Arai Station (Niigata)

Arai Station (新井駅) is a railway station in the city of Myōkō, Niigata, Japan, operated by the third-sector operator Echigo Tokimeki Railway. It is also a freight terminal for the Japan Freight Railway Company.

Lines
Arai Station is served by the 37.7 km Echigo Tokimeki Railway Myōkō Haneuma Line from Myōkō-Kōgen to Naoetsu, and is located 21.0 kilometers from the starting point of the line at Myōkō-Kōgen and 58.3 kilometers from Nagano. Two return Shirayuki limited express services and two limited-stop "Rapid" services operate daily between Arai and Niigata.

Station layout
The station has one side platform and one island platform connected by a footbridge. The station is staffed.

History
Arai Station opened on 15 August 1886. With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR) on 1 April 1987, the station came under the control of JR East.

From 14 March 2015, with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa, local passenger operations over sections of the Shinetsu Main Line and Hokuriku Main Line running roughly parallel to the new shinkansen line were reassigned to third-sector railway operating companies. From this date, Arai Station was transferred to the ownership of the third-sector operating company Echigo Tokimeki Railway.

Passenger statistics
In fiscal 2017, the station was used by an average of 973 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).

Surrounding area

 * Myoko City Office
 * Niigata Prefectural Arai High School