A new subway line will open in Tokyo on June 14th 2008 (Saturday).
Called the "Fukutoshin Line", it will link Shibuya, Shinjuku and
Ikebukuro, the major satellite centers ("fukutoshin") on the west side
of downtown Tokyo.

1. Location
2. Fare, speed and frequency
3. Service compared with JR Yamanote Line
4. Related timetable changes by Tokyo Metro, Seibu, Tobu
5. On subway express services
6. More info and disclaimer:



1. Location

The new line runs parallel to the JR Yamanote Line between Shibuya and
Shinjuku.  It is mostly under Meiji-dori, on the east side of the 
Yamanote Line.  There will be 8 stations in this new section.

The Shibuya stop is on the east side of the JR Station.  You have to 
exit the gates to transfer between the Ginza Line and the Fukutoshin 
Line.  (Use the manned gates in that case.)

The Harajuku stop is called Meiji-Jinguu-mae.

The Shinjuku stop will be several blocks east of the Keio/JR/Odakyu 
terminal at Shinjuku-Sanchome.  It is near Isetan Department Store and a 
bit to the east of Junkudo Bookstore.

At Ikebukuro, it will use the platform currently called the "Shin-sen" 
("New Line") platform.  It is to the west of the JR station, near Marui.

North of Ikebukuro it will run with the Yurakucho Line to Wakou-shi.
Many trains will continue into Tobu and Seibu.

Tokyo Metro will operate the Fukutoshin Line.  Through tickets from
Tokyo Municipal Subway (Toei Chikatetsu: Oedo Line, Shinjuku Line,
Asakusa Line, Mita Line) stations will be available, but they will be
rather expensive.


2. Fare, speed and frequency

The Fukutoshin Line will have express service.  The express stops
are Shibuya, Shinjuku-Sanchome, Ikebukuro, Otake-Mukaihara and Wakou-shi.

Express trains will link Shibuya and Ikebukuro in 11 minutes, local
trains in 16 minutes.

Fare between Shibuya and Ikebukuro is 190 yen.

During daytime hours, 8 local trains and 4 express trains will run in
each direction.


3. Service compared with JR Yamanote Line

The new subway will run trains as fast as those on the rival JR Yamanote
Line.  On other points, it is at a disadvantage.

* The fare is higher (190 yen subway vs. 160 yen JR).

* The Yamanote Line runs more trains (15 per hour, daytime on JR, not
counting Saikyo Line trains).

* Stations tend to be far from existing private-line terminals which 
attach to Yamanote Line stations.  The platforms are deep underground to 
avoid existing structures.

People living along Seibu Ikeburo Line and Tobu Tojo Line will find the
Fukutoshin Line convenient.  But when visiting places on these lines,
getting on an empty train at Ikebukuro Terminal sounds better than
catching a busy subway mid-way.

If you use the one-day pass, fares on individual sections are not a 
concern.  In fact, the new link between Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya 
should make the subway one-day pass more attractive to tourists.

Aside from that, the subway will serve as a bypass for the JR Yamanote
Line.  People hope that it will ease congestion on the Yamanote Line and 
provide a substitute whenever it breaks down.  (But the subway will be 
terribly crowded in that case.)


4. Related timetable changes by Tokyo Metro, Seibu, Tobu

* "Semi-express" (junkyuu) trains will start running on the Subway
Yurakucho Line.  These trains will serve all stations between Shin-Kiba
to Ikebukuro, and skip all stations except Otake-Mukaihara north of
Ikebukuro.  A large number of through service runs between Seibu, Tobu 
and the Yurakucho Line will be redirected to the new Fukutoshin Line.

* Tobu will make major changes on its Tojo Line schedules.  In addition
to through runs to Shibuya, the "TJLiner", a fixed-capacity express
for homebound commuters will start service.  This will be the first
extra-fare service on the Tojo line.

* Seibu will make major timetable changes on June 14th.  Changes will
not be confined to the Ikebukuro Line; there will be changes on the
Shinjuku Line and branches as well.

* Bus services on the Meiji-dori between Shibuya and Ikebukuro will be 
reduced to one half.


5. On subway express services

Some years ago there were no express trains on the Tokyo Subways. 
People just jumped on the first train to come in.  As subway companies 
promote finer services things are getting complicated.  Certain lines 
now run express trains; you should check before boarding.

1) Lines with trains that skip downtown stations:

Toei Shinjuku Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Metro Fukutoshin Line

2) Lines with trains that skip suburban stations:

Metro Tozai Line, Metro Yurakucho Line, Metro Fukutoshin Line

3) Lines which have through-service trains that turn to express/rapid 
outside the subway, at the company border:

Toei Shinjuku Line, Toei Asakusa Line (Keikyu, Keisei),
Metro Chiyoda Line (Odakyu only), Metro Hanzomon Line (Tobu, Tokyu),
Metro Fukutoshin Line, Metro Yurakucho Line

The Fukutoshin Line is particularly complicated, for there are trains 
that are local on Seibu, express in the subway, and vice versa.

Note that the Fukutoshin Line express skips Meiji-Jingu-mae, the stop 
for Harajuku and Yoyogi Shrine/park.

The current official Tokyo Metro map does not have info on express 
services.  Check at the station.



6. More info and disclaimer:

Tokyo Metro's foreign-language page:
http://www.tokyometro.jp/global/

New stations on the Fukutoshin Line:
http://www.tokyometro.jp/fukutoshin_sta/index.html (Japanese text)

Wikipedia article on the Fukutoshin Line:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metro_Fukutoshin_Line

This is a private article based on announcements by railroad companies. 
  In spite of my efforts, there may be errors in the text.  Please check 
he official announcements from each rail company.  Any corrections, 
suggestions or questions should be posted as a reply to the newsgroup or 
e-mailed to the author afu at wta.att.ne.jp.

Bon Voyage,
Douso, The Prophet of the Way