Ayabe Station (綾部駅)
Located in Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture, Ayabe Station is a stop owned by West Japan Railway Company (JR West).
All limited express trains stop at this station, and those limited express trains for Maizuru and for Fukuchiyama are coupled and decoupled at this station. Some trains called 'Relay Limited Expresses' connect with limited express trains at this station.
Ekiben (lunch boxes available at some stations and on some trains) used to be sold; however, in 2005 the new distributor pulled out of the station, and no Ekiben have been sold since then.
Lines
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Sanin Main Line
Maizuru Line * This station is basically the terminal station but, using the Sanin Line, some of the local trains go to Fukuchiyama and all of the limited express trains go to Kyoto.
Station layout
It is an elevated station with one island platform, serving tracks 1 and 2, and one single platform, serving track 3. The JR Ticket Office "Midori-no-madoguchi" (Green Window) is open from 5:50 to 20:45.
The current station building was completed in September 1999.
Three elevators are available (North exit, South exit and on the platform).
There is no escalator.
After the timetable was revised in March, 2008, the majority of trains running between Ayabe, Kyoto and Maizuru use Platform 1and 2 to allow transfers between trains on the same platform, while Platform 3 is only used trains by some Fukuchiyama-bound trains (including some limited express trains whose cars are decoupled at Ayabe to run on the Maizuru Line).
On the whole, trains for Fukuchiyama tend to use Platform 1, while those for Sonobe tend to use Platform 2. Trains for Higashi-Maizuru use Platform 1 and 2 evenly.
Passenger Use
The number of daily passengers in fiscal year 2006 was about 1,507 people.
(according to the Kyoto Prefecture Statistics Report)
This station is the main station of Ayabe City and many passengers change trains here.
Station surroundings
South exit
Ayabe City Office
Ayabe City Hall
Ayabe Post Office
Oomoto (Omoto) Headquarters
Nitto Seiko Co., Ltd.
North exit
Research laboratory of Gunze Limited
Headquarters of Gunze Limited
Gunze Memorial Hall
Gunze Museum
The Maizuru Railways Department used to be located in this area but closed on June 30, 2006.
R-in Ayabe: a budget hotel located right next to the North exit. The northern area of the station remained relatively undeveloped until recently, but the number of stores has been gradually increasing since the station was rebuilt into an upper-floor structure.
Bus services
Ayabe Civic Bus [Aya-Bus]
Bus services are sub-contracted to Kyotan Taxi.
Kyoto Kotsu (Maizuru)
To Fukuchiyama Shiyakusho-mae (Fukuchiyama City Hall)/Fukuchiyama Station (Fukuchiyama Line)
Taxi services
Nihon Kotsu Co., Ltd.
Kyotan Taxi
History
November 3, 1904: Started as station of Japan National Railways (at same time as opening of section between Fukuchiyama and Higashi-Maizuru). Station leased to Hankaku Railway. Passenger and freight services started.
August 1, 1907: Hankaku Railway nationalized.
August 25, 1910: Section between Sonobe and Ayabe opened.
October 3, 1982: Freight services discontinued.
April 1, 1987: Ownership passed to JR West following division and privatization of JNR.
Adjacent stations
* For information on the next stations of the Limited Expresses 'Tanba,' 'Kinosaki,' 'Hashidate,' 'Maizuru' and 'Tango Discovery,' refer to the article for that train.
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Sanin Main Line
Yamaga Station - Ayabe Station - Takatsu Station (Kyoto Prefecture)
Maizuru Line
(Takatsu Station) - Ayabe Station - Fuchigaki Station