Fukui Railway

Bus & railway company in Fukui Prefecture, Japan
infobox company
| name = Fukui Railway Co., Ltd.福井鉄道株式会社
| image = Fukutetu 200 & 770 001. JPG
| image caption = Fukutetsu 200 series (left) and 770 series EMUs
| type = Corporation
| predecessor = Fukubu Electric Railway, Seiho Electric Railway
| successor =
| foundation = 1945 08 01
| founder =
| defunct =
| location city = Echizen, Fukui Prefecture
| location country = Japan
| locations =
| area served = Northern Fukui Prefecture
| key people = Haruo Murata, President
| operating income = 126 million yen (FY2008)

During an extraordinary shareholders meeting on November 25, 2008, Haruo Murata, formerly of Fukui Bank, was selected as the company's new president. On February 24, 2009, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism officially approved the "Railway Business Restructuring Plan", which provides one billion yen over ten years for replacing equipment and facilities as well as reducing the company's fixed assets tax burden.

On May 27, 2010, Fukui Prefecture announced plans for through services between Fukui Railway and Echizen Railway. Under the plan, beginning in 2013 the Fukui Railway's Fukubu Line would connect to the Echizen Railway at Tawaramachi Station, and as many as two trains per hour in each direction would run through to Nittazuka Station. The next stage would involve extending Fukui Railway service to Nishi Nagata Station and running Echizen Railway trains onto the Fukubu Line. As a part of this plan, five stations would be renovated. One issue regarding through service is that Echizen Railway train cars are 2.8 meters wide, wider than cars used by Fukui Railway. As a result, Echizen Railway trains on Fukubu Line double tracked sections do not have the necessary 40 centimeter clearance, requiring Echizen Railway to acquire a new, 3 car set for through service use. The cost of the project is estimated at several billion yen, and funding sources have not been specified. As it is unclear whether usage will increase from through running, participants in the prefecture's study group worry that costs will outpace any increase in revenue. In March 2016 through operation started between Echizen and Fukui Railways started using Echizen L series and Fukui F1000 series low floor LRVs that are compatible with both networks, becoming one of Japan's first modern tram train system.

August 1, 1945: Fukubu Electric Railway merges with Seiho Electric Railway to form Fukui Railway. August 1948: Fukui Railway acquires Chūbu Noriai Jidōsha. December 1953: Fukui Railway acquires Tsuruga Noriai. September 1960: Fukui Railway acquires Mikata Kōtsū. September 1963: 33.36% of Fukui Railway acquired by Nagoya Railway (Meitetsu Group). September 29, 1973: Seiho Line abolished. April 1, 1981: Nan'etsu Line abolished. July 20, 1988: Highway bus service between Fukui and Nagoya begins. December 1988: Bus location system introduced. May 2, 1989: Overnight highway bus service between Fukui and Tokyo begins. October 1990: Highway bus service between Fukui and Namba, Osaka begins. April 1993: Highway bus service between Fukui and Namba, Osaka halted. September 2003: Highway bus service between Obama and Osaka begins. November 1, 2006: Daytime highway bus service between Fukui and Tokyo begins. December 22, 2007: Daytime highway bus service between Fukui and Osaka (Umeda) begins. December 29, 2008: Nagoya Railroad transfers its 33.36% share of Fukui Railway to local municipalities, ending all capital ties with the company. February 24, 2009: The company's "Railway Business Restructuring Plan" is approved by the central government, paving the way for financial assistance from municipalities and the national government. March 2016: Through train service between Echizen Railway.