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This overnight express train is operated between Aomori and Sapporo. If you want to save your time and you don’t want to spend your money for Hotel in Sapporo, this overnight train is the best choice. Especially when you want to transfer to Tokyo from Sapporo as early as possible, this train is connected with the first “Hayabusa” on Tohoku Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori.

Be careful! This overnight train “Hamanasu” arrive and depart at Aomori. Aomori is one station away from Tohoku Shinkansen station, Shin-Aomori. When you transfer to Hayabusa from Hamanasu, you need to take Limited Express Tsugaru 2 that depart from Aomori station at 5:46. You have only 6 minutes to transfer.

Most of the night train have only sleeper class. This express train has Type B sleeper class. But this train has two types of reserved seats too. If you take these reserved class, you can take this train without any extra pay by Japan Rail Pass. Okay, let’s see the accommodations and interior of Hamanasu.

I got on Hamanasu in mid March, 2012. I hope my passengers’ report, “My trip from Aomori to Sapporo on March 19, 2012 by Hamanasu Carpet car.” help you.

View Hamanasu in a larger map

Accommodations

Type B sleeper class

Additional fare 7,560yen (Express surcharge 1,260yen + Accommodation charge 6,300yen)
This is very basic sleeper in Japan. 4 beds are in one compartment. Lower berth is 195 cm X 70 cm X 111 cm. (Length/Width/Height) Upper berth is 195 cm X 70 cm X 95 cm. Lower berth has a little more head room.

Dream Car

No extra charge
One of those reserved seats is called “Dream Car”. This seat provide you same grade of comfortably as Green classr.

Carpet Car

No extra charge
The other reserved seat is called “Carpet car”. This seat is the same kind of seat as Nobi Nobi seat on Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo. It is like a berth. You can lie on the seat. This berth is better than Nobi Nobi seat because this accommodation provides you a pillow, linen and the Heated Carpet in winter time. Please click the following images. You will see the purple carpet on the berth. That is the Heated Carpet.

As you see the images, Upper section has more privacy. Try to get it!

Non Reserved seat

Of course, no extra charge
If you cannot get the reserved seat, you can take a non reserved seat, if you like. This seat is very very common seat. If you need to take overnight train from Sapporo to Aomori, you have to take this. Otherwise I don’t recommend you.

Other facilities

This train has several the vending machine. You can buy some refreshment.

Several change rooms are equipped in the train. And you will have a small space to take a break, drink and eat. But there is no shower facility.

Be careful! This train has Japanese style washroom only!

Timetable

Station	Aomori to Sapporo	Sapporo to Aomori
Aomori (青森)	22:42	5:40
Hakodate (函館)	1:00-1:23	2:52-3:22
Oshamanbe (長万部)	3:08	1:03
Date-Monbetsu (伊達紋別駅)	-	0:17
Higashi-Muroran (東室蘭)	4:17	23:50
Noboribetsu (登別)	-	23:35
Tomakomai (苫小牧)	5:01	23:04
Minami-Chitose (南千歳)	5:25	22:41
Chitose (千歳)	5:30	22:36
Shin-Sapporo (新札幌)	5:55	22:11
Sapporo (札幌)	6:07	22:00

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63 Comments to “Overnight train to/from Sapporo and Aomori. Express Hamanasu”

1. Michael says:

   December 29, 2012 at 9:40 am

   Takeshi-san,

   My family and I will be arriving in Tokyo on 26th of Jan 2013, with JR pass activating from 27th Jan onwards. We plan to have a trip to Sapporo on 28th and coming back that same night, taking the Train Express Hamanasu at 10pm.

   Please correct me if I’m wrong.
   1. There is no way for us to make a reservation (dream/carpet) on Hamanasu from outside of Japan, unless we ask our friends in Japan to do it for us, which will cost 1770 yen/person.
   2. It will be 0% to get our reservation if we do it on 27th Jan after we receive the JR Pass.

   Looking forward to hear from you.

   Thanks.
   Michael

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     December 29, 2012 at 2:18 pm

     Hi Michael san,

     1. That’s right. Even if you speak Japanese, the only way is Odekake.net by JR West. But we have to pick up the ticket in west part of Japan, like Osaka and Kyoto. If you can ask your friend, that is the best way.

     2. You may be able to book Dream seat. But there is almost no chance to get Carpet. If you ask your friend to book Hamanasu Carpet, ask your friend ASAP. Usually Hamanasu Carpet is sold out right after ticket is started to sell. That means ticket may be already sold out.

