Hon-Atsugi Station

nihongo|Hon-Atsugi Station|本厚木駅|Hon-Atsugi eki is a major stop on the Odawara Line serving the city of Atsugi in Kanagawa Prefecture. Most local, section semi-express, and semi-express trains inbound from Shinjuku Station terminate at this stop and head back to Shinjuku. West of this station, most express trains stop at every station until the line terminus in Odawara Station. All rapid express and most limited express (Romancecar) services also make stops here.

The station is an elevated structure that is built into the building used by the Mylord mall (one of four such malls owned by the Odakyu Group). One of the station's exits leads directly into the 4th level of the mall. [ [http://www.odakyu.jp/guide/station/honatsugi_map_3d.html Odakyu Electric Railway] ja icon. Accessed 2007-02-18.]

The station also serves as a transfer point for local and intercity buses of the Kanagawa Chuo Company, with direct service to Morioka, the Shinkansen Shin-Yokohama Station, Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara. [ [http://www.kanachu.co.jp/busguide/busguide.html Kanachu Company route information] ja icon. Accessed 2007-02-18.]

tation layout

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History

The station was opened on 1st April 1927 as Sagami-Atsugi (相模厚木駅) station for through trains. At that time, trains stopping at every station ran between Shinjuku station and Inada-Noborito station (稲田登戸駅, now ja-stalink|Mukogaoka-Yuen|Mukōgaoka-Yūen) and did not continue to Hon-Atsugi. Later, from 15th October 1927, express trains made a stop at the station. The first trains of the Jinchū-railroad (神中鉄道, now Sagami Railway) run from Ebina station to this station on 25th November 1941 and the station is renamed to its present name on 1st June 1944. During the Pacific War (November 1944), the station deteriorates and express train services are suspended.

After the war various services are reestablished. The local trains that had been operating between Shinjuku and Inada-Noborito station run on the whole line and Hon-Atsugi becomes a stop for local trains. At the same time, through trains are abolished (June 1945). Consecutively Semi-Express (1st October 1946), Express (1st October 1949), Commuting express (25th March 1955) and Commuting Semi-Express (25th March 1960) services are introduced. On 5th November 1964 the connection to the Sagami Railway is cut. From 1968 the Sagami-Romancecar stops in Hon-Atsugi. In June 1976 it is made into an overhead station.Multi-level crossings are successively constructed around the station (29th March 1977) and from 31st March 1978, the line operates jointly with the Chiyoda Line and the JR Jōban Line. Later (23rd March 1982), the Mylord department store opens in the station building and the first two automatic ticket machines are installed.From 1st February 1984 the Asagiri-Romancecar stops in Hon-Atsugi and on 15th October 1984 the Atsugi Bus Centre is completed. As part of the privatization of the national railway, the head of the Odakyu line becomes JR Central.Due to further privatizations its terminus becomes part of the Tokyo Metro on 1st April 2004. On 11th December 2004, rapid express and semi-section express services are introduced and stop in Hon-Atsugi. AEDs are established in the station (23rd February 2006).Recently (March 2006) waiting rooms have been constructed on all platforms.

Adjacent stations

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References