Suspension and schedule change of overnight trains, Hokutosei, Cassiopeia and Hamanasu

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JR Hokkaido and JR East have just announced that overnight trains that go through Seikan tunnel will be suspended or schedule changed in this coming fall and winter. As you probably know, Hokkaido Shinkansen will be open in spring 2016. JR Hokkaido will inspect and maintain the tracks and tunnels. That is the reason why this segment will be shut off.

If you intend to take these following trains in your trip, please check the dates and schedule change before you leave.

Hokutosei (Ueno – Sapporo)

Hokutosei will be suspended on the following dates:

From Ueno (19:03) to Sapporo (11:15)

October 5, 12 and 13, 2014
December 6, 7, 14, 21, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2014
January 1, 2, 3, and 4, 2015

From Sapporo (17:12) to Ueno (9:38)

October 6, 13 and 14, 2014
December 7, 8, 15, 22, 29, 30 and 31, 2014
January 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 2015

Hokutosei will be discontinued as scheduled train on 14th March. It will run as seasonal train until August. Please find more info at the post, Schedule of 2015 spring seasonal trains of Japan Railways.

Hamanasu (Aomori – Sapporo)

Hamanasu will be suspended on the following dates:

From Aomori (22:18) to Sapporo (06:07)

October 6, 13 and 14, 2014
December 7, 8, 15, 22, 29, 30 and 31, 2014
January 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 2015
May 3-5, 2015
July 13, 20 and 21, 2015
August 14-16, 2015

From Sapporo (22:00) to Aomori (05:39)

October 5, 12 and 13, 2014
December 6, 7, 14, 21, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2014
January 1, 2, 3, and 4, 2015
May 2-4, 2015
July 12, 19 and 20, 2015
August 13-15, 2015

Arrival time of Hamanasu at Aomori will be changed on the following dates:
October 6, 9, 16, 25, 26 and 30, 2014
November 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16 and 19, 2014
December 6, 7, 14, 21, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2014
January 7, 8, 9, 15, 16 and 17, 2015
April 1-30, 2015
May 1, 5-10, 23 and 24, 2015
June 7, 13-15, 2015
July 22, 26 and 31, 2015
August 1-12, 16-31, 2015
September 1-30, 2015

Hamanasu will arrive Aomori at 6:19. Originally Hamanasu arrives at 5:39 and connect to Hayabusa 4 (06:17 / Shin-Amori). But you cannot catch Hayabusa 4 from changed schedule of Hamanasu. You have to take Hayabusa 8 (6:49 @ Shin–Aomori).

Cassiopeia (Ueno – Sapporo)

All runs of Cassiopeia will be suspended from Oct 2 to Dec 17, 2014 due to annual maintenance.

From Ueno (16:20) to Sapporo (09:32)

The schedule will be changed on January 12, 20 and 24, 2015.
Hakodate 5:44
Oshamabe 8:03
Date-Monbetsu 8:45
Minami-Chitose 10:10
Sapporo 10:44

Cassiopeia will run as seasonal train until September. Please find more info at the post, Schedule of 2015 spring seasonal trains of Japan Railways.

Twilight Express

From Osaka (11:50) to Sapporo (09:52)

The schedule will be changed on the following dates:
November 12, 17, 27 and 29, 2014
January 13, 19, 21 and 23, 2015.

Toya 8:33
Noboribetsu 9:20
Minami-Chitose 10:10
Sapporo 10:44

From Sapporo (14:05) to Osaka (12:53)

The schedule will be changed on the following dates:
November 28 and 30, 2014
January 14, 20, 22 and 24, 2015.

Sapporo 16:12
Noboribetsu 17:37
Toya 18:43
Toyama 11:55
Kanazawa 13:07
Kyoto 16:15
Osaka 16:53

Twilight Express will be discontinued completely on 14th March.

Comments

  1. Sunday says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    We are trying to take an overnight train from Sendai to Sapporo on 2/3/16. Do you know if any of the trains will be operational/scheduled to run on that date?

    Thank you.

  2. Puii says:

    Hi Takeshi San,
    We would like to know that Hamanasu train will run on January 5, 2016? We have plan to take overnight train from Sapporo to Tokyo.
    Thanks you.
    Puii

  3. Van says:

    Dear Takeshi-San

    We would like to take the night train – Hamanasu from/to Tokyo and Sapporo on Oct 5 and Oct 20 respectively. So, could you please advise me if the night train will be run in Oct, and when can we get the Oct train schedules through JR website?

    Your response would be very much appreciated.

    Thanks with best regards
    Van

    • Hi Van san,

      At this point, nobody knows it yet. Official announcement has not been placed. I think it will come soon.
      Now Hamanasu is very very popular among train fans in Japan. It’s so hard to book the seat now even if it will run.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  4. C says:

    Hi. Do you know if the Hamanasu train will be working on the dates of the snow festival in Sapporo 2016?

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