Overnight train to/from Sapporo and Aomori. Express Hamanasu

Aomori, Shin-Aomori, Hirosaki
Overnight train Hamanasu at Aomori station
Overnight train Hamanasu at Aomori station

Overnight train Hamanasu at Aomori station

Hamanasu was discontinued in mid March, 2016. There is no overnight train service options available to Hokkaido.

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 earliest Tohoku Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori.

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.
Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu

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.
Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu

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.
Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu
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.
Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu Overnight train Hamanasu

Other facilities

This train has several the vending machine. You can buy some refreshment.
Overnight train Hamanasu
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.
Overnight train Hamanasu
Be careful! This train has Japanese style washroom only!
Overnight train Hamanasu

Timetable

StationAomori to SapporoSapporo to Aomori
Aomori (青森)22:185:39
Hakodate (函館)0:44-1:232:52-3:27
Oshamanbe (長万部)3:081:03
Date-Monbetsu (伊達紋別駅)0:17
Higashi-Muroran (東室蘭)4:1723:50
Noboribetsu (登別)23:35
Tomakomai (苫小牧)5:0123:04
Minami-Chitose (南千歳)5:2522:41
Chitose (千歳)5:3022:36
Shin-Sapporo (新札幌)5:5522:11
Sapporo (札幌)6:0722:00

Comments

  1. david says:

    hi can i ask if JR Pass bought in malaysia through JAL can be used on hokkaido / east JR

  2. Whoa, train trips like this are very helpful, especially for people who have to go on urgent trips. But the 6-minute to transfer rule is ridiculous. How could you do that if you have heavy luggage and kids with you? I hope they extend that to make the traveling experience a bit more comfortable.

    • JPRail says:

      Hi Judy,
      I agree with you. Especially the connection time at Shin-Aomori is 19 minutes (Arr 05:51 / Dep 06:10). So if JR East change Aomori departure time to 5 minutes later, it would be more comfortable.
      ex) 05:40 Hamanasu Arr@Aomori / 05:51 Tsugaru Dep@Aomori – 05:56 Tsugaru Arr@Shin-Aomori / 06:10 Hayabusa Dep@Shin-Aomori
      Unfortunately JR Group still focus on domestic traveller. I hope they think about overseas travellers more.
      Takeshi / JP Rail

  3. hissyfit says:

    Thanks for your help, Takeshi-san. I’ll take the earlier one as you suggested.

    Val

  4. JPRail says:

    This is answer for the following question from hissyfit:
    ———-
    Hi Takeshi san,

    I plan to take Hamanasu (2200 Sapporo -Aomori 0540), then take the Aomori (0629) JR Ou Line to Shin Aomori, and then take the Hayate at 0635 to Tokyo?

    Is it very difficult to make the transfer in 6 minutes (0629-0635)? I have got bags and 4 chidlren with me.

    Thank you.
    ———-

    The first Hayate departs from Shin-Aomori at 06:45 am. There are two local trains on Ou line between 05:40 ant 06:30.
    Aomori 06:09am – Shin Aomori 06:14am
    Aomori 06:29am – Shin Aomori 06:35am
    If you can take earlier one, you don’t need to worry about the transfer. Even if you take later one, you have 10 minutes to transfer at Shin Aomori. It will be okay. But you need to be hurry.
    Why don’t you take earlier one?

    Takeshi / JP Rail

  5. Poruporu says:

    Hello, I just would like to ask that is it possible to use Hokkaido & East Japan Pass with Hamanasu train?

    I heard that years ago we can use it with no extra fees for non-reserved seat, but the regulations had changed since last year or something….so I don`t know I can still use this pass with this Hamanasu train or not.

    Thank you very much

    • JPRail says:

      Hello Poruporu,
      You can use the pass for Hamanasu. But you cannot take Carpet car with the pass. You have to take an ordinary seat. And also both Hokkaido pass and East pass do not cover the line between Hokkaido and Aomori. So you need to pay the basic fare and express charge between Hakodate and Aomori.
      Takeshi / JP Rail

  6. […] permitting, is the Hamanasu express service that runs overnight from Aomori to Sapporo and back (Read about this at jprail.com). This would mean taking the bullet train in the evening hours from Tokyo, taking a local shuttle […]

  7. Andy says:

    Thanks for the info, any thoughts on which is more comfortable for sleeping, the nobinobi or the dream seat?

  8. Ken says:

    “Gracias” for your reply, but I think I’ll extend for another week the JR Pass…
    I also want to congratulate you for your website, (the new pictures are a great touch); and finally, I would love to see information about the JR seasonal trains (dates of operation and general information) as this information is impossible to get on the web (updated at least).

  9. Ken says:

    Hi, I just want to know if this train is covered with the JR Hokkaido Pass (same question with the others trains going from / to aomori to hokkaido)

    • JPRail says:

      Hello Ken,
      JR Hokkaido own all part of Tsugaru Kaikyo Line which is between Kikonai station in Hokkaido and Nakaoguni station in Aomori. But Nakaoguni station is about 30km away from Aomori. So in my understanding, JR Hokkaido Pass does not cover for train to Aomori from Hokkaido. You have to pay the extra between Nakaoguni station to Aomori.
      But I am not sure at 100%. I recommend you to ask to JR Hokkaido before you buy the pass.
      Takeshi / JP Rail

  10. adelaide says:

    Is it possible to reserve the Nobinobi seats online? I see that I can reserve a seat for the Hamanasu train on the JR Hokkaido website, but it only gives me choices for Sleeper B, Reserved seat, and Free seat. There was no specification for Nobinobi or Dream car. So if I buy the ticket online, I wouldn’t know where the seat will be? I didn’t actually go through the reservation because I’m afraid I will be charged for cancellation, so maybe there is a final choice of seats in the end? It would be really nice if I can reserve it online as it’s so hard to get!

    • JPRail says:

      Hello Adelaide,
      I checked JR Hokkaido website. I tried to book Hamanasu. They did not show which seat we could get it. If you book a reserved seat, that means you will get Deram car or Carpet car. I heard JR Hokkaido change the train formation in last minutes. So I guess they don’t like to guarantee what kind of reserved seat they will give to us.
      Takeshi / JP Rail

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