Overnight Express train Twilight Express
Twilight Express is operated between Osaka and Sapporo. This is the longest service operation train in Japan. It takes more than 22 hours to reach Sapporo from Osaka. (If you take other way, it takes 22 hours 45 minutes.)
When you use a berth or a bedroom, Japan Rail Pass does not cover any accommodation charges and even Limited Express surcharge either. Even though you have to pay lots of the extra on Japan Rail Pass, the experience on board will be worthy. First class hospitality, the beautiful scenery and the sunset on the Sea of Japan, will be very memorable moment in your trip.
Anyway I tell you that the extra cost, timetable, checking the availability and the types of accommodations.
*Sonic Rail Garden has copyright for all images below.
Time table and Route
This train is not operated everyday. It is operated on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat to Sapporo, and on Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun to Osaka. But it is operated everyday during the peak season (mid August, New year holidays) .
Timetable
| station/direction | Osaka to Sapporo | Sapporo to Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Osaka (大阪) | 11:50 | 12:52 |
| Shin-Osaka (新大阪) | 11:56 | 12:47 |
| Kyoto (京都) | 12::35 | 12:15 |
| Tsuruga (敦賀) | 13:48 | 10:36 |
| Fukui (福井) | 14:40 | 09:54 |
| Kanazawa (金沢) | 15:40 | 08:49 |
| Takaoka (高岡) | 16:14 | 08:18 |
| Toyama (富山) | 16:31 | 08:01 |
| Naoetsu (直江津) | 17:59 | 06:27 |
| Nagaoka (長岡) | 18:58 | 05:29 |
| Niitsu (新津) | 19:39 | 04:40 |
| Toya (洞爺) | 07:18 | 16:33 |
| Higashi-Muroran (東室蘭) | 07:52 | 15:50 |
| Noboribetsu (登別) | 008:11 | 15:34 |
| Tomakomai (苫小牧) | 08:50 | 15:00 |
| Minami-Chitose (南千歳) | 09:10 | 14:39 |
| Sapporo (札幌) | 09:52 | 14:05 |
View Twilight Express in a larger map
Types of accommodation and extra charges
Japan Rail Pass cover only basic fare when you take overnight accommodation. So you have to pay these extra charges.
Extra express surcharge: 3,150 yen (between Osaka or Shin-Osaka or Kyoto and any stations in Hokkaido)
And also you have to pay the accommodation fee. Please refer the below informations.
Train Formation
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| STE/RYL | STE/RYL | D | S | TW/ST | TW/ST | TW | B | B |
*STE=Suite RYL=Royal TW=Twin Deluxe ST=Single Twin D=Dining Car “Diner Pleiades” SL=Salon Car “Salon Du Nord” B=”B compart”
*Smoking is permitted on all cars except the dinner time in Dining Car.
Suite
- Rate: 50,980 yen per room, based on two persons.
- TV, audio, clock, in-room shower, in-room washroom, dryer, power outlet, fridge, welcome drink (choose from a bottle of wine, a small bottle of whiskey, coffee or tea), morning drink (choose from coffee or tea), Yukata (Japanese night wear), bath towel, facial towel
There are only two rooms in the train. One of two rooms is located at the end of the train in car#1. It has a huge panoramic window. Especially when you go to Sapporo, this room is at the end of the train formation. You can see very dramatic view. (But if you travel from Sapporo to Osaka, this room is just behind the locomotive.) The other room is located in car#2. This room has a huge glass window to the ceiling. And it has separated shower and washroom. Since these rooms are very popular, hard to get it.
Images of Room at the end of the train in car#1
Images of Room in car#2
Royal
- Rate: 17,180 yen per person, based on one person.
- TV, audio, clock, private shower, private washroom, welcome drink (choose from a bottle of wine, a small bottle of whiskey, coffee or tea), morning drink (choose from coffee or tea), Yukata (Japanese night wear), bath towel, facial towel
There are eight rooms in the train. But it is also very hard to get it because these rooms are very popular. These rooms can be used for 2 persons. The extra charge for second person is 9.450 yen.
Images
Twin
- Rate: 16,320 yen per room, based on two persons.
