Yūbari Station (夕張駅, Yūbari‑eki) was a railway station located in the city of Yūbari, Hokkaido, Japan. It was operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) and served as the terminus of the Yūbari branch of the Sekishō Line.
Location
- Address: Yūbari, Hokkaido, Japan
- Geographic coordinates: 43°03′03″N 141°58′03″E
Operational History
- Opened: 1 November 1892
- Integrated into JR Hokkaido with the privatization of Japanese National Railways on 1 April 1987
- Closed: 31 March 2019, when the Yūbari Branch Line ceased operations and was replaced by bus services
Railway Details
- Line: Sekishō Line (Yūbari Branch)
- Distance: 16.1 km from Shin‑Yūbari Station (the junction with the main Sekishō Line)
- Station code: Y25 (prior to closure)
- Platform configuration: One ground‑level side platform serving a single terminating track
- Track layout: Single track
- Services: Unstaffed station; Kitaca smart‑card fare system was not available
Facilities
- The station was unattended and featured basic passenger amenities.
- Adjacent bus stop provided connections to local bus routes after the railway service ended.
Surrounding Area
- Yūbari City Office
- Yūbari Post Office
Passenger Usage
- In fiscal year 1998, the station recorded an average daily ridership of 62 passengers.
Closure
The Yūbari Branch Line was discontinued on 31 March 2019 due to declining ridership and financial challenges, leading to the permanent closure of Yūbari Station. The rail corridor was subsequently repurposed for bus transit.
References
- Japan National Railways Station Directory (1985)
- Asahi Shimbun, “JR石勝線の夕張支線が最終運行 廃線し、バス転換へ,” 31 March 2019
- NHK World TV, “JR Hokkaido's Yubari Line: A Beloved Local Line Comes to an End,” 9 August 2019
This entry reflects information available from publicly accessible sources as of the latest update.