IR Ishikawa Railway

The IR Ishikawa Railway (IRいしかわ鉄道株式会社) is a Japanese third-sector railway company established in 2012 to operate passenger railway services on the section of the JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Ishikawa Prefecture. The main line was separated from the JR West network on 14 March 2015, coinciding with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa. It acquired another section from the JR West Hokuriku Main Line from Kanazawa to Daishoji on 16 March 2024 as the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended from Kanazawa to Tsuruga. The company was founded on 28 August 2012 and has its headquarters in Kanazawa, Ishikawa.

Shareholders
Shares in the company are owned by Ishikawa Prefecture, the cities of Kanazawa and Komatsu, the town of Tsubata, and private-sector businesses.

IR Ishikawa Railway Line
From 14 March 2015, the IR Ishikawa Railway took over control of local passenger operations on the 17.8 km section JR West Hokuriku Main Line between Kanazawa and Kurikara, with five stations (although Kanazawa Station remains under the control of JR West). An additional section west to Daishoji was acquired from 16 March 2024.

Service outline
All services inter-run either to and from the Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line (and Echigo Tokimeki Railway Nihonkai Hisui Line) to the east or over the JR West Nanao Line branching off at Tsubata and the rest of the Hokuriku Main Line operated by JR West to the west of Kanazawa. Limited-stop "Rapid" services named Ainokaze Liner (あいの風ライナー) are operated between Kanazawa and Tomari by Ainokaze Toyama Railway during the weekday morning and evening peaks, but these do not serve any IR Ishikawa Railway stations other than Kanazawa. Noto Kagaribi (Kanazawa - Wakura-Onsen) and Thunderbird (Osaka - Wakura-Onsen) limited express services also operate over the section of the line between Kanazawa and Tsubata, with some services calling at Tsubata.

Stations
All stations are in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Legend
● - All Ainokaze liner trains stop | - All Ainokaze liner trains pass

Rolling stock
The company operates a fleet of five two-car 521 series EMU trains; three second-batch sets (10, 14, and 30) were transferred from JR West, and two third-batch sets (55 and 56) were newly built. The two new sets were initially delivered in February 2015 in standard JR West livery but were repainted into the IR Ishikawa Railway livery before entering service. Trains are normally operated as two- or four-car formations.

, the 521 series fleet is as follows.

History
The line eastward from Kanazawa was opened on 1 November 1898 on the Hokuriku Main Line. With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the line came under the control of JR West.

The new third-sector operating company was founded on 28 August 2012 and was renamed IR Ishikawa Railway from 1 August 2013. The company was formally granted a railway operating license by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on 28 February 2014.

Effective the timetable revision that took place on 16 March 2024, the section of the Hokuriku Main Line from Kanazawa Station to Daishoji Station was transferred from JR West to the IR Ishikawa Railway. The line has been running between Daishoji and Kurikara effective the same date.