The Ao Line (粟生線) is a commuter railway line in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kobe Electric Railway (Shintetsu). It connects Kobe with its northwestern suburb, Ono. The line is 29.2 km long, extending from Suzurandai in Kita-ku to Ao, where the line connects with the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) Kakogawa Line, although all trains continue past Suzurandai to Shinkaichi via the Shintetsu Arima Line and Kobe Rapid Railway Namboku Line. Between Suzurandai Station and Kizu Station, track gradient can reach 50‰ at most.

History

The Miki Electric Railway Co. opened the Suzurandai – Hirono Golf-jo-mae on 28 December 1936. DMUs operated until the section was electrified the following year and extended to Miki Uenomaru, with the extension to Miki opening in 1938. In 1947 the company merged with the Kobe Electric Railway Co., which extended the line to Ono on 28 December 1951, and from Ono to Ao on 10 April 1952. The Nishi-Suzurandai – Aina section was duplicated in 1982, and the Kizu – Oshibedani section was duplicated between 1979 and 1989.

Former connecting lines

Stations