Sunrise Izumo

The is an overnight sleeping car train service in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) since July 1998.

Operations

The Sunrise Izumo runs daily between Template:STN and Template:STN in Shimane Prefecture, taking approximately 12 hours for the journey. The service operates in conjunction with the Sunrise Seto service to Template:STN between Tokyo and Template:STN. The combined 14-car train departs from Tokyo, and stops at Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN (final evening stop), Template:STN (first morning stop), and arrives at Template:STN, where the train splits. Between Okayama and Izumoshi, the 7-car Sunrise Izumo train stops at Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, Template:STN, and Template:STN, before arriving in Izumoshi. The return train departs from Izumoshi, and is coupled with the Sunrise Seto from Takamatsu at Okayama Station, departing together from there, and arriving at Tokyo Station in the next morning.

• A Sunrise Seto & Sunrise Izumo combined formation on the Sanyo Main Line, May 2012
  A Sunrise Seto & Sunrise Izumo combined formation on the Sanyo Main Line, May 2012
• Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto units being uncoupled at Okayama Station, March 2013
  Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto units being uncoupled at Okayama Station, March 2013

Station list

Line	Station		Distance (km)		Time		Location
	Name	Japanese	Between stations	From Tokyo	Westbound (-> Izumoshi)	Eastbound (-> Tokyo)	Ward / City / District	Prefecture / Metropolis
Tōkaidō Main Line	Template:STN		-	0.0	21:50 Departure	07:08 Arrival	Chiyoda	Tokyo
	Template:STN		18.2	18.2	22:05 Arrival 22:06 Departure	6:50 Arrival 6:51 Departure	Kawasaki	Kanagawa
	Template:STN		28.8	28.8	22:14 Arrival 22:15 Departure	06:44 Arrival 06:45 Departure	Yokohama
	Template:STN		55.1	83.9	22:45 Arrival 22:46 Departure	06:15 Arrival 06:16 Departure	Odawara
	Template:STN		75.8	104.6	23:21 Arrival 23:23 Departure	05:43 Arrival 05:45 Departure	Atami	Shizuoka
	Template:STN		21.6	126.2	23:38 Arrival 23:39 Departure	05:26 Arrival 05:27 Departure	Mishima
	Template:STN		20.0	146.2	23:52 Arrival 23:53 Departure	05:09 Arrival 05:10 Departure	Fuji
	Template:STN		34.0	180.2	00:18 Arrival 00:20 Departure	04:38 Arrival 04:40 Departure	Shizuoka
	Template:STN		76.9	257.1	01:11 Arrival 01:12 Departure	↑ (Brief stop)	Hamamatsu
	Template:STN		36.5	293.6	(Brief stop)		Toyohashi	Aichi
	Template:STN		72.4	366.0	01:45 Arrival 01:46 Departure	00:45 Arrival 00:46 Departure	Nagoya
	Template:STN		30.3	396.3	↓ (Brief stop)	↑	Gifu	Gifu
	Template:STN		49.6	445.9	(Brief stop)		Maibara	Shiga
	Template:STN		110.5	556.4	05:30 Arrival 05:31 Departure	00:31 Arrival 00:33 Departure	Osaka	Osaka
	Template:STN		30.6	587.0	↓	00:10 Arrival 00:11 Departure	Kobe	Hyogo
San'yō Main Line	Template:STN		57.3	644.3	05:25 Arrival 05:26 Departure	23:32 Arrival 23:33 Departure	Himeji
	Template:STN		88.6	732.9	06:27 Arrival (Decouple and separate from Sunrise Seto) 06:34 Departure	22:30 Arrival (Couple with Sunrise Seto) 22:34 Departure	Okayama	Okayama
	Template:STN		15.9	748.8	06:46 Arrival 06:47 Departure	22:13 Arrival 22:14 Departure	Kurashiki
Hakubi Line	Template:STN		34.0	782.8	07:14 Arrival 07:14 Departure	21:47 Arrival 21:48 Departure	Takahashi
	Template:STN		30.4	813.2	07:43 Arrival 07:44 Departure	21:19 Arrival 21:20 Departure	Niimi
	Template:STN		3.9	817.1	↓	↑ (Brief stop)
	Template:STN		14.5	831.6	↓	↑ (Brief stop)
	Template:STN		3.9	835.5	↓ (Brief stop)	↑	Hino	Tottori
	Template:STN		31.4	866.9	↓ (Brief stop)	↑	Kofu
	Template:STN		9.2	876.1	↓	↑ (Brief stop)	Saihaku
San'in Main Line	Template:STN		15.9	892.0	09:03 Arrival 09:05 Departure	19:54 Arrival 19:56 Departure	Yonago
	Template:STN		8.8	900.8	09:13 Arrival 09:14 Departure	19:45 Arrival 19:46 Departure	Yasugi	Shimane
	Template:STN		10.4	911.2	↓	↑ (Brief stop)	Matsue
	Template:STN		9.7	920.9	09:29 Arrival 09:31 Departure	19:23 Arrival 19:24 Departure
	Template:STN		6.6	927.5	↓	↑ (Brief stop)
	Template:STN		10.4	937.9	09:45 Arrival 09:46 Departure	19:05 Arrival 19:06 Departure
	Template:STN		15.7	953.6	09:58 Arrival	18:55 Departure	Izumo

• Sunrise Izumo trains make brief stops for several reasons, such as crew changes at JR region boundaries and also train meetings, which are very prominent when on the Hakubi Line, as the majority of the line is only single track. Passengers cannot board or get off the train when it makes such stops at stations.
• Regularly, only eastbound services will operate between Atami and Yokohama via the Tōkaidō Freight Line, where trains enter the line at Odawara and exit at Chigasaki back to the Tōkaidō Main Line.

