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Below is a network map of Japan's night trains, i.e. trains that run through the night. All night trains are operated by the Japan Railways Group (JR). Due to competition by cheaper highway buses and low domestic airfares, the number of night trains in Japan has been decreasing steadily in recent years. Train cars Most Japanese night trains are equipped with couchettes and private rooms with beds, and some have cars with seats. Couchettes and private rooms come in two classes, A and B, with B being the more basic and less costly. In addition, some trains offer a "Special A Class" with rather luxurious suites. All night trains are equipped with toilets and sinks, and the better ones have also public phones, showers, a restaurant and a lounge or lobby car. Couchettes Couchettes are bunk beds, two or three stories high, in compartments shared by four to six people. "B class" couchettes cost around 6,000 Yen, and "A class" couchettes around 10,000 Yen. Most night trains carry at least one couchette car of either or both classes. Private Rooms Private rooms come in single and twin. "B class" rooms cost around 6,000-9,000 Yen per person, and "A class" rooms around 14,000 Yen/person. More luxurious suites can cost up to 38,000 Yen/person. Most night trains have some private rooms, but only a few have luxury suites. Seats A few night trains carry cars with seats. Depending on the train, the seats may be non reserved, partially reserved or all reserved. Seat reservations cost about 300 to 500 Yen. Seat reservations are free for Japan Rail Pass holders.   Japan Rail Pass and night trains The Japan Rail Pass does not cover the cost for a couchette or private room! Japan Rail Pass holders will have to pay for it separately. In addition, pass holders also have to pay the (limited) express fee, which is typically around 3,000 yen, when using a couchette or private room. While the Japan Rail Pass does not cover the cost for couchettes and beds, it fully cover the cost for a seat on night trains. Note however, that quite a few night trains do not carry cars with seats.   List of trains Below is a list of Japan's night trains. The following information is given for each train (note that the ticket costs refer to a trip along the complete route): Train Category   Train Name: Route More detailed route, showing other major stations Approx. duration of the trip Frequency of departures Comments Seat Couchette Private Room Approx. ticket cost without Japan Rail Pass Approx. ticket cost with Japan Rail Pass Approx. ticket cost without Japan Rail Pass Approx. ticket cost with Japan Rail Pass Approx. ticket cost without Japan Rail Pass Approx. ticket cost with Japan Rail Pass From Tokyo: Limited Express   Cassiopeia: Ueno (Tokyo) - Sapporo Ueno - Omiya - Utsunomiya - Fukushima - Sendai - Hakodate - Sapporo Approx. 17 hours 3-4 trains per week The Cassiopeia is Japan's most luxurious night train. It is equipped with a lounge and restaurant car and private "A class" twin rooms exclusively. It also carries some luxury suites. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass - - - - 32,500 Yen 19,000 Yen Limited Express   Hokutosei: Ueno (Tokyo) - Sapporo Ueno - Omiya - Utsunomiya - Fukushima - Sendai - Hakodate - Sapporo Approx. 17 hours 1 train per day Equipped with couchettes, private rooms, luxury suites and a restaurant car. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass - - 25,000 Yen 12,000 Yen 25,000 Yen 12,000 Yen Limited Express   Akebono: Ueno (Tokyo) - Aomori Ueno - Omiya - Takasaki - Sakata - Akita - Aomori Approx. 13 hours 1 train per day Equipped with couchettes, private rooms and so called "Goron to Shito" seats, which are basically couchettes without blankets, but are categorized as seats and can be used for free with the Japan Rail Pass. There is one "Goron to Shito" car for excluive use by women. Goron to Shito Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 14,000 Yen free 20,000 Yen 9,500 Yen 20,000 Yen 9,500 Yen Limited Express   Hokuriku: Ueno (Tokyo) - Kanazawa Ueno - Omiya - Takasaki - Nagaoka - Toyama - Kanazawa Approx. 8 hours 1 train per day Equipped with couchettes and private rooms. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass - - 17,000 Yen 9,000 Yen 17,000 Yen 9,000 Yen Express   Noto: Ueno (Tokyo) - Kanazawa Ueno - Omiya - Takasaki - Toyama - Kanazawa Approx. 7 hours 1 train per day Equipped with non reserved and reserved seats only. There is one car for exclusive use by women. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 9,000 Yen free - - - - Limited Express   Sunrise Seto: Tokyo - Takamatsu Tokyo - Himeji - Okayama - Takamatsu Approx. 10 hours 1 train per day Equipped with private rooms and so called "Nobinobi" seats, which are basically carpeted compartments to lie down, but are categorized as seats and can be used for free with the Japan Rail Pass. The Sunrise Seto is coupled to the Sunrise Izumo between Tokyo and Okayama. Nobinobi Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 14,500 Yen free - - 20,500 Yen 9,500 Yen Limited Express   Sunrise Izumo: Tokyo - Izumo Tokyo - Himeji - Okayama - Matsue - Izumoshi Approx. 12 hours 1 train per day Equipped with private rooms and so called "Nobinobi" seats, which are basically carpeted compartments to lie down, but are categorized as seats and can be used for free with the Japan Rail Pass. The Sunrise Izumo is coupled to the Sunrise Seto between Tokyo and Okayama. Nobinobi Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 15,500 Yen free - - 21,000 Yen 9,500 Yen From Osaka: Limited Express   Twilight Express: Osaka - Sapporo Osaka - Kyoto - Kanazawa - Nagaoka - Sapporo Approx. 21 hours 4-7 trains per week Equipped with couchettes, private rooms, luxury suites, a restaurant and a salon car. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass - - 27,000 Yen 11,000 Yen 29,000 Yen 13,000 Yen Limited Express   Nihonkai: Osaka - Aomori Osaka - Kyoto - Kanazawa - Akita - Aomori Approx. 15 hours 1 train per day Equipped with couchettes only. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass - - 23,000 Yen 9,500 Yen - - Express   Kitakuni: Osaka - Niigata Osaka - Kyoto - Kanazawa - Toyama - Nagaoka - Niigata Approx. 8 hours 1 train per day Equipped with couchettes and non reserved seats. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 10,500 Yen free 15,500 Yen 6,500 Yen - - From Sapporo: Express   Hamanasu: Sapporo - Aomori Sapporo - Hakodate - Aomori Approx. 8 hours 1 train per day Equipped with couchettes, reserved seats (reclining "dreamcar" seats), non reserved seats and a so called "nobinobi carpet car", which features carpeted compartments to lie down. Seats and the nobinobi carpet compartments can be used for free with the Japan Rail Pass. Some couchettes, nobinobi carpet compartments and reserved seats are for exclusive use by women. Note that on some days, the Hamanasu may not feature all of the above mentioned car types. Seats, nobinobi carpet car Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 9,000 Yen free 15,500 Yen 7,500 Yen - - From Fukuoka: Limited Express   Dream Nichirin: Hakata - Miyazaki Hakata - Kokura - Beppu - Oita - Miyazaki - Minami-Miyazaki - Miyazaki Kuko Approx. 6 hours 1 train per day Equipped with non reserved and reserved seats only. Some seats are for exclusive use by women. Seat Couchette Private Room w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass w/o JR Pass with JR Pass 10,000 Yen free - - - - In addition to the above listed trains, there are a few night trains, which run only during certain seasons or selected days of the year. Some of them are so called "Moonlight" trains, classified as rapid trains (kaisoku), which can be used with the Seishun 18 Kippu.

Japanese Links

Sleeper Trains A railfan's page about Japan's night trains with pictures and information about each train.