Sunrise Seto

Sunrise Seto
285 series EMU on a Sunrise Seto service, May 2009
Overview
Service type Limited express
Status Operational
Locale Japan
Predecessor Seto
First service 10 July 1998
Current operator(s) JR Central, JR West
Route
Start Tokyo
End Takamatsu
Distance travelled 804.7 km (500.0 mi)
Average journey time approx. 9 hours 30 minutes
Service frequency 1 return working daily
On-board services
Seating arrangements None
Sleeping arrangements Private compartments/open-plan sleeping areas
Catering facilities None
Technical
Rolling stock 285 series EMUs
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC
Operating speed 130 km/h (80 mph)

The Sunrise Seto (サンライズ瀬戸, Sanraizu Seto) is an overnight sleeping car train service in Japan operated jointly by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) since July 1998.[1][2]

Operations

The Sunrise Seto runs daily between Tokyo and Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, taking about 9 hours 30 minutes for the 804.7 km (500.0 mi) journey.[2] The service operates in conjunction with the Sunrise Izumo service to Izumoshi between Tokyo and Okayama. The combined 14-car train departs from Tokyo, and stops at Yokohama, Atami, Numazu, Fuji, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu (final midnight stop), Himeji (first morning stop), and arrives at Okayama, where the train splits, with the Sunrise Izumo half of the train heading to Izumoshi.[3] Between Okayama and Takamatsu, the 7-car Sunrise Seto train stops at Kojima and Sakaide, before arriving in Takamatsu. The return train departs from Takamatsu, and is coupled with the Sunrise Izumo from Izumoshi at Okayama Station, departing together from there, and arriving at Tokyo Station in the next morning.

There are seasonal extended services which Sunrise Seto trains from Tokyo run beyond Takamatsu, to Kotohira on the Dosan Line. These extended service trains run during particular seasons (Differs each year), and during the holidays.

Station list

Station Distance (km) Time[3] Location
Name Japanese Between

stations

From

Tokyo

Westbound

(-> Takamatsu)

Eastbound

(-> Tokyo)

Ward / City Prefecture /

Metropolis

Tokyo 東京 - 0.0 22:00 Departure 07:08 Arrival Chiyoda Tokyo
Yokohama 横浜 22.0 28.8 22:23 Arrival

22:24 Departure

06:44 Arrival

06:45 Departure

Yokohama Kanagawa
Atami 熱海 20.7 104.6 23:21 Arrival

23:23 Departure

05:43 Arrival

05:45 Departure

Atami Shizuoka
Numazu 沼津 21.6 126.2 23:39 Arrival

23:40 Departure

05:26 Arrival

05:27 Departure

Numazu
Fuji 富士 20.0 146.2 23:53 Arrival

23:54 Departure

05:09 Arrival

05:10 Departure

Fuji
Shizuoka 静岡 34.0 180.2 00:19 Arrival

00:20 Departure

04:38 Arrival

04:40 Departure

Shizuoka
Hamamatsu 浜松 76.9 257.1 01:11 Arrival

01:12 Departure

(Brief stop)

Hamamatsu
Toyohashi 豊橋 36.5 293.6 (Brief stop) Toyohashi Aichi
Nagoya 名古屋 72.4 366.0

(Brief stop)

Nagoya
Gifu 岐阜 30.3 396.3

(Brief stop)

Gifu Gifu
Maibara 米原 49.6 445.9 (Brief stop) Maibara Shiga
Ōsaka 大阪 110.5 556.4

(Brief stop)

00:32 Arrival

00:34 Departure

Osaka Osaka
Sannomiya 三ノ宮 30.6 587.0 00:12 Arrival

00:13 Departure

Kobe Hyogo
Himeji 姫路 57.3 644.3 05:25 Arrival

05:26 Departure

23:33 Arrival

23:35 Departure

Himeji
Okayama 岡山 88.6 732.9 06:27 Arrival

(Decouple and separate from Sunrise Izumo)

06:31 Departure

22:23 Arrival

(Couple with Sunrise Izumo)

