The limited express Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko train ride guide. The express trains which run between Tokyo, Yokohama, Izu and Atami

Odoriko is serviced by 185 series.Atami, Ito, Shimoda, Mishima, Shuzenji
Odoriko that go to Shuzenji is usually coupled with Odoriko going to Izukyu Shimoda.
257 series runs for Odoriko (C) Rsa / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko are limited express trains to Izukyu-Shimoda or Shuzenji in Izu peninsula from Tokyo and Shinjuku. As probably you know, Izu peninsula is one of most famous hot springs resort area in Japan. These express trains take you to many places, such as Atami, Ito, Kwazu and Izu-Kogen, in Izu hot springs resort from Greater Tokyo area.

Saphir Odoriko was introduced on March 14th, 2020. This train offers high-end train service. This train does not have any ordinary class seat. All seats are Green seat (business class) or Premium Green seat (first class).

In this post, I will show you the interior, timetable, trip times and other trips of Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko.

Route, timetable and trip time

185 series still run as limited express train Odoriko. This fleet is used for rapid Moonlight Nagara too.

Odoriko and Saphir Odoriko connects Tokyo and Atami in 1 hour 30 minutes and connects Tokyo and Izukyu-Shimoda in 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours and conencts Tokyo and Shuzenji in 2 hours 10 minutes.

Please find the timetable in JR East official website (English):

JR East official site – the timetable

Odoriko operation map
Green line is Odoriko operation route. Blue line is Saphir Odoriko operation route.
Click to view large.

Restriction for JR Pass users

These trains are operated on both JR line and the private lines, Izu Kyuko Railway (Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda) and Izu Hakone Railways (Mishima to Shuzenji). If you take these train by JR Pass, JR Pass does not cover these private lines. You may have to pay the extra if you travel farther than Ito or Mishima.

Please see the fare table below to find the extra on top of JR Pass.

Extra fare table for Izu-Kyuko line

 Base fare
from Ito
Odoriko
Non
reserved
seat fee
Odoriko
Reserved
seat fee
Odoriko
Green
seat fee
Saphir
Odoiko
Green
seat fee
Saphir
Odoriko
Premium
Green
seat fee
Izu-Kogen670 yen410 yen520 yen930 yen1,190 yen2,010 yen
Kawazu1,390 yen410 yen520 yen930 yen1,190 yen2,010 yen
Izukyu-Shimoda1,650 yen410 yen520 yen930 yen1,190 yen2,010 yen
Base fare is varied by the distance on Izu-Kyuko line but the seat fee is same.

Extra fare table for Izu-Hakone Railways

 Basic fare from Mishima
Shuzenji520 yen
Only base fare is required. Green seat car is not available on Odoriko to Shuzenji.

If you use JR East Pass or Tokyo Wide Pass, Izu-Kyuko line is covered. You can take an ordinary seat on the limited express Odoriko without any extra charge. But Saphir Odoriko is not covered at all by these passes because this train offers only Green class seat and Premium Green class seat. These passes do not cover Green and Premium Green seats. And these passes do not cover farther than Atami. The segment between Atami and Shuzenji is not covered at all by these passes.

Accommodation

Odoriko is operated by 185 series and 257 series. All 185 series will be replaces by 257 series sooner or later because this fleet is one of the oldest fleets in JR trains.

Saphir Odoriko is operated by 261 series. 261 series is designed for Saphir Odoriko and newly itroduced.

As I mentioned, Saphir Odiriko 261 series does not offer any ordinary class seats. It offers only Green class seat and Premium Green class seat.

*Sonic Rail Garden has copyright for all images of accommodations below.

Train formation

For the limited express Odoriko

12345671112131415
RRRGRNRNRNRNRRRR
R (Ordinary reserved seat), NR (Ordinary non reserved seat), G (Green class seat)
185 series 12 cars formation. Car 11 to 15 usually are assigned for the train to Shuzenji.
123456789101112131415
RRRGGRRRNRNRNRNRRRR
R (Ordinary reserved seat), NR (Ordinary non reserved seat), G (Green class seat)
185 series 15 cars formation. Car 11 to 15 usually are assigned for the train to Shuzenji.
123456789
RRRGRRRNRNR
R (Ordinary reserved seat), NR (Ordinary non reserved seat), G (Green class seat)
257 series 9 cars formation. This set is used for Tokyo to/from Izukyu-Shimoda operation.
1234567891011121314
RRRGRRRNRNRNRNRRRR
R (Ordinary reserved seat), NR (Ordinary non reserved seat), G (Green class seat)
257 series 14 cars formation. Car 10 to 14 usually are assigned for the train to Shuzenji.

For the limited express Saphir Odoriko

12345678
PGGCGCCafeGGGG
PG (Premium Green seat), GC (Green Compartment), G (Green seat)

Images – Odoriko 185 series

Green seat

Ordinary seat

The accommodation is exactly same between reserved ordinary seat and non reserved ordinary seat.

Lavatory

Images – Odoriko 257 series

This series has just been renovated for the limited express Odoriko. The images are not available yet.

You may find the link to JR East official news letter below. It is in Japanese but you cann find some image:

JR East official news

Images – Saphir Odoriko 261 series

JR East official website

This series has just been introduced for the limited express Saphir Odoriko. The images are not available yet.

