JR East is one of the main companies of the JR Group. Formed in 1987, with the privatization of the National Railways, it operates from north of mount Fuji, all the way up to the Tsugaru Strait, including the fundamental Tokyo Metropolitan area and the Kanto, Tohoku and Koshin’etsu (Northeastern Chubu, around Niigata) rural areas.
Depsite not being the wealthiest or more profitable (wich would be JR Central, due to the Tokaido Shinkansen), JR East is still one of (if not the) most important railway company of Japan, and depsite having the longest Shinkansen network of the JR Group, JR East’s main source of income comes from commuter trains moving people in, out and trough the vast Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area.
Among it’s staggering 83 subsidiaries, (including IT companies, real estate, retail, hotel and resturant businneses) there’s J-TREC (former Tokyu Car Co.), one of Japan’s main rolling stock manufacturers, and Tokyo Monorail.
Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
Tokyo Area main urban, suburban and commuter lines
Yamanote Line
Keihin-Tohoku Line, Negishi Line (trough-services between the two)
Chuo Line
Rapid Service (Tokyo to Takao, some services up to Otsuki)
Chuo Main Line “Eastern Section” (Takao to Shiojiri, some services down to Tachikawa)
Fuji Excursion and charter trains
Chuo-Sobu Line
Trough-Services with the Tozai Subway Line
Saikyo Line (some trough-services with the Kawagoe Line, the TWR Rinkai Line and the Sotetsu Railway)
Tokaido Main Line (Rapid Service), Ito Line
Yokosuka Line, Sobu Line Rapid Service
“regular” trains
Sanzami, Wakashio, Shiosai and Ayame limited express services
Joban Line Rapid Service (trough-services with the Narita Line up to Chiba)
1500v DC-only commuter EMUs (Ueno-Toride section only)
Trough-services with the Chiyoda Subway Line (1500v DC Ayase-Toride section only)
Suburban multivoltage EMUs (1500v DC / 20Kv 50hz AC)
Yokohama Line (some trough-services with the Negishi Line)
Nambu Line
Keiyo Line (trough-service with the Musashino Line)
Musashino Line (some trough-services with the Keiyo and Chuo Rapid Lines)
Local Services
“Musashino” Rapid Service
Tokyo Area secondary commuter, suburban and local lines
Kawagoe and Hachiko Lines
Sagami Line
Tsurumi Line
Sotobo, Uchibo and Kashima Lines
“regular” trains
Limited express trains
Narita Line (trough-services with the Joban Line and the Kashima Line)
Ryomo, Joetsu and Takasaki Lines
Utsunomiya Line
(1500v DC Utsunomiya to Kuroiso section only)
Nikko Line
Tohoku Area
Joban Line, Tohoku Main Line and related branchlines
Senseki Line (1500v DC)
Nagano Area
Shin’etsu Main Line, Chuo Main Line, Shinonoi Line, Oito Line
Niigata Area
Shin’etsu Main Line, Echigo Line, Hakushin Line
Yahiko Line
Diesel Locomotives
Non-Revenue-earning rolling stock
Train icons made by Curoka