Two 10-car sets (81 and 82) were delivered from Tokyu Car Corporation
in August and September 1999, entering service from 4 December 1999 on Jōban Line and Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
inter-running services. Based on the 209-0 series, these trains have
end doors for use in emergencies inside tunnels. These sets were based
at JR East's Matsudo depot. These train sets have since been withdrawn
from the Jōban Line in October 2018 and reallocated to the Chūō Line (Rapid)
in December 2018, being based at JR East's Toyoda Depot after the
reallocation. Operations officially started on the Chūō Line in March
2019.


While these sets usually operate only between Tokyo and Takao, on
rare occasions (such as a shortage of train sets due to an accident)
they may operate as far as Ōtsuki, or on the Ōme Line
as far as Ōme. Furthermore, unlike the E233 series in use, due to the
lack of passenger-operated door controls, all doors open on these sets
while in use on the Ōme Line.