficient because the station building is unified with the bridge piers of the Tokaido Shinkansen.
Adjacent stations
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
JR Kyoto Line (Tokaido Main Line)
Special Rapid/Rapid
They pass through this station.
Local (some trains are rapid between Takatsuki Station and Akashi Station)
Kyoto Station - Nishioji Station - Mukomachi Station