- Audio, Yukata (Japanese night wear)
There are 23 rooms in the train. This type of room has upper and lower berth. This room does not have a washroom in the room.
Images
Single Twin
- Rate: 9,170 yen per room, based on one person.
- Audio, Yukata (Japanese night wear)
There are 12 rooms in this train. This room is designed for one person and can be used for 2. This is a reason why it has very strange name. The extra charge for second person is 5,250 yen.
Images
B Compart
- Rate: 6,300 yen per person.
- Yukata (Japanese night wear)
This is not a real compartment. It is very similar to the regular berth. Every compartments have 4 beds and have a sliding door. But it cannot be locked. So if you travel as the party of four, you can get a minimum privacy for your group.
Images
Dining Car “Diner Pleiades” and Salon Car “Salon Du Nord”
Dining car “Diner Pleiades” gives you the fine dining experience. Meal is not included in the rate and the reservation for dinner must be done by five days prior to the departure date. You can choose the dining time, 17:30-19:00 or 19:30-21:00. Simply you can make a reservation at the same time as booking for the room. You can choose “The Sea of Japan Kaiseki Gozen (日本海懐石御膳=Traditional Japanese style cuisine)” at 6,000 yen or French cuisine five course at 12,000 yen. But you cannot take the Sea of Japan Kaiseki Gozen in the dining room. If you take Japanese cuisine, the dinner will be delivered to your room, or you can have your dinner at Salon car “Salon Du Nord”.
Images of Dining car “Diner Pleiades”
Images of French dinner
*Dinner menu is changed very frequently. You can see the most updated menu and Japanese Kaiseki menu at JR West Food Service website (in Japanese only).
Dining car gives you the service as the pub between 21:00 and 23:00. You don’t need to make a reservation. You can drink and eat some small plates, such as cheese plate, smoked salmon, rice pilaf.
Images of Pub time menu
Breakfast is available 6:00 am (from Sapporo at 6:45 am) to 9:00 am. You can make a reservation after boarding. You can choose Japanese style or Western style, and also choose the time from 6:00 (only from Osaka to Sapporo), 6:45, 7:30 and 8:15.
Images of western breakfast menu
If you take the train to Sapporo, Dining car gives you the lunch too. They serve a light meal, such as curry rice, pasta, beef stew, deep fried prawn and omelet rice. Reservation is not necessary.
They sell regular dinner box and drinks. And also you can eat a light meal in the Pub time. If you cannot make a reservation for the dining car, you still can get something to eat. Of course you can get something before boarding.
There is a beautiful lounge space for the public on car#4. It is called “Salon Du Nord”. All seats face to Sea of Japan. If you travel from Osaka in sunny day, you can see the dramatic sunset on Sea of Japan. This must be the most memorable moment in your trip. You can have your Japanese Kaiseki or regular box meal or even pub menu here in this lounge.
Images of “Salon Du Nord”
There is small salon space on car#7.
Images of Mini Salon
*Smoking is NOT permitted in both lounge space and dining car.
Other facilities
There are some public sanitary spaces from car#4 to car#9. The shared shower rooms and the public phone are located on car#4. If you want to use the shower room, you need to buy a shower card at dining car and secure your time. It costs 310yen for 6 minutes to use shower. But you have 30 minutes for using the space.
Images of sanitary spaces
Images of shower rooms and other facilities
Reservation and space availability
It is very difficult for Japan Rail Pass user to make a booking. Because you cannot make a reservation online. And also lots of tour operator block many spaces on this train for their domestic package tour product. If you give up to use Japan Rail Pass and you can understand Japanese or have a friend in Japan, you can contact to JR West reservation center directly. One of my readers, Tak gave me very useful infomation. He told us how to do it. I would like to share this information with you.
I can tell you how to reserve on the phone.
1.Call JR west call center +81-78-341-7903 to make reservation from your country. (Only Japanese)
2. If the seat is available, pay by credit card.
3. When you arrive Japan, go to Midorino madoguchi. Show your credit card and you can collect the ticket from any JR west station.
They don’t have this service for JR pass, but I think it is useful for Twilight express because you need to pay for the Express and sleeper tickets anyway. Tak added some more information for Japan Rail Pass user. This way maybe useful for Japan Rail Pass user who can speak Japanese.
