The Musashino Line has many branches. Beyond the well-known Fuchū-Hommachi to Nishi-Funabashi main line, there are 8 additional lines, most of which have no regular passenger service. Completing them requires a mix of scheduled trains, special limited expresses, charter trains, and freight line tours.
Line List and Difficulty
| No | Line | Section | Difficulty | How to Ride | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Main Line | Fuchū-Hommachi – Nishi-Funabashi | Low | Regular trains | Done |
| 2 | Musashino-Minami Line | Tsurumi – Fuchū-Hommachi | Medium | Ltd. Exp. Kamakura (weekends) | Done |
| 3 | Kunitachi Branch | Shin-Kodaira – Kunitachi | Medium | Musashino-gō | Done |
| 4 | Ōmiya Branch | Nishi-Urawa – Yono | Medium | Musashino-gō | Done |
| 5 | Nishi-Urawa Branch | Musashi-Urawa – Bessho Signal | Medium | Shimōsa-gō | Done |
| 6 | Kita-Kogane Branch | Minami-Nagareyama – Kita-Kogane | High | Special limited express | Done |
| 7 | Mabashi Branch | Minami-Nagareyama – Mabashi | High | Charter train | Done |
| 8 | Freight Branch | Kajigaya Freight Terminal – Shitte | Highest | Tours, etc. | Not yet |
| 9 | Akitsu Branch | Shin-Akitsu – Tokorozawa | Highest | Seibu transfer line, tours | Not yet |
1. Main Line: Fuchū-Hommachi – Nishi-Funabashi
Regular passenger trains run at high frequency. The easiest to complete.
2. Musashino-Minami Line: Tsurumi – Fuchū-Hommachi
Normally only freight trains run here, but the Limited Express “Kamakura” operates on weekends. It runs between Yoshikawa-Minamiand Kamakura, passing through the Musashino-Minami Line between Fuchū-Hommachi and Tsurumi. I rode the shortest possible section from Nishi-Kokubunji to Yokohama. Limited express surcharge of ¥1,450 required.
Cell phone coverage is spotty in the Musashino-Minami Line section. After Fuchū-Hommachi, the train passes Kajigaya Freight Terminal and Shin-Tsurumi Signal Station before joining the Tōkaidō Main Line at Tsurumi. There was an operational stop at Tsurumi Station for a crew change.
3. Kunitachi Branch: Shin-Kodaira – Kunitachi
A shortcut line connecting the Musashino Line and the Chūō Line. Rideable on the “Musashino-gō” (Hachiōji – Ōmiya).
4. Ōmiya Branch: Nishi-Urawa – Yono
A shortcut line connecting the Musashino Line and the Tōhoku Main Line. Bessho Signal Station is located midway. Rideable on the same “Musashino-gō.”
5. Nishi-Urawa Branch: Musashi-Urawa – Bessho Signal Station
Together with the Ōmiya Branch, this forms a triangle (delta) junction. Rideable on the “Shimōsa-gō.”
If continuing from the Musashino-gō (No. 4), this constitutes a reverse ride, so you must exit the gates at Ōmiya Station first.
The Shimōsa-gō runs from Ōmiya on the Ōmiya Branch, switches to the Nishi-Urawa Branch at Bessho Signal Station, and merges onto the Musashino Line main line at Musashi-Urawa.
6. Kita-Kogane Branch: Minami-Nagareyama – Kita-Kogane
A shortcut line connecting the Jōban Line direction and the Musashino Line. No regular passenger service, but special limited expresses occasionally use it. More riding opportunities than the Mabashi Branch (No. 7).
I rode this on the special limited express “Koedo-Kawagoe no Kaze” (Hitachi – Kawagoe) operated in July 2023. This train passes through the Kita-Kogane Branch, Musashino Line main line, Nishi-Urawa Branch, and Ōmiya Branch.
7. Mabashi Branch: Minami-Nagareyama – Mabashi
A shortcut line connecting Mabashi on the Jōban Line and Minami-Nagareyama on the Musashino Line. No regular passenger service. I rode it on a charter train.
The Kita-Kogane Branch (No. 6) connects to the north side of the Jōban Line (Hitachi/Katsuta direction), so special trains have reason to use it. The Mabashi Branch connects to the south side (toward central Tokyo), making it less likely for special trains to be routed through it. Finding a riding opportunity requires ongoing monitoring of charter train and tour information.
8. Freight Branch: Kajigaya Freight Terminal – Shitte (not yet ridden)
A line from Kajigaya Freight Terminal on the Musashino-Minami Line, via Shin-Tsurumi Signal Station, to Shitte Station. No passenger service — only rideable via freight line tours.
9. Akitsu Branch: Shin-Akitsu – Tokorozawa (not yet ridden)
A connecting line between JR’s Musashino Line and the Seibu Ikebukuro Line. Used for rolling stock transfers to Seibu Railway. No passenger service; riding opportunities are extremely limited.
Records for lines 8 and 9 will be added once a riding opportunity is found.