     Cheers,

     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
     • Michael says:

       December 29, 2012 at 10:27 pm

       Takeshi-san,

       I have a friend in Osaka. May I know what should he do if I ask him to go to http://www.jr-odekake.net/ to help me make the reservation? Does he need my JR exchange order?

       Thanks.
       Michael

       Reply
       • JPRail says:

         December 29, 2012 at 11:16 pm

         Hi Michael san,

         If your friend has a time to go to Midori no Madoguchi at major station, it is better. If he use Odekake net, he needs to go to pick up a ticket at Midori no Madoguchi. He doesn’t need to show any JR pass document. All he has to do is going to Midori no Madoguchi and book Hamanasu. Ask him to book “Hamanasu Carpet” when he book. Sometimes JR reservation confuse Dream and Carpet. If he cannot book Carpet, then he can ask to book Hamanasu reserved seat. Dream is a kind of reserved seat. If he can get reserved seat, it means “Dream”. And also ask him to purchase express surcharge ticket only. JR reservation will ask him to purchase base fare ticket. But you will have JR pass. You don’t need to buy it.

         Good Luck!

         Takeshi / JP Rail

         Reply
2. Nizora says:

   November 15, 2012 at 5:44 am

   Takeshi san,

   3 of us are planning to book carpet cars on the 26th November from Sapporo to Aomori.
   We will be arriving in Tokyo on the 19th Nov. What would be the chances of getting the seats?
   Would appreciate your advice.

   Many thanks in advance,
   Nizora

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     November 15, 2012 at 7:17 am

     Hi Nizora,

     Unfortunately the chance is almost 0%. Usually it is sold out after it is started to sell on one month prior to departure date.

     Cheers,

     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
     • nizoa says:

       November 16, 2012 at 7:56 pm

       Takeshi san,

       Many thanks for your prompt reply.

       Ah, not my luck, may have to take an expensive flight !!!

       Reply
3. Simon says:

   October 2, 2012 at 1:47 pm

   Hi Takeshi,
   Thanks for such useful information. Allow me for one more question.

   If I failed for non-reserved seat, am I allow to stay inside the station and wait for the morning train ?

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     October 2, 2012 at 7:40 pm

     Hi Simon,
     You can get on the train in case that you cannot get a seat. You need to stay on the aisle or passengers deck. But you can go anyway.
     Cheers,
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
     • Simon says:

       October 3, 2012 at 12:24 am

       Hi Takeshi,

       Many thanks again. Now I am less worried about my plan.

       Reply
4. Simon says:

   October 2, 2012 at 2:51 am

   Hi, knowing that is almost not possible to reserve a seat for Hamanasu after my arrival in Japan. So i will be talking the non-reserved seat. But of course non-reserved is also limited.

   So my question is, what is the best way, better chance for me to grab a non-reserved seat for Hamanasu? I will be there around January 6 2013

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     October 2, 2012 at 12:53 pm

     Hi Simon,
     Go to platform 30 minutes earlier. Usually there are line to wait for non reserved seat.
     But it will be very cold. Be careful to catch cold. And January 6 (Sun) might be very busy. In Japan, Jan 1 to 3 are New Years Vacation. Next year, January 4 is Friday. So some of them extend to the weekend and back to hometown on Jan 6. I am not 100% sure. But please keep it in your mind.
     Cheers,
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
5. Olaf Oomes says:

   September 17, 2012 at 2:18 am

   Dear Sir,

   I am not clear whether the Hamanasu Express runs on Saturdays and Sunday as well. Reason for my question is that I wish to visit Aomori during the Nebuta festival while staying in Hakodate. I would like to take the 22.42 train back to Hakodate. But again does it run on Saturday and/or Sundays as well? Thanks for your help.

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     September 17, 2012 at 12:44 pm

     Hi Olaf Oomes,
     Yes. Hamanasu is a scheduled train. It runs everyday so far.
     But if you will get on it in next summer, the schedule has not confirmed yet. JR usually revise timetable on October and March. It is confirmed it runs everyday until next spring. But it is not sure for next summer so far. It will be confirmed next spring.
     Cheers,

     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
     • Olaf Oomes says:

       September 17, 2012 at 11:27 pm

       Thank you Takeshi.
       Very useful information.

       Reply
6. YC says:

   March 22, 2012 at 1:13 am

   Hi. I’m traveling to Japan in July and would like to take the overnight Hamanasu from Sapporo ~ Aomori, using JR Pass. Is there any where that I can reserve a seat (Dream Car or Carpet Car) prior to my arrival in Japan?