Formation

Trains are formed of dedicated 7-car 285 series Sunrise Express electric multiple units (EMUs) owned by both JR Central and JR West. They are formed as shown below, with cars numbered 8 to 14 in the down (westbound) direction, with car 14 at the Tokyo end, and 1 to 7 in the up (Tokyo-bound) direction, with car 7 at the Tokyo end.

Car No.	1/8	2/9	3/10	4/11	5/12	6/13	7/14
Numbering	KuHaNe 285	SaHaNe 285	MoHaNe 285	SaRoHaNe 285	MoHaNe 285	SaHaNe 285	KuHaNe 285
Accommodation	B single berths	B single berths	B solo berths	Single DX berths	B single berths Nobinobi floor space	B single berths	B single berths
	B single/ single-twin berths	B single/ single-twin berths		Sunrise twin berths		B single/ single-twin berths	B single/ single-twin berths
Facilities			Mini saloon area, vending machine, shower		Vending machine

• Car 2/9 has a wheelchair-accessible compartment
• Each car has toilet facilities at one end.
• Smoking is prohibited outside of smoking cabins.

Accommodation, Ticketing and Facilities

The Sunrise Express services consist of six types of accommodation. There are five types of berths: A Single Deluxe, B Sunrise Twin (2-person use), B Single Twin (1 or 2-person use), B Single and B Solo. There is also a carpeted sleeping space called the Nobi-nobi sleeping area.

To ride the train, several fares are required. All passengers require a and a based on the distance traveled. On top of these, those wishing to travel in a private room must also pay for a , while those traveling in the Nobi-nobi sleeping area must pay a small in order to reserve an individual sleeping space.

The berth and seat reservation charges are fixed, regardless of where the journey starts and ends.

Accommodation Price Table

Person	Accommodation	Price
1-person use berth	A Single Deluxe	¥14,180
	B Single Twin	¥9,600
	B Single	¥7,700
	B Solo	¥6,600
2-people use berths	B Sunrise Twin	¥15,400 for two people
	B Single Twin	¥15,000 for two people
1-person use seating	Nobi-nobi sleeping area	¥530 seat reservation charge (+200 for peak seasons) (-200 for off seasons)

Tickets are purchased up to one month before departure at a JR Midori no Madoguchi in Japan. Holders of the Japan Rail Pass can reserve a Nobi-nobi space at free, or reserve a berth by paying the limited express and berth charges.

A shower is located in cars 3 and 10. Passengers using the A Single Deluxe compartments are provided with a free shower card to use the showers on the train, while other passengers have to pay ¥330 for a shower card if they desire to use the showers. Lounges are also located in cars 3 and 10. Drink vending machines are available in cars 3, 5, 10 and 12.

• "Single Deluxe" compartment
  "Single Deluxe" compartment
• Car 4/11 corridor
  Car 4/11 corridor
• Single berth
  Single berth
• Single-twin berth
  Single-twin berth
• Nobinobi open-plan sleeping area (car 5/12, upper floor)
  Nobinobi open-plan sleeping area (car 5/12, upper floor)
• Nobinobi open-plan sleeping area (car 5/12, lower floor)
  Nobinobi open-plan sleeping area (car 5/12, lower floor)
• Shower cubicle (car 3/10)
  Shower cubicle (car 3/10)
• Mini lounge area (car 3/10)
  Mini lounge area (car 3/10)

History

File:BLUE TRAIN IZUMO.jpg

Izumo service hauled by a JNR Class EF65-1000 electric locomotive, December 1997

The Sunrise Izumo services were introduced together with the Sunrise Seto on 10 July 1998. Previously, the Izumo operated as a separate "Blue train" service connecting Tokyo with the Sanin region. However, these trains were becoming less popular as equipment became outdated, and air and bus services attracted more passengers. The Sunrise Izumo was intended to attract more passengers to train transportation by introducing newly designed trains and by reducing the journey time.

Following the introduction of the Sunrise Izumo, the original Izumo locomotive-hauled "Blue train" service was reduced from two return workings daily to one return working, serving the Sanin Main Line between Template:STN and Tottori Prefecture, most of which was not electrified and thus inaccessible by the electric Sunrise Express trains. The Izumo was ultimately discontinued on 13 March 2006 due to continuing decline in ridership, leaving the Sunrise Izumo as the only overnight train service between the Sanin region and Tokyo.

Ridership on overnight trains in Japan continues to decline, and from March 2009, the Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto became the only overnight sleeping car trains to operate west of Tokyo via the Tokaido Line.

From the start of the revised timetable on 12 March 2021, the departure time of the Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto from Tokyo was changed from 10:00 PM to 9:50 PM. It is the first time that the departure time was changed since the services' introduction in 1998. The change cleared the 10:00 PM departure slot for one of the new Shōnan limited express services to Odawara.

See also

• Sunrise Seto
• Izumo (train), the blue train predecessor to the Sunrise Izumo
• List of named passenger trains of Japan

External links

• JR West Sunrise Izumo / Sunrise Seto Template:In lang