You may find the link to JR East official website below. It is English website and there are lots of images:

JR East Saphir Odoriko official website

I hope this post helped you to plan your trip to Izu, Atami, Kawazu.

Comments

  1. Jun says:

    Hi SIr,
    Please help me – please give me direct train on Saturday and Sunday (April 15/ 2017 or April 16/2017 – One day trip from Shinjuku) departure from Shinjuku Station directly to Izukyu Shimoda via Super View Odoriko are limited express trains to Izukyu-Shimoda (伊豆急下田) timing on Saturday and Sunday.

    Also returning on Saturday and Sunday Afternoon timing from 3pm – 4pm directly from Izukyu Shimoda to Shinjuku or Tokyo directly without any transfer in between station. Please give me the timing. I could not understand the timetable and how to select the timing and shown operation date * with _ icon that does not know the meaning – it meant every day, daily or only certain date – do not know April 2017 is it a peak season in Japan.

    Your guidance will be greatly appreciated and thankful.

    Cheers:)
    Jun

    • Hi Jun,

      Operation date is shown in Green shade but I think you could not find any dates in April. Actually April timetable is not available yet.
      You will find it at same links in the previous reply later. April schedule will come up sometimes in next February or March.

      Mid April is not a peak season but it will be cherry blossom season. These dates have been getting popular in these days. It’s very hard to say how busy it will be.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. Tracy Ng says:

    Hi Takeshi San,

    I’m confused with the trains that I can and cannot take with my flexible 5 days JR EAST Pass (Nagano Niigata area). Can you please advise? My routes are as following
    1st Day: Tokyo Station – Nagano Station
    2nd Day: Nagano Station – Matsumoto Station and then Matsumoto Station – Shinjuku Station
    3rd Day: Tokyo – Yokohama
    4th Day: Tokyo – Hakone (Day trip)

    The 4th Day to Hakone is the one I’m confused the most. I’m not sure which train to Hakone that my JR East Pass is covered.

    Thank you.

    Regards,
    Tracy Ng

  3. kwanchanok pornpati says:

    hello Takeshi san ..
    I would love to go to see kawazu sakura , and i plan to buy jr east tohoku pass . so i would love to ask can i take LTD. EXP ODORIKO or LTD. EXP SUPER VIEW ODORIKO ? is it free or i have to pay any fee ?? thanks you so much

  4. Helmut Pilz says:

    Dear Takeshi-san,
    which rail pass should we get?
    – We will arrive in Haneda on July 21st.
    – Stay in Tokyo (Ginza) and travel within the metropolitan area from July 21st to July 26.
    – 2 day trip from Tokyo to Izu-Nagaoka (July 26, 27) and back
    – Stay in Tokyo and travel within the metropolitan area from July 28th to July 30th
    – Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto on July 31st and return to Haneda on August 4th

    Kind regards, Helmut

  5. Melissa says:

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I am planning to go from Haneda to Shimoda, then to Ito, Yokohama and back to Tokyo and maybe Niigata.
    I read that the JR East Nagano Niigata Area pass,
    JR East “Izu Free Q Kippu” and Odoriko Minami Izu Free Kippu are good options.
    Can I get your opinion about this?

  6. shing says:

    Dear Takeshi-san,
    I would like to travel from tokyo (narita) to izu-ito. and then travel around tokyo. which pass should i get?
    thank you!
    Shing

  7. Udo Lee says:

    Dear Takeshi san,

    I want to book tickets from Shinagawa to Izu-inatori (and back) online for the Super View Odoriko, for end of April weekend. The booking site says I have to pick up tickets the day before, but I only arrive in Japan so late that I can not pick them up the day before.

    1. Is there a way to pick up the tickets on departure day?
    2. If not, could somebody else pick them up for me? If yes, are any documents needed?
    3. Is it hard to get tickets without reservation on departure day?

    Thanks so much!
    Udo

  8. baya says:

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I would like to take the fastest train to Izu-Inatori from Tokyo (from Shinjuku as I understand it). I read that there is only one train a day for this trip. At what time does this train leave from Shinjuku and from Izu-Inatori?

    Many thanks, Baya

  9. Paul says:

    Hi Takeshi San
    Good Day! Following your previous recommendation, I will be in Kawazu from Tokyo next week, then return via the Izukyu line that terminated Ito. Would you please advise the most economical way to travel from Ito with 1 day stopover in Atami and travel to Osaka Tennoji station, then depart from Kansai airport 2 days later. I will most likely reserve the seat for the long distance travel from Atami to Osaka, is there any side of the train I should try to reserve. Many thanks!
    Paul

  10. Nathaniel says:

    Hi Takeshi san,
    Im planning to go kawazu from tokyo and back in the cheapest way(2 ways).Timing is not a problem.Im arriving in Haneda airport on 8th of march at 11pm and the nexy day(9th March) i will be going to kawazu at the earliest time possible.I just want to know which route will be the cheapest to buy from tokyo to kawazu,Is there any special pass i could buy at the airport ?Thank for replying for all our questions Takeshi San.(On behalf of other travellers)Its great to know people like you that helps us to know how the systems work in japan.

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