   Otherwise, if I ask a friend of mine living in Tokyo to get a reserve seat for me, how much is the express surcharge that I have to pay? Is there any website that have such information? You mentioned in one of the replies saying that he/she does not need to pay for basic fare, but need to pay for express surcharge. How would he inform the person at the ticket counter that I am having JR Pass with me, so that he can avoid from paying the basic fare? How about the seat fee? I saw from Hyperdia that there is a seat fee chargeable.

   I have read through all the comments and your replies. It seems to me that most of the foreign travelers (if not all) will have to take the non-reserved seats upon traveling in Hamanasu, if we want to avoid in paying extra fees by using JR Pass. Is that true?

   Thank you very much!

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     March 22, 2012 at 7:11 am

     Hi YC,
     You cannot do it by yourself online. But you can ask your friend in Japan. See the following post to get the details:
     http://jprail.com/travel-informations/how-to-reserve-seat.html
     If you do it by yourself after you turn in Japan Rail Pass, you can get Hamanasu Carpet seat without any cost. But if you ask your friend, you need to pay 1770 yen. Your travel period may be high season. So you may need to pay another a few hundred yen.
     As we discussed at above link, it is very hard to get a seat on overnight trains for overseas travellers. So if you can ask your friend, ask it. I’m in Japan now. I took Hamanasu several days ago. It was completely full. I made a call to reservation center (JR West Odekake net) one month prior departure date. The seats were just started to sell. But I could not get upper section. A few space at lower section were left. This accommodation is very very popular. In my opinion, it will be almost no chance to get a seat after you arrive in Japan.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
7. zhizhi says:

   March 17, 2012 at 10:06 pm

   Hi, can we ask our Japanese friend in Tokyo to book the carpet seat when ticket start to open release ? If yes, does the booking need JR pass to book ? Our travel is beg of JUL

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     March 18, 2012 at 3:29 am

     HI ZhiZhi,
     Your friend do not need to show JR pass when he/she book. But he/she need to pay express surcharge. Even JR pass cover this charge, he/she needs to pay this at the time of booking. He/she does not need to pay basic fare.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
8. YF says:

   February 25, 2012 at 7:50 am

   Hi,

   Is it confirmed that there is no extra charge for JR Pass Holder?

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     February 25, 2012 at 4:09 pm

     Hi YF,
     If you take Carpet car, Dream car or non reserved seat, you can take Hamansu with no extra charge by Japan Rail Pass. But this train is very popular and very hard to book it. I tried to take upper section of Carpet car for Mar 19. I booked 30 minutes after this seat was started to sell. All upper section had already gone. There are a few seat on lower section left. So it will very hard to get these seats after you arrive Japan.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
9. Melisa says:

   February 16, 2012 at 2:25 am

   Hi Takeshi,

   I would like to know if the carpet car allocated randomly for male/female passenger when we try to reserved it. Is it save for a solo female traveler to choose this option since I saw there was only thin curtains separate the beds.

   Thanks

   Reply
   • JPRail says:

     February 16, 2012 at 9:50 pm

     Hi Melisa,
     Section #1 to #4, #21 and #22 are used for female only. Usually female passenger will be assigned from these sections. But once these sections are full, you have no choice. It is assigned at random and male passenger may be assigned beside your section.
     Takeshi / JP Rail

     Reply
10. nat says:

    February 5, 2012 at 1:00 am

    Hi, May I know where do we leave our luggages for the nobinobi seat? Thanks!

    Reply
    • JPRail says:

      February 5, 2012 at 9:17 am

      Hi Nat,
      Unfortunately Hamanasu do not have any luggage space. So you need to keep your luggage at your seat.
      Takeshi / JP Rail

      Reply
      • nat says:

        February 7, 2012 at 4:40 am

        Hi, Thanks for your reply. But they do allow us to bring our big luggage on board?

        Reply
        • JPRail says:

          February 7, 2012 at 7:55 pm

          Hi Nat,
          You can carry 2 pieces of luggage. And luggage’s Width+Height+length must be less than 2m. As long as you have regular bag or suitcase, it will be fine. But I don’t recommend to use hard shell suitcase. Sometimes it is very hard to find the space for the suitcase in the train.
          Takeshi / JP Rail

          Reply
          • nat says:

            February 9, 2012 at 2:39 am

            Hi, I see! Thanks for all the information!

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