Tokyu 5000 series

Data (as of 29 Nov 2025)

*Including two carriages converted from 6000 series.

History

The 5000 series is the most successful type of Tokyu, and widely used across the network. Yokohama Minatomirai Railway has Y500 series that is almost identical the 5000 series, which is described in a different article. The history of the series is so complicated that this article only refers to major events about it.

To put it simply, Tokyu mass-produced the 5000 series to replace old 8000 series (in service: 1969-2008) and 8500 series, and to prepare for through-services from the Toyoko Line towards the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line as well as those from the Meguro Line towards the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line and Toei Mita Line. To reduce the manufacturing cost, the 5000 series is based on existing commuter trains, namely JR East E231 series.

There are four variants of the series, as described below. They were generally classified in accordance with lines they serve, but there are exceptions (some units of variant 5000 were reallocated from the Den-en-toshi to Toyoko Line). There is also variant 4000 of 5050 series (sounds strange), which is formed of ten coaches.

Many 5000 series units on Den-en-toshi Line had carriages with six pairs of doors, to reduce congestion. Three out of ten coaches per carriage were "six-door carrige", but they were replaced with ordinary four-door carriages by 2017 as they were incompatible with platform edge doors. All six-door coaches have been scrapped.

The 5080 series was initially formed of six coaches, but two intermediate carriages were inserted as through-services between the Meguro Line and Sotetsu were launched. Two of them were converted from 6000 series.

Current Operations & Future Prospects

The 5000 series are used on the lines as the table above shows. Those on the Den-en-toshi Line are also used for through-services to the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line and the Tobu network, and those allocated to the Toyoko Line are also for through-services to the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin, Seibu Ikebukuro and Tobu Tojo Lines. Those on the Meguro Line are used for through-services to the Tokyo Metro Namboku and Toei Mita Lines. Furthermore, those on the Toyoko and the Meguro Lines run Shin-Yokohama Line, and by extension, through-services to the Sotetsu network. Some of those on the Toyoko Line have "Q Seat" coaches with convertible seating (longitudinal/transverse).

Trains for the Den-en-toshi and the Toyoko Lines will be refurbished with very different liveries from 2025.

Photos

A 5050 series (variant 4000) unit is promoting Tokyu's skyscraper and retail complex Shibuya Hikarie.

Another 5050 series unit on the Toyoko Line has been painted green, just like its predecessor that was withdrawn from the Line in 1980.

The Den-en-toshi Line's 5000 series with six-door carriages (see the third, sixth and seventh coaches).

The 5080 series on the Meguro Line (when formed of six coaches).