If you go to Midori no Madoguchi and ask for Twilight using JR pass, they will charge for express and sleeper surchages (特急券 and 寝台券). So, this works perfectly when you make reservation
using this service.
When you use this service, please don’t forget you can pick up only from JR West station.
Please see this website for details.
If you cannot do this way, all you can do is going to “Midori no Mdoguchi (みどり窓口=ticket reservation window) at the station to take it. Japan Railway starts to sell the ticket at 10:00 am on 1 month prior to the departure date.
ex) If you take the train on April 1, the ticket is started to sell at 10:00 am on March 1.
Most of Japan Rail Pass user start to use the pass right after arrival. But actually most of people who wants to take this train in Japan do not decide the date. They take the ticket whenever they can make it. (Then they try to get the vacation…) Especially Suite and Royal room are almost impossible to get it after you arrive in Japan. Usually these two types of rooms are sold out just a few second after the tickets are started to sell. If you really really want to take this train, try to take this from Sapporo to Osaka. Mostly this direction is easier to reserve a ticket than Osaka to Sapporo direction. However if you have a plan to take this train, you need to think about the back up plan anyway. If you want to make sure which you can do it or not, use your local travel agent to make a reservation.
Unfortunately you cannot make any reservations and check the space availability at all either online. If you need any ideas in case that you cannot make a reservations, please refer this post, Alternatives of Overnight train Twilight Express. I suggest you several itineraries there.
Comments
Hi Takeshi san,
We can’t buy the twilight ticket easily from outside Japan, but we can at least check the availability on the JR hokkaido website.
http://mobile.jrhokkaido.co.jp/web/vacancy/index.asp?area=7&ch=0
Hi Takuji san,
Thanks again.
How come do they show us only Berth B?
Because it’s sold out right after they start to sell. 🙂
They don’t need to show it to us.
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi san,
Actually, you don’t need to give up your JR pass when you make reservation by phone. I bought only limited express ticket (特急券) and sleeper ticket (寝台券) by phone reservation. I can take Twilight using JR pass with the tickets bought in advance.
If you go to Midori no Madoguchi and ask for Twilight using JR pass, they will charge for express and sleeper surchages (特急券 and 寝台券). So, this works perfectly when you make reservation
using this service.
When you use this service, please don’t forget you can pick up only from JR West station.
Please see this website for details.
http://www.jr-odekake.net/goyoyaku/phone/
Hi Takuji san,
Thanks again for adding the information.
I will put this info into the contents later.
Takeshi / JP Rail
Takeshi-san,
let me report my snowstorm experience with Twilight Express, departing Osaka 28 Jan bound for Sapporo – I feel it makes good reading and assures that JR West/East is a very reliable and accomodating company, even during this unsually cold winter:
Our train departed 5 mins. late from Kyoto Station- we happily sitting in Car 2 rooms 1 (SA1) and 3 (SA2 suite), then entered snowcovered country. A 20 min. stop at Inoigawa and another 40 mins. wait at Kishinazaki – in deep snow, but beautiful views, even of the rough waves of the Sea of Japan. When we sat down at Pleiades dining car for Pub Time at 21.00 hrs. – as kindly recommended by yourself – the trains Niitsu departure was 109 mins. late, then it was time to go to sleep.
I woke up at 2.35 hrs. at Nigashi-Noshiro, because our train waited in snow and only redeparted at 4.25 hrs. Another holdup at Odate from 5.07 to 6.00 hrs. and another shorter wait at Owani-Onsen. At Hirosaki another pause from 7.03 to 7.20 hrs and our delay now 311 mins. ! Then we got complimentary coffee and tea at a unnamed station about 30 kms south of Aomori and also had our entiry 8.20 hrs. breakfast sitting there.
At 9.30 hrs. the news that Twilight is discontinued and the return trip cancelled, too.
Perhaps somebody can report the technical reasons – hot water and heating inside worked all perfectly and local trains were travelling (perhaps somewhat delayed) in the opposite direction.
