The Ao Line is a commuter railway line in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kobe Electric Railway (Shintetsu). It connects Kobe with its northwestern suburb, Ono. The line is 29.2 km (18.1 mi) long, extending from Suzurandai in Kita-ku to Ao, where the line connects with the West Japan Railway Company Kakogawa Line, although all trains continue past Suzurandai to Shinkaichi via the Shintetsu Arima Line and Kobe Rapid Railway Namboku Line.

Hyōgo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 and a geographic area of 8,400 square kilometres. Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to the southeast, and Okayama and Tottori prefectures to the west.