Niigata Station

Niigata Station (新潟駅) is a major railway station in Chūō-ku, Niigata, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The station is in the center of Niigata city, the largest city on the Sea of Japan coast in Honshu. It forms the central station for the railway infrastructure along the Sea of Japan coast, and is also the terminus of the Jōetsu Shinkansen high-speed line from Tokyo.

Lines
Niigata Station is served by the following lines.
 * Joetsu Shinkansen
 * Shin'etsu Main Line
 * Hakushin Line
 * Echigo Line

Station layout
The station has two side platforms (former 1, 4) and two island platforms (former 2/3, and 8/9) at ground level serving a total of six tracks for conventional narrow gauge lines, of which only one island platform remains in use for trains originating from Niigata Station. This island platform (8/9) is an extension of one of the side platforms (1). The station also has two elevated side platforms 2, 5) and one island platform 3,4) serving conventional narrow gauge lines, and two more elevated island platforms serving four shinkansen tracks (11 to 14). The elevated station building has a "Midori no Madoguchi" staffed ticket counter and "View Plaza" travel agency.

History
Niigata Station opened on 3 May 1904. With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR) on 1 April 1987, the station came under the control of JR East.

Passenger statistics
In fiscal 2017, the station was used by an average of 37,461 passengers daily (boarding passengers only). The passenger figures for previous years are as shown below.

Surrounding area

 * CoCoLo Niigata, shopping center in the station
 * Sake Museum Ponshu-kan
 * Bandai Bridge
 * Bandai Bridge
 * Bandai Bridge

Bus terminals
Both the Bandai Entrance and the South Entrance have bus terminals. , the following transit bus line are on service.

Bandaiguchi Bus Terminal

 * Niigata City Loop Bus
 * Transit bus operated by Niigata Kotsu
 * BRT "Bandai-bashi Line" : Niigata Sta.—Bandai Bridge—Furumachi—City office—Hakusan Station—Aoyama
 * C* : for Central Niigata
 * S* : for South Niigata
 * W* : for West Niigata
 * E* : for East Niigata
 * "Sado-Kisen Line" : Niigata Sta.—Toki Messe—Sado Kisen Ferry Terminal

Minamiguchi Bus Terminal

 * Transit bus operated by Niigata Kotsu
 * Limousine bus for Niigata Airport
 * C* / S* / W* / E*
 * S7 : for Big Swan Stadium, Niigata Prefectural Baseball Stadium