basic information

This page lists some example timetables to give you an idea of how far you can get in one day from Tokyo, traveling westwards on the Tokaido/Sanyo Line with a Seishun 18 Kippu. Please note that there are hundreds of other possible itineraries, as local service is very frequent on the Tokaido/Sanyo Line.

The timetables show only the stations where a transfer is necessary and some of the major stations along the way. Note that they apply to weekdays, and that some departure times are slightly different on weekends and holidays. The data is subject to change. Double-check before starting your trip!

 
Example 1: Taking the "Moonlight Nagara" night train

By using the "Moonlight Nagara", one of the night trains classified as rapid train (kaisoku), you can travel as far as Fukuoka on Kyushu within one day. Note that the train leaves Tokyo before midnight, which means that you have to pay the fare up to the first station reached after midnight, which happens to be Odawara (1450 Yen).

A seat reservation is mandatory on board of the Moonlight Nagara. Since the Moonlight Nagara is extremely popular, you will have to make seat reservations as early as possible. Seat reservations can be made starting one month ahead of departure date at 10am.

Tokyo	23:10
Yokohama	23:36
Nagoya	06:07
Ogaki	06:55	07:00
Maibara		07:34	07:48
Kyoto			08:44
Osaka			09:15
Sannomiya (Kobe)			09:37
Himeji			10:16	11:06
Aioi				11:25	11:26
Okayama					12:30	12:43
Kurashiki						12:59
Hiroshima						15:30
Shin-Yamaguchi						18:12
Shimonoseki						19:18	19:43
Kokura (Kitakyushu)							19:56	20:16
Hakata (Fukuoka)								21:26

On selected days during the Seishun 18 Kippu season, a second "Moonlight Nagara", named "Moonlight Nagara #91" operates between Tokyo and Ogaki. It departs Tokyo after the regular "Moonlight Nagara", but arrives in Ogaki an hour earlier due to fewer stops along the way.

Tokyo	23:26
Yokohama	23:57
Nagoya	05:22
Ogaki	05:55	06:00
Kyoto		07:55
Osaka		08:35	08:37
Sannomiya (Kobe)			08:59
Himeji			09:41	10:06
Aioi				10:27	10:29
Okayama					11:33
Kurashiki					11:50
Mihara					13:02	13:20
Hiroshima						14:35
Iwakuni						15:21	15:38
Shin-Yamaguchi							17:32	17:33
Shimonoseki								18:39	18:57
Kokura									19:11	19:16
Hakata (Fukuoka)										20:25

 
Example 2: Taking the first train in the morning

The timetable below is for people who prefer an early start in the morning over a night train experience. If you catch the first train on the Tokaido Line, leaving Tokyo Station at 5:20 am, you can get as far as Kokura (Kitakyushu) on the island of Kyushu within one day.

Tokyo	05:20
Shizuoka	08:26	08:29
Hamamatsu		09:40	09:49
Nagoya			11:15
Ogaki			11:44	12:04
Maibara				12:40	12:53
Kyoto					13:45
Osaka					14:15
Sannomiya (Kobe)					14:37
Himeji					15:16	15:35
Aioi						15:55	15:56
Okayama							17:00	17:12
Kurashiki								17:28
Hiroshima								19:55	20:02
Shin-Yamaguchi									22:37
Shimonoseki									23:44	23:49
Kokura										00:03

 
Example 3: Taking a train around 8 am

The timetable below is for people who can't make it to Tokyo Station by 5:20 am. If you leave Tokyo at 8:10, you can get as far as Hiroshima within one day.

Tokyo	08:10
Atami	09:51	09:58
Shizuoka		11:14	11:26
Hamamatsu			12:42	12:48
Toyohashi				13:21	13:25
Nagoya					14:15
Ogaki					14:44	15:04
Maibara						15:40	15:51
Kyoto							16:44
Osaka							17:15
Sannomiya (Kobe)							17:37
Himeji							18:17	19:07
Okayama								20:33
Kurashiki								20:49
Itozaki								21:56	21:57
Hiroshima									23:17

 
Example 4: How to get to Shikoku

Okayama on the Sanyo Line is the transfer point for trains to Shikoku. On Shikoku, Takamatsu is most easily accessible, as there are rapid trains (kaisoku) from Okayama twice an hour, taking less than 60 minutes to reach Takamatsu.

If you follow example 1 to Okayama:

Tokyo	23:10
Okayama	12:30	12:44
Takamatsu		13:38

If you follow example 2 to Okayama:

Tokyo	05:20
Okayama	17:00	17:13
Takamatsu		18:08

If you follow example 3 to Okayama:

Tokyo	08:10
Okayama	20:31	20:44
Takamatsu		21:40

Accessing other destinations on Shikoku is more time consuming. The kaisoku night trains "Moonlight Kochi" and "Moonlight Matsuyama" are interesting options, departing Kyoto daily on selected days during the Seishun 18 Kippu season.

Note that there is also a kind of regional version of the Seishun 18 Kippu for Shikoku, called Shikoku Saihakken Kippu ("Rediscover Shikoku Ticket").

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

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