Twilight Express

Twilight Express

The Twilight Express hauled by an EF81 electric locomotive in January 2013
Overview
Service type	Limited express
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Japan
First service	July 1989
Last service	March 2016
Successor	Twilight Express Mizukaze
Former operator(s)	JR West
Route
Termini	Osaka Sapporo
Distance travelled	approx. 1,500 km (930 mi)
Average journey time	22-23 hours
Technical
Rolling stock	24 series sleeping cars
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC
Operating speed	110 km/h (70 mph)

The Twilight Express (トワイライトエクスプレス, Towairaitoekusupuresu) was a limited express sleeping car train service operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Japan from 1989 until March 2015. It ran between the city of Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido and Osaka in south-western Honshu, a distance of approximately 1,500 km (930 mi), with the journey taking between 22 and 23 hours. From May 2015 until March 2016, the train operated as a luxury cruise train between Osaka and Shimonoseki in western Japan.

Trains for Sapporo departed Osaka at 12:00, calling at Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, Tsuruga, Fukui, Kanazawa, Takaoka, Toyama, Naoetsu, and Nagaoka, with the final passenger pick-up made at in then at Niitsu at 19:31. The first stop in Hokkaido was at Tōya at 07:18. The train then made four more stops before arriving at Sapporo at 09:02.

The same stops were made in the reverse, with the Twilight Express departing Sapporo at 14:05 and making its final pickup at Tōya at 16:33. The first stop at Niitsu was made at 04:33, with the train eventually making its way to Kyoto at 12:15 and finally arriving at Osaka at 12:52.

The Twilight Express consisted of type "A" and "B" accommodations, all specific to this particular train. A flat fee was charged for all berths, regardless of starting or ending location. The other fares, the basic fare and limited express fare, were based on distance. For tourists using the Japan Rail Pass, the basic fare did not have to be paid, although the limited express fare and room fare had to be paid.

Trains departed several times per week, with more departures during holiday periods. The Nihonkai train made daily round-trip runs between Osaka and Aomori, with ongoing connections to Sapporo.

From 16 May 2015, the train became a luxury cruise train operating on a weekly basis between Osaka and Shimonoseki in the west of Japan, taking approximately 29 hours for the 829 km journey.^[1] This service operated until March 2016.^[2]

The Twilight Express ran on the following lines:

West Japan Railway Company (JR West)

• JR Kyoto Line (Tokaido Main Line), Osaka - Yamashina
• Kosei Line, Yamashina - Omi-Shiotsu
• Hokuriku Main Line, Omi-Shiotsu - Naoetsu

East Japan Railway Company (JR East)

• Shinetsu Main Line, Naoetsu - Niitsu
• Uetsu Main Line, Niitsu - Akita
• Ou Main Line, Akita - Aomori Signal¹

Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido)

• Tsugaru Kaikyō Line, Aomori Signal - Kanita² - Goryōkaku¹
• Hakodate Main Line, Goryōkaku - Oshamambe
• Muroran Main Line, Oshamambe - Numanohata
• Chitose Line, Numanohata - Shiroishi
• Hakodate Main Line, Shiroishi - Sapporo

¹Train reversal point
²Crew change location for conductors (JR West and JR Hokkaido)

The Tsugaru Kaikyō Line runs over the tracks of the Tsugaru Line, Kaikyō Line, Esashi Line, and Hakodate Main Line.

The original charter train formation operating from 21 July 1989 was as follows.^[3] The