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. Eve says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    Very useful advise you have provided us with. I will touchdown in Haneda Airport at around 22.45 in the evening. Is it possible to get my JR Pass activated and get a train to Sapporo? Is this crazy? Appreciate your advise. Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Eve

    • Hi Eve,

      First of all, you cannot activate your JR Pass on arrival day. The window at Haneda is already closed. Other exchange place in Tokyo are closed too.
      Actually it is very tight to get even downtown Tokyo. Please see the link below:
      https://jprail.com/trains/sort-by-type/subway/how-to-take-tokyo-monorail-or-keihin-kyuko-for-late-arrival-and-early-departure-at-haneda.html

      Sapporo is a long long way. Please find more info at the link below:
      https://jprail.com/destinations/hokkaido-area/how-to-get-sapporo.html

      And this overnight train is very very busy now. It’s almost no chance to book this train now. Please think about other day time train. Overnight train option is not realistic now.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Eve says:

        Thanks for your quick response, Takeshi. I am getting nervous now that my flight will reach Haneda next Tuesday. I would have to stay a night in Tokyo. Does the personnel in JR provide advise to tourists on train connections or is it best to go to the tourist information? From your experience, how long would it take to travel from Tokyo to Sapporo or Furano? I saw the autumn colours in Daisetsuzan and it is beautiful.

        Again, grateful for your kind response.

        Arigato, Eve

        • Hi Eve,

          As I gave you the link about trip to Sapporo, trip time is at least 11 hours. If you go to Furano, you have to add at least 2 hours. It may be 2.5 hours or 3 hours. So if you start your trip from Tokyo, it’s not recommended to get Furano same day. I recommend you to stay in Sapporo too. 14-15 hours trip is too much.

          All stations have signage in English. It’s not hard to find the direction. If you lose your way, ask station staff. It’s the easiest. Tourist info may help you but you will waste your time to look for it. Tokyo station tourist info give you advice about Tokyo, but they don’t have idea about Hokkaido. You have to look for tourist info at each city. It’s not realistic.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. Kenneth Ho Koon Chye says:

    Hi,

    If I use JR pass Green and book Type B sleeper class when I arrive at Japan what are my chances? I will be in Japan in October

  3. Jaruwan says:

    Dear Takeshi-san,

    I’m planning to take a Hamanasu night train from Tokyo to Sapporo on 1st Feb, 2016 and back to Tokyo on 6th Feb 2016 at 10pm from sapporo station. Will the train be suspended on that day?

  4. msiumng says:

    Hi there I am planning to take this train in December 18 2015 from Sapporo to Aomori, what are the chances of the reserved ticket availability with rail pass for either the carpet car or dream car? I will arrived on the 11th of Dec so I cannot reserve any tickets before that I believe.

    Also I am wondering what is the formation of the train running from Sapporo to Aomori?

    Thank you very much for the help!!

    • Hi msiumng,

      As you think, there is no way to book before you arrive. I think your chance will be almost 0%. All tickets will be sold out right after ticket is on sale.
      This train will be discontinued in next March. Many train fans have already tried to take this train. The ticket for this train will be most difficult to book until the end of train operation.

      Unfortunately but I don’t recommend to use this train in your trip.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. Dragter says:

    I’m planning to use Hanamasu night train From Sapporo to Aomori, on 12 fab 2016.

    Is Hanamasu still running in fab 2016 ?

  6. CC says:

    Dear Takeshi-San

    May I have the Hamanasu night train schedules operating between Tokyo and Hokkaido for October 2015?

    Many thanks
    Carmen

  7. Eamonn McMahon says:

    Takeshi san,

    First of all many thanks for your excellent website. It is clearly the best resource for English speaking tourists in Japan. Sir, I travel to Japan for the fist time this weekend unfortunately just for 8 days. On Sunday night I would like to to leave Tokyo and travel to Hokkaido to see the national parks – they are truly stunning. I need to be back to Kyoto for Thursday.. I think this trip could be possible if I use night trains but how should I go about it? I have a 7 day JR pass. Am I better advised to take sleep train direct from Tokyo,.. a shinkansen from Tokyo to somewhere in the north of the honshu and then to continue on sleeper train? Maybe stop change in Aomori or Morioki? Forgive me I have never visited Japan before.

    • Hi Eamonn san,

      The following link shows you how to get Hokkaido by train.
      https://jprail.com/destinations/hokkaido-area/how-to-get-sapporo.html

      I’ve heard that Hamanasu is very busy now. Because this train may be discontinued near future. Many train fans want to take this train before that. Unfortunately there is no way to book before arriving Japan. So if you intend to book a reserved seat on this train, you may not be able to make it. There are non reserved seat that is first come first serve basis. You can take this train anyway without reservation. But it’s hard to guess how busy this train will be. You can try but please keep it in your mind.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  8. Mazia says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    Me and my friend might going to take this night train on 20th August 2015, when and where can we do a reservation?
    Thank you in advance.

  9. Way says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    we would like to take overnight train from Tokyo to Sapporo while Aomori by using our 7 days JR Pass this mid July, may i know which station should I alight on ? and we just need a nobi-nobi seat, do we still have to pay any extra charges?

    Thank You vm

    • Hi Way,

      You don’t need to pay any extra charge other than type B berth. But I think all reserved seats have been booked out already. If you expect to book Carpet car, I think it’s no chance to book. This train has been super super busy in these days. Your choice will be only non reserved seat. If you don’t want to take regular seat, please don’t try to use this train. If you are okay with non reserved seat, I recommend you to show up at Aomori station at least 30 minutes before. Even 30 minutes may not be enough to get a seat.
      You may try to book when you arrive in Japan. But please expect the worst case. If you cannot book this, I recommend you to avoid taking this train and stay somewhere between Tokyo and Sapporo or taking daytime train.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  10. Wip says:

    Dear Takeshi-san,

    I’m planning to use Hanamasu night train From Sapporo(JR) to Aomori, on 27 Oct 2015.

    Is Hanamasu still running in Oct. 2015?

    Thank you,
    Wip

    • Hi Wip san,

      We have no idea at this point. JR will revise timetable in mid October. It may be discontinued at that point. But no official announcement has been made yet. We will find it by mid September.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

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