The Hokkaido lifeline facing a high-speed future and uncertain bus routes

Society · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Connecting Hakodate to Asahikawa, the Hakodate Main Line is a vital artery of Hokkaido. Yet, the rise of the Hokkaido Shinkansen threatens its very existence. As high-speed rail expands, entire sections of this historic trunk line face closure and conversion into bus routes, sparking intense local debate.

The Hakodate Main Line serves as a primary trunk line for the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), linking the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo. Its history is deeply tied to the region's industrial development; construction began in 1880 with a 32 km section between Minami-Otaru and Sapporo, later expanding to connect significant coalmines near Iwamizawa to the Otaru Port by 1882.

The railway's geography is shifting due to the expansion of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. The Hokkaido Shinkansen path north of Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto largely follows the current track—including planned stops at Shin-Yakumo, Oshamambe, Kutchan, Shin-Otaru, and Sapporo—significantly affecting regional transit. At present, both freight and passenger transport from Hakodate to Sapporo uses the Chitose and Muroran lines before connecting back to the Hakodate line at Oshamambe Station.

A major turning point occurred on March 27, 2022, when municipalities along the line agreed to close the Oshamambe–Otaru section following the 2030 opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension to Sapporo. The plan involves converting the section into multiple bus routes. However, this transition is fraught with tension; local bus companies have stated they lack the capacity to provide these replacement routes, leading municipalities to threaten to withdraw support for the line's closure.

The line has undergone significant technical evolution, including the doubling of tracks in various sections between 1909 and 1966, and electrification projects such as the 1968 electrification of the Otaru–Sapporo–Takikawa section and the 1988 electrification of the Hakodate–Goryōkaku section in conjunction with the Seikan Tunnel project.

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