- Twilight Express
Infobox j-rail service
name= "Twilight Express"
caption= Twilight Express hauled by an EF81 electric locomotive with headboard in the Osaka area
type= Limited express
operator=JR West ,JR East ,JR Hokkaido
lines=
startyear= 1989
endyear=
stock=The nihongo|"Twilight Express"|トワイライトエクスプレス is the longest overnight train service operating in
Japan . Operated byWest Japan Railway Company (JR West),East Japan Railway Company (JR East), andHokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaidō), it runs betweenOsaka inKansai and the city ofSapporo on the northern island ofHokkaidō . The journey takes between 22 and 23 hours.Trains for Sapporo depart Osaka at 12:03, and call at Shin-Ōsaka,
Kyoto ,Tsuruga ,Fukui , Kanazawa,Takaoka ,Toyama ,Naoetsu , andNakaoka , with the final passenger pick-up made atNiitsu at 19:40. The first stop in Hokkaidō is at Toya at 07:17. The train then makes four more stops before arriving at Sapporo at 09:52.The same stops are made in the reverse, with the Twilight Express departing Sapporo at 14:05 and making its final pickup at
Toya at 16:19. The first stop at Niitsu is made at 04:23 with the train eventually making its way to Kyoto at 12:15 and finally arriving at Osaka at 12:52.The Twilight Express consists of type "A" and "B" accommodations, all specific to this particular train. A flat fee is charged for all rooms, regardless of starting or ending location. Currently, accommodation rates range from about ¥9,000 for a "B" single twin room to about ¥17,000 for a "B" twin room or an "A" royal room, up to ¥51,000 for the suite room.
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.Trains depart several times per week, with more departures during holiday periods. The Nihonkai train makes daily round-trip runs between Osaka and Aomori, with ongoing connections to Sapporo.
Route
The Twilight Express runs on the following rail lines:
JR West
* JR Kyoto Line (Tōkaidō Main Line ), Osaka - Yamashina
*Kosei Line , Yamashina - Omi-Shiotsu
*Hokuriku Main Line , Omi-Shiotsu - NaoetsuJR East
*Shinetsu Main Line , Naoetsu - Niitsu
*Uetsu Main Line , Niitsu - Akita
*Ou Main Line , Akita - Aomori^JR Hokkaidō
*Tsugaru Kaikyō Line , Aomori - Goryokaku^
*Hakodate Main Line , Goryōkaku - Oshamambe
*Muroran Main Line , Oshamambe - Numanohata
*Chitose Line , Numanohata - Shiroishi
*Hakodate Main Line , Shiroishi - Sapporo^ train reversal point
The Tsugaru Kaikyō Line runs over the tracks of the
Tsugaru Line ,Kaikyō Line ,Esashi Line andHakodate Main Line .Timetable (as of June 2008)
"(Note: For the Osaka departure, read down. For the Sapporo departure, read up.)"
External links
* [http://www.g-platform.jp/meta/tabijp_twilig_e_032504.asx Dream Rail Trip on Twilight Express] 2004 promotional video for the Twilight Express. "(Windows Media, in English)"
* [http://www.jr-odekake.net/train/twilightexpress/index.html Twilight Express Train Gallery] Twilight Express train route and composition information. "(In Japanese)"
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.