Hokutosei

The Hokutosei (Japanese北斗星) is a " Limited Express" (English for Tokkyu ) between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Sapporo Station in Sapporo. It is a sleeper, which is operated in cooperation with East Japan Railway Company (JR Higashi- Nihon ) and Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido ). The train travels overnight and has a travel time of 16.5 hours. On his route he travels the longest railway tunnel in the world, the 53.94 km long Seikan tunnel through the currently (as of 2010 ). The Hokutosei is one of two sleeper trains on this route. The other train is the Cassiopeia.

Hokutosei, literally meaning " star of the Northern Ladle " is the Japanese name for the constellation Ursa Major (Ursa Major). The constellation is also seen on the logo of the train, which is mounted on the front of the railcar.

The astronomer Masayuki Yanai and Kazuo Watanabe named the discovered asteroids on 4 January 1989 ( 5374 ) Hokutosei after him.

Route

The distance is about 1200 km long and runs from Ueno (Tokyo) to Sapporo. The train stops in Ōmiya, Utsunomiya, Kōriyama, Fukushima and Sendai. Occasionally there are other stops in Ichinoseki and Morioka. The first stop on the island of Hokkaido is the city of Hakodate. From there, the train leaves in 5 hours to Sapporo.

By 2005, some trains also held within the Seikan tunnel in one of the two Nothaltebahnhöfe. This stop without Zusteigmöglichkeit was only for tourists and has been deleted as they began to convert the tunnel for the Shinkansen operation.

In its range of Hokutosei used the tracks of three different operators. The train itself is run in cooperation by JR East and JR Hokkaido. The non- JR belonging track sections are the Iwate Ginga - tetsudō line and the Aoimori - tetsudō line.

  • Ueno Morioka: Tōhoku Main Line (JR East)
  • Morioka - Metoki: Iwate Ginga - tetsudō - line
  • Metoki - Aomori: Aoimori - tetsudō - line
  • Aomori - Hakodate: Tsugaru Kaikyō Line (JR Hokkaido )
  • Hakodate- Oshamambe: Hakodate Main Line (JR Hokkaido )
  • Oshamambe - Numanohata: Muroran Main Line (JR Hokkaido )
  • Numanohata - Shiroishi, Chitose Line (JR Hokkaido )
  • Shiroishi Sapporo Hakodate Main Line (JR Hokkaido )

Earthquake in March 2011

After the earthquake in March 2011 and thus triggered reactor accident at the nuclear power plant Fukushima Daiichi, the operation of Hokutosei and all other rail lines between Sendai and Ueno was suspended. End of May 2011, the company was then resumed.

Prices

The Hokutosei offers two price ranges: In the class " A " costs each trip / night all the same, regardless of inputs and Ausstiegsort. The price is 6300 yen. In the class " B" there are different prices starting at ¥ 6,300 single rooms, double bed rooms ( ¥ 6300 per person) and Twin Deluxe Room ¥ 13,350 per person. up to the Royal Suite for ¥ 17,180 for the first person and ¥ 9,500 for the second (along ¥ 26,680 ). Prices vary in this class with the booked route.

Owner of the Japan Rail Pass go cheaper. You only need to pay the premium for Limited Express and the sleeping compartment. Does the JRP on the day of departure, it is valid for the entire journey to the destination station.

Composition of the train

The train is in default compilation 10 sleeper series 24, a dining car and a generator car KaNi24. The deposits of this are the Oku- depot in Tokyo ( JR East ) and the Sapporo Depot (JR Hokkaido )

On the route three railcars are used. The change takes place in Aomori and Hakodate:

History and future

The Hokutosei started operations in March 1988 with the completion and opening of the Seikan tunnel on its operation. In 1999, the trail has been completed by the Cassiopeia. By March 2008, daily drove two trains in both directions. Today ( as of 2011) there is only one train per direction per day ( 3 trips to Sapporo to Tokyo and 3 per week). Departure times are:

  • Ueno 19:03 → 11:15 Sapporo
  • Sapporo 17:12 → Ueno 9:38

Currently, the Seikan tunnel for the passage of Shinkansen trains being prepared. After completion of the Tōhoku Shinkansen to Sapporo is to go through ( planned for 2015). The travel time between Tokyo and Sapporo is thus reduced from 16.5 to 6 hours. The section Morioka - Aomori was put into operation on December 4, 2010. The Zunkuft of Hokutosei is therefore uncertain.

Pictures

Dining car, interior view

Sleeping car, exterior view

Dining car, exterior view

The Doppeldiesellok DD51 at the entrance to Hakodate

The EF510 electric locomotive at the entrance to Ueno

Kazuro Watanabe (5374) Hokutosei Utsunomiya Station Fukushima Station (Fukushima) Sendai Station (Miyagi) Ichinoseki Station Morioka Station Hakodate, Hokkaido
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