JR were so kind to provide taxis to all stranded passengers for the 45 mins. (30 kms) journey to Shin-Aomori (another expense of 7,500 yen borne by them), luckily no road blocked by accidents or snow and we arrived at Shin-Aomori station by 10.30 hrs. – the JR ticket clerk – after consulting his superior – has refunded to me not only the 3,150 per person LEX surcharge because of our delay but also in full the SA2 and SA1 tickets we had purchased for our planned – but now cancelled – return from Sapporo to Kyoto on 29 Jan. We rerouted by Shinkansen Hayate via Tokyo, then connecting to Hikari for Kyoto without any problem, thanks to the ease our JR Rail Passes Green 7 days were giving.
We will travel on Twilight Express again for sure – it is a great train !
Christoph.
Hi Christoph san,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I really feel sorry to hear your experience, because you could not complete your trip of Twilight. But I’m happy to hear you still enjoyed your trip.
I hope you will go back again in near future to try to complete your trip of Twilight.
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
Just a little update on what happened with our trip :). We were not able to book the Twilight Express on the 30th Dec, Hamanasu was booked out, too. But somehow, there was a free room on Cassiopeia on the same day (prior to this, we did not even know unlike Twilight express, Cassiopeia did not run everyday during the new year period).
Although it was a smoking room, it was very well sealed, and we were not troubled by it at all. We had two quite large sized suit cases, so we had to shuffle a little, but the experience was really pleasing!
Thanks again for the wonderful information. It is a very interesting reads even if we were not going to catch any trains.
Hi David,
Thank you for your comment. I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
You were so lucky! Cassiopeia is as good and popular as Twilight. Even though it is hard to reserve it, you made it!
I really envy you. 🙂
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi this is probably a strange question, but just wondering if it’s possible to take the Twilight Express without an overnight trip (eg Fukui to Osaka). Thanks
Hi Aaron,
This is very interesting question. I have never heard that before. But I checked several Japanese forum and I found the answer. Technically, yes. Some passenger said he took it from Osaka to Niitsu and enjoyed Lunch and Dinner, then got off. Another passenger said he took it from Osaka to Fukui and enjoyed only Lunch. As long as you pay FULL accommodation fee (same as overnight), you can do it.
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi!
Thanks for the very informative website 🙂
I’m hoping to book the Twilight Express for between the 21st and 23rd January. Can I get a friend in Japan to book if for me (I don’t/won’t have a JR Rail pass)? Would this work?
Thanks again!
Hi Pele cannon,
Yes, you can. Unless you are not Japan Rail Pass holder, someone in Japan can book it instead of you.
Takeshi / JP Rail
So glad I found your site..Would you please clarify whether it’s best to go to Sapporo (1/18/2012) from Tokyo or Kyoto with a JR pass. We’d love to to the twilight train…but it sounds hard to get a spot.
I live in the US so how will book the twilight express from here?
Thanks so much..
Hi Mai,
JR Group offer online reservation status in Japanese. But Unfortunately we cannot get anything in English.
However January 18 is not bad day to get Twilight. Because mid January is one of the slowest season. Especially Sapporo will hold a winter festival in February. This season is so quiet.
And also, usually Twilight Express from Osaka to Sapporo is more popular than other direction. So your direction is better to get more chance. You should try to get it right after you exchange the JR Pass.
Good Luck!
Takeshi / JP Rail
Thanks for your reply. Your site is so helpful.
We ordered JR passes and are very excited to leave next week. We’ll arrive on Jan 14 and plan to stay in Tokyo until Jan 16. Will take day train from Tokyo to Sapporo (to visit some friends) and the Twilight Express from Sapporo to Kyoto on 18 Jan. Leave Kyoto for Narita on Jan 21.
Question: When should we activate on 7-day pass to make the most of it? Must we activate the pass to reserve the night train?
Thanks again!
Hi Mai,
Once you arrive in Japan, get an actual Japan Rail Pass from your exchange order A.S.A.P. You need to have an actual Japan Rail Pass when you make a reservation.
Of course Twilight is very poplar train. You must get a pass and go for it!
Enjoy your trip! 🙂
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi
Do you know if I’ll be able to get hot water onboard Twilight Express? For Cup noodles.
Thanks.
