Japan overnight by train · Overnight by Train in Japan
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Overnight by Train in Japan
Overnight by Train in Japan
Overnight trains in Japan, containing the prefix shindai (寝台) but more commonly known as Blue Trains because of the blue color of the sleeping cars, were once an icon of the entire country. Numerous services would run regularly, bringing the Japanese to different parts of the country in a timely, efficient manner. These days, however, with aging train equipment and other modes of transportation becoming easier and sometimes cheaper (i.e. Shinkansen trains and overnight buses), overnight trains have slowly been discontinued.
As of 2010, only these regularly-scheduled overnight train services remain:
Cassiopeia deluxe sleeper, Tokyo - Hakodate - Sapporo
Hokutosei, Tokyo - Hakodate - Sapporo
Akebono, Tokyo - Akita - Aomori
Sunrise Seto deluxe sleeper, Tokyo - Okayama - Takamatsu (during the high season, continuing to Matsuyama)
Sunrise Izumo deluxe sleeper, Tokyo - Okayama - Kurashiki - Izumo
Twilight Express deluxe sleeper, Osaka - Kyoto - Sapporo
Nihonkai, Osaka - Kyoto - Aomori
These trains are technically not shindai trains but operate overnight:
Hamanasu, Aomori - Sapporo
Kitaguni, Osaka - Kyoto - Niigata
For most of these services, three separate fares will have to be paid: The basic fare and limited express fare, which are both based on distance, and the accomodation charge, which is fixed over the entire journey. Lodging ranges from carpet spaces - where you literally sleep on the floor - to bunk bed-type compartments, to private rooms with a shower and toilet. The Japan Rail Pass will cover only the basic fare: if you sleep in a bunk bed or a private room, then the limited express and room fares will have to be paid. A few trains have seats or carpet spaces that are fully covered by the Rail Pass. On some trips that run over non-JR tracks, the basic and limited express fares for that portion of the trip will also have to be paid.
Some additional overnight services are added during periods of high demand, such as Golden Week, New Year's and the summer months. Among these is the very popular Moonlight Nagara service between Tokyo and Ogaki (located between Nagoya and Kyoto). The Moonlight Nagara, and certain other extra services, are classified as Rapid trains with regular seating. As such, these trains can be used with the Seishun 18 Ticket - and tend to get crowded when they run.
There are a few drawbacks to overnight train travel. In most cases you cannot book the train until you arrive in Japan, by which point the train might be sold out (unless a helpful Japanese resident purchases the tickets for you in advance of your arrival). Some overnight trains are also subject to cancellation on the day of departure if inclement weather is expected along the route. For example, the Twilight Express, Nihonkai and Akebono, which all run along the Sea of Japan, are the most prone to cancellation if heavy snow or high winds are in the forecast.
The alternative to traveling overnight by train is to travel by bus (see below) - but if you have a Japan Rail Pass, there is another way that you can go about traveling by night - and it can be relatively easy. The key is to split up your journey, stopping at an intermediate station en-route to your destination and resting at a nearby (and preferably cheap) hotel. In the morning, take another train toward your destination to complete the trip. The Rail Pass will cover your train journey: your only responsibility is paying for the hotel room. If you can find accomodations in a smaller city, the chances are good that you will pay less for it compared to lodging in bigger cities such as Tokyo... not to mention you will have your own bed, bathroom and toilet. business hotels are sprouting up all over Japan - most of them near train stations - and are a great example.
With careful planning and research, you will be able to find an overnight itinerary that works for you. For example, using the Shinkansen you could sleep in Hamamatsu on a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, or in Himeji on a trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima. For a trip north from Tokyo to Hokkaido you could choose to rest in Aomori.
If you have some extra money, consider forwarding some of your luggage to your destination using a luggage delivery service; this will make the trip much easier.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Japan
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Japan - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Japan hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Japan Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.