Senseki Line - Services

Services

All trains originate from Aoba-dōri Station, with most running to Tagajō or Higashi-Shiogama. Local trains and rapid service trains that run the entire length of the line operate at 30-minute intervals. At Sendai Station, the line crosses under the Tōhoku Main Line and its platforms, similar to the situation with the Keiyō Line in Tokyo and the Chikuhi Line in Hakata (which connects via the Fukuoka Airport Subway Line).

The segment from Aoba-dōri to Higashi-Shiogama is a key part of Sendai's transportation system, and becomes very crowded during peak periods, and headways are as short as 4 minutes. During non-peak times 3-5 trains run per hour. Between Higashi-Shiogama and Ishinomaki two trains run per hour (generally one local and one rapid train).

In addition to local trains, there are two types of rapid services on the Senseki Line. Both rapid services make only intermittent stops between Tagajō and Yamoto, but the first type (known as "green" rapids) stops at every station between Aoba-dōri and Tagajō, while the second type (known as "red" rapids) makes intermittent stops between Aoba-dōri and Tagajō. Local and rapid trains make all stops from Yamoto to Ishinomaki.

Green rapid trains serve Aoba-dōri, Sendai, Tagajō, Hon-Shiogama, Higashi-Shiogama, Matsushima-Kaigan, Takagimachi, Nobiru, Rikuzen-Ono, Yamoto, and all stations until Ishinomaki. Red rapid trains stop at the stations above as well as at all stations between Sendai and Tagajō.

A "Mangattan Train" operates on the Senseki Line, with a livery featuring Ishinomori Manga characters.

Service was halted since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, as several trains, stations, and sections of the line were destroyed, heavily damaged, or flooded. Service for the first 16 miles of the line from Sendai was expected to be restored by the end of May 2011. By mid-July, the Sendai – Matsushima-Kaigan and Yamoto – Ishinomaki sections had service restored, although the latter segment was with diesel trains due to the loss of the power substation. As the remainder of the line between Matsushima-Kaigan and Yamoto was virtually obliterated by the tsunami.

As of October 2012, services remain suspended between Takagimachi and Rikuzen-Ono stations. Services are scheduled to be restored by 2015, and a new 400 m link is also due to be constructed from between Shiogama Station and Matsushima Station on the Tohoku Main Line to a point between Matsushima-Kaigan Station and Takagimachi Station on the Senseki Line. Costing approximately 20 billion yen to build, the new link will allow through-running services from the Tohoku Main Line to the Senseki Line, and cut approximately 10 minutes off the journey time between Sendai and Ishinomaki.