The Nankai Main Line (南海本線) is one of the two main railway lines of Japanese private railway company Nankai Electric Railway, together with Kōya Line. The route is from Namba Station in south downtown of Osaka to Wakayamashi Station in Wakayama via Sakai, Izumiōtsu, Kishiwada, Kaizuka, Izumisano, Sennan, Hannan and Misaki municipalities. The proper name is with the company's name, "the Nankai Main Line", not simply "the Main Line" often seen in other Japanese private railways. Lines of the Nankai Main Lane and the connecting lines excluded the Kōya Line and the Airport Line are named generically "the Nankai Line (南海線)". The line is shown with a pictogram of waves, or distinguished with blue from conifer or green Kōya Line.

Route data

Service types

Nankai and Kintetsu are the only two private railway operators in Kansai that offer charged Limited Express trains.

Stations

Main Line

Tennoji Branch Line

Listed counterclockwise: All stations are in the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture.

Rolling stock

History

One of the oldest private railway lines still existing, the gauge Namba - Yamatogawa (since closed) section was opened in 1885 by Hankai Railway (阪堺鉄道) (separate from the present-day Hankai Tramway). The line was extended to Sakai in 1888, and the Namba - Sumiyoshitaisha section was duplicated in 1892. In 1897 the then separate Nankai Railway opened the Sakai - Sano (present-day Izumisano) section as 1067mm gauge, with the Namba - Sano section regauged to match, and the Sumiyoshitaisha - Sano section duplicated the same year. The following year the Hankai Co. merged with Nankai Railway, and the line was extended to Wakayama. The present line to Wakayamashi was completed in 1903, and in 1906 the first dining car on a private railway in Japan was introduced on the Wakayama express. The duplication of the line extended to Hamaderakoen in 1907, Kaizuka in 1911, Takako in 1915 and to Wakayama in 1922. Electrification at 600 VDC began in 1907 on the section from Namba to Hamaderakōen, and was completed in 1911. The voltage was increased to 1500 VDC in 1973.

Former connecting lines