–Samantha
Hi Samantha,
As long as I know, they don’t usually give boiled water for a passenger. Sometimes the staff in dining car do it with a favor. But don’t expect it always.
Takeshi / JP Rail
Thanks for the very prompt response. Appreciate the info in this website, helped me alot in planning my Japan trips. 🙂
Another question though…if I am using JR pass, can I get my Japan friend to make online seat reservations for me for Twilight Express within the 1 month before my intended travel date?
If so, do you happen to know which website to go to?
Thanks.
Hi Samantha,
No, you can’t. If you use Japan Rail Pass, you have to show your pass at the reservation window, “Midori no Madoguchi”. Most of JR station have Midori no Madoguchi. So you cannot do anything before you exchange the pass. And also JR do not have online reservation except JR East online reservation.
http://jreast-shinkansen-reservation.eki-net.com/pc/english/common/menu/menu.aspx
But you cannot reserve Twilight Express there.
I don’t know when you want to take Twilight Express. This train is busy and popular always. If you really want to take this train, you should ask the travel agent to book your ticket. Probably the travel agent where you got your exchange order for Japan Rail Pass can reserve a train ticket for Japan Rail Pass user. They charge very expensive handling fee (usually US$20-30 per ticket). But this is only way to secure your seat before you depart.
Takeshi / JP Rail
I’m hoping to travel Twilight Express from Sapporo to Osaka on the 16 Feb, which I know it’s quite a peak period for Sapporo, though I’m hoping that since it’s a Thursday so I can still get seats on it.
I usually get my Japan Rail pass from our JTB branch in Singapore, I’ll ask them to see if they can make bookings for Twilight Express, I don’t mind paying handling fees as long as it’s a confirm booking. Right now I’m coming up with like 5 different alternative routes just in case I can’t get Twilight Express and it’s giving me a headache trying to plan for it. Haha.
Thanks alot for the responses. 🙂
Hi Samantha,
I think Feb 16 will be slow. Because Sapporo will hold the biggest winter festival in Japan, Sapporo Yukimatsuri from Feb 6 to Feb 12. After this, it is quiet usually. Of course Twilight is always popular. But I think it is easier to get a ticket.
I hope you’ll make it!
Takeshi / JP Rail
I hope so too. Thanks alot for the help.
–Samantha
hi, just an update..
We managed to get a Twin room booking for the 17 Feb trip from Toya to Shin-Osaka. We made the bookings on 8 Feb, the day we arrived at Tokyo. There was a delay of about 2 hours (we arrived at Shin-Osaka around 2:45pm), i think they explained why but I didn’t understand Japanese, all I know is that we stopped at Aomori station for a long long time (about 2hrs at that station). Was pleasantly surprised to find a power socket in the Twin room. 🙂 We didn’t eat during dinner time, and chose to eat during Pub time (2100-2300). Had the crab spaghetti and fried chicken.
Totally enjoyed the experience!!
Thanks again for the very informative website.
Hi Samantha,
I’m very happy to hear your experience. You seemed to have very hard time in the train. But this is very important you still enjoyed your trip!
I’ll try to keep sharing the information about rail trip for the tourist who want to go to Japan!
Takeshi / JP Rail
We didn’t really had much of a hard time actually, since we were happily still onboard the train while eating during pub time at the dining carriage during the delay at Aomori station. It was just that the train arrived at Shin-Osaka 2hrs later than scheduled so I had to take a later connecting train than planned from Shin-Osaka to Hakata (which was my destination for the day after alighting from Twilight Express).
Loved the daytime views from the train. Took loads of pics. 🙂
I liked how the height of the upper bunk bed in our cabin was able to be adjusted by pressing the “up”/”down” buttons.
Not long after boarding the train, there’s a train staff coming to check our tickets and he will also explain things like how to adjust the height of the upper bunk bed, how to open/close the ventilation duct, how to transform the armchairs into a bed, and also hand us the cabin’s keycard so that we can lock/unlock the cabin’s door from the outside if we leave the cabin to walk around the train.
There’s also a separate train staff coming to our cabin asking if we want to purchase dinner or breakfast or the in-room dining bento set. We chose not to order any of those 3 options and decide to go to the dining car during pub time (2100-2300) to have crab spaghetti & fried chicken instead.
They have an English menu if you do ask for it.
In the late afternoon at Hokkaido, they announced that they are selling Hokkaido vanilla ice cream for 300yen and the staff was walking around the carriages with a basket of icecream for whoever who wants to buy it.
I see most of the “B Compart” are empty on my train ride, and we entered 1 of the empty “B Compart” to explore, and we can say that there’s no power socket for that.
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for sharing useful info!
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
I want to travel on the Twilight Express on 19 December.I also have a Japanese friend who is helping is get tickets at the みどり窓口=ticket reservation window.
We really would like to get the tickets. what would be the best time to successfully buy the tickets?
Do my japanese friend need to show the JR rail pass that i buy in my country when buying the tickets at the ticket reservation window?
The article mentioned that there will be more trains during the festive season. Will there be more trains in December?
Hear from my friend that there is a package tour (with return trip and a hotel stay prepared by JR). Where can i get information about this?
Thanks!
Yanni
Hi YY,
The best time is 10:00am on the day of 1 month prior to departure date. So the day is November 19. JR start to sell a ticket at this time.
Unfortunately you need to show your actual pass when you buy a ticket. You can get an exchange order in your country. This is not an actual pass. You need to be in Japan and get am actual pass. So as long as I know, you cannot use your Japan Rail Pass to get this ticket.
JR will operate more train from Dec 21 to Jan 4 and some of the day in Feb.
And last question regarding the package tour, you cannot get any information online. The best place to get this kind of information is a travel agent. Please ask the travel agent where you got Japan Rail Pass. They may have an information about that.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
Thanks for your response.
If I am getting my Japanese friend to help me buy the tickets, does she need to show the exchange order to the ticket reservation window to show proof that we have a JR pass? What documents do she have to show?
Right now from Osaka to Hokkaido, there are 4 trains a week. On Dec 21 to Jan 4, how many more trains will Twilight Express operate? Is it easier to get tickets?
Cheers
Yanni
Hi Yanni,
You have to be at the ticket window and show your pass (not exchange order) and your passport. Sometimes you don’t need to show your passport . Because they don’t ask. But if they need to see, you have to show it.
From Dec 21, it is operated everyday. This period is the busiest period. It is hard to get it anyway.
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi Takeshi,
Thanks for the informative website.
A friend and I are wanting to travel from Kyoto to Sapporo on 30Dec. We are aware it is possibly the busiest day of the year, and are hoping for the best. We won’t be in Japan to reserve our tickets until 19th Dec. I have also read your page on alternatives to twilight express.
Do you think it is plausible that we could possibly end up have no way of getting to Sapporo on that day?
Regards,
David
Hi David,
It will be very slim chance to get a ticket for Twilight. As you noticed, this is the busiest day of the year.
Unfortunately if you cannot make it, try to get Tokaido Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Super Hakucho and Super Hokuto route. And also try to get out from Kyoto as early as possible. Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo will be busiest. So you need to be Tokyo as early as possible. You may need to stand up on board. But I think you can get Sapporo on that day.
I hope you can make it.
Regards,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Thanks Takeshi.
After discussion with my friend, we decide to try our luck and try to book twilight express… failing that we are planning to book Hamanasu overnight to Sapporo. (Although we have the Hakutosei and Cassiopeia on the wish list, they would also be very very booked out T.T)
My next question is that, on Hamanasu, there are reserved seats and non reserved seats. If the reserved seats are all booked out, how we do go about getting the non reserved seats? Would it be sold at Aomori Station? Or can we get the tickets from any Ticket reservation window?
Thanks again,
David
Hi David,
If you use Japan Rail Pass, you don’t need to buy anything. All you have to do is going to Aomori station as soon as possible. If I were you, I go there one hour prior to departure time.
If you don’t use Japan Rail Pass, you can buy a ticket any ticket reservation window. You need to buy a single ticket and express surcharge. But you’ll travel from Kyoto to Sapporo. So your single ticket will be Kyoto to Sapporo. It will be only one single ticket.
Good Luck!
Takeshi / JP Rail