22:34 Departure

Okayama Okayama
Kojima 児島 27.8 760.7 06:52 Arrival

06:53 Departure

22:00 Arrival

22:01 Departure

Kurashiki
Sakaide 坂出 22.7 783.4 07:09 Arrival

07:10 Departure

21:44 Arrival

21:45 Departure

Sakaide Kagawa
Takamatsu 高松 21.3 804.7 07:27 Arrival 21:26 Departure Takamatsu
Seasonal extended services (from Tokyo) to Kotohira
Takamatsu 高松 - 804.7 07:54 Departure / Takamatsu Kagawa
Tadotsu 多度津 32.7 837.4 08:33 Arrival

08:35 Departure

Tadotsu
Zentsūji 善通寺 6.0 843.4 08:43 Arrival

08:45 Departure

Zentsuji
Kotohira 琴平 5.3 848.7 08:52 Arrival Kotohira
  • Trains make brief stops for several reasons, here being crew changes at JR region boundaries. Passengers cannot board or get off the train when it makes such stops.

Formation

Trains are formed of dedicated 7-car 285 series Sunrise Express electric multiple units (EMUs) owned by both JR Central and JR West. They are formed as shown below, with cars numbered 8 to 14 in the down (westbound) direction, with car 14 at the Tokyo end, and 1 to 7 in the up (Tokyo-bound) direction, with car 7 at the Tokyo end.[1]

Car No.1/82/93/104/115/126/137/14
Numbering KuHaNe 285SaHaNe 285MoHaNe 285SaRoHaNe 285MoHaNe 285SaHaNe 285KuHaNe 285
Accommodation B single berthsB single berthsB solo berthsSingle DX berthsB single berths
Nobinobi floor space
B single berthsB single berths
B single/ single-twin berthsB single/ single-twin berthsSunrise twin berthsB single/ single-twin berthsB single/ single-twin berths
Facilities   Mini saloon area, vending machine, shower Vending machine  
  • Car 2/9 has a wheelchair-accessible compartment
  • Each car has toilet facilities at one end.[4]
  • Smoking is permitted in car 6/13, and some compartments in car 4/11.[3]

Accommodation and fees

The Sunrise Seto consists of type "A" (Single Deluxe) and type "B" accommodation. A flat fee is charged for all compartments, regardless of starting or ending point. The other fares, the basic fare and limited express fare, are based on distance. For tourists using the Japan Rail Pass, the basic fare does not have to be paid. A shower is located in car 3/10. Passengers using the type "A" Single Deluxe compartments can use the dedicated showers in their carriage for free.

History

Locomotive-hauled Seto service, October 1995

The Sunrise Seto services were introduced together with the Sunrise Izumo on 10 July 1998.[5] Previously, the Seto operated as a separate "Blue train" service connecting Tokyo with Takamatsu.[6] The Sunrise Izumo was intended to attract more passengers to train transportation by introducing newly designed trains and by reducing the journey time.

Ridership on overnight trains in Japan continues to decline, and from March 2009, the Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto became the only overnight sleeping car trains to operate west of Tokyo via the Tokaido Line.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 JR新幹線&特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. p. 124. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
  2. 1 2 Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: JR全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 34. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.
  3. 1 2 3 JR時刻表 [JR Timetable]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. March 2013. p. 144. EAN 4910053110334.
  4. JR電車編成表 2013夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2013]. Japan: JRR. May 2013. p. 122. ISBN 978-4-330-37313-3.
  5. こだわりの新幹線&特急列車ガイド [In-depth Shinkansen & Limited Express Guide]. Japan: Ikaros Publishing. August 2000. pp. 194–195. ISBN 4-87149-284-2.
  6. 最新特急大カタログ [Modern Limited Express Catalogue]. Japan: JTB. November 1992. p. 110.
  7. Ogano, Minoru (March 2011). 新幹線・特急大図鑑2011 [Shinkansen & Limited Express Directory 2011]. Japan: JTB Publishing. p. 112. ISBN 978-4-533-08193-4.
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