Japan is set to operate an overnight Shinkansen bullet train service for the first time on the Tokyo-Osaka route as Shinkansen lines normally shut down at night to comply with night-time noise and track maintenance regulations.
The Tokaido Lumiere Express will make its debut on August 8, departing Tokyo at 10 pm and arriving in Osaka at 6:59 am the following morning. The move aims to meet growing travel and leisure demand during the summer season.
But the train journey does not take nine hours, it actually takes only three hours – the catch is that it includes a six-hour overnight stop when the train reaches the third station at midnight. Passengers may buy tickets for this journey on the condition that they do not exit the train station during this time. There are no sleepers on this train.
During the overnight journey, the train will stop at four stations: Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Gifu-Hashima, and Kyoto. The passengers will be allowed to board only in Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama.
The train will stop at Gifu-Hashima Station for about six hours from midnight until 6am where passengers have to remain on board until morning and cabins lights are left on. JR Central has also there will be no kiosk or onboard sales cart service while the train is parked overnight at Gifu-Hashima Station.
Rail operator JR Central announced that the special overnight service, named the Tokaido Lumiere Express, will allow passengers to depart late at night and arrive at their destination the following morning. “Lumiere” is the French word for “light.” Thus, the name reflects the idea of starting a new day with the morning light, allowing travellers to make the most of their time at their destination from early morning.
Bookings for the Tokaido Lumiere Express will open on July 3. Passengers can book their tickets through the JR Central Tours official website and mobile application.
The fare for an Ordinary Car Reserved Seat from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka is 15,000 yen (about US$93). Green Car (First Class) packages and child-priced products will also be available for purchase.
For a daily alternative, the famous Sunrise Express is a sleeper train with private cabins and carpeted flat beds. However, the Sunrise Express only runs overnight in the opposite direction (Osaka to Tokyo) with a brief stop in Osaka.
