 ACassiopeia service hauled by EF510-509 in August 2010 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Limited express |
| Status | Operational (cruise service) |
| Locale | Japan |
| First service | July 1999 (scheduled service)2016 (cruise service) |
| Last service | March 2016 (scheduled service)June 2025 (cruise service) |
| Current operator(s) | JR East |
| Route | |
| Termini | Ueno Sapporo (scheduled service) Sendai (cruise service) Aomori (cruise service) |
| Average journey time | Approx. 16½ hours (scheduled service) |
| Service frequency | 3 times weekly (Ueno-Sapporo) |
| On-board services | |
| Seating arrangements | Lounge car |
| Sleeping arrangements | Compartments and suites |
| Catering facilities | Dining car |
| Observation facilities | Observation lounge at end of train |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | E26 series sleeping cars |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC (50 Hz) |
| Operating speed | 110 km/h (70 mph) |
TheCassiopeia (カシオペア,Kashiopea) is a luxury cruise train service in Japan, operated byEast Japan Railway Company (JR East). It formerly operated as alimited express from July 1999 until March 2016, when scheduled service was discontinued due to the opening of theHokkaido Shinkansen. It ran betweenUeno Station in Tokyo and the city ofSapporo in the northern island ofHokkaido. The one-way journey to Sapporo took approximately 161⁄2 hours. Cruise service is planned to be discontinued in June 2025.
The originalCassiopeia ran on the following rail lines:
JR East
IGR Iwate Ginga Railway
Aoimori Railway
JR East
JR Hokkaido
The train changed direction at Aomori and Hakodate.
Northbound trains to Sapporo departed from Ueno after 16:00, and called atŌmiya,Utsunomiya,Kōriyama,Fukushima,Sendai,Ichinoseki, andMorioka. The first stop in Hokkaido was atHakodate at 05:00 the following day, with arrival in Sapporo around 09:30. Southbound trains to Ueno departed from Sapporo after 16:00; the first stop after leaving Hokkaido was at Sendai, around 04:30 the following day, and the arrival time at Ueno Station around 09:30.[1]
The original Cassiopeia departed three times per week, with more departures during holiday periods.
The train is formed of twelve E26 series sleeping cars, including a lounge car at the Sapporo end and a deluxe suite at the Ueno end. The locomotive power for charter services is provided byJR Freight, which includeClass EF81 dual-voltage locomotives orClass EF64 locomotives from Ueno to Aomori,Class EH800 AC electric locomotives for the Seikan Tunnel andClass DF200 diesel locomotives for non-electrified routes in Hokkaido.
The original train was hauled by a JR East Tabata-basedClass EF510-500 dual-voltage electric locomotive between Ueno and Aomori, by a JR HokkaidoED79 AC electric locomotive between Aomori and Hakodate, and by a pair of JR HokkaidoDD51 diesel locomotives between Hakodate and Sapporo.[2] Prior to June 2010, the services were hauled by JR EastClass EF81 dual-voltage electric locomotives.[3]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SuRoNeFu E26 | SuRoNe E26 | MaShi E26 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | SuRoNe E27 | KaHaFu E26 |
| Cassiopeia Suite | Cassiopeia Suite / Cassiopeia Deluxe | Dining car | Cassiopeia Twin | Cassiopeia Twin / Mini lobby | Cassiopeia Twin / Shower room | Cassiopeia Twin | Cassiopeia Twin | Cassiopeia Twin / Mini lobby | Cassiopeia Twin / Shower room | Cassiopeia Twin | Lounge Car/ Generator |
TheCassiopeia consists of all type "A" accommodation, all specific to this particular train. A flat fee is charged for all rooms, regardless of starting or ending location. Accommodation rates range from about ¥27,000 for a Cassiopeia Twin room to ¥51,000 for a Cassiopeia Suite.
The other fares, the basic fare and limited express fare, are based on distance. For tourists using theJapan Rail Pass during the original service, the basic fare did not have to be paid. However, there is a charge of about ¥5,500 each way for travelling on a section of railroad not owned by Japan Railways between Morioka andAomori.
TheCassiopeia service from Ueno to Sapporo first ran on 16 July 1999.[4]
From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, smoking was banned in the restaurant car ofCassiopeia services.[5]
The last scheduledCassiopeia services were discontinued in March 2016 ahead of the opening of theHokkaido Shinkansen high-speed line. The last down service departed from Ueno Station in Tokyo on 19 March 2016, and the last up service departed from Sapporo on 20 March, arriving at Ueno on 21 March.[4]
Neither JR East nor JR Hokkaido owns electric locomotives capable of operating through theSeikan Tunnel to and from Hokkaido after the overhead line voltage was raised from 20 kV to 25 kV AC with the opening of theHokkaido Shinkansen on 26 March 2016, but JR East leasesJR FreightClass EH800 electric locomotives to haul theCassiopeia trainset on seasonal services through the Seikan Tunnel after the Hokkaido Shinkansen opened.[6] The coaches are also used on cruise train services to other destinations within the JR East region, which includeSendai andAomori.[6] Cruise services are planned to be discontinued by the end of June 2025.[7]
.jpg)
Transit inHokkaido | |
|---|---|
| Shinkansen | |
 JR Hokkaido | |
 Sapporo Municipal Subway | |
| Other railways | |
| Terminals |
|
| Public Ferries |
|
| Miscellaneous | |
Named trains ofEast Japan Railway Company | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shinkansen | .svg){kind=logo} | |
| Limited express (daytime) | ||
| Rapid | ||
| Local | ||
| Excursion | ||
| Discontinued Shinkansen | ||
| Discontinued Limited express (Daytime) | ||
| Discontinued Limited express (overnight) | ||
| Discontinued Express | ||
| Discontinued Rapid | ||
| Discontinued Liner |
| |
| Discontinued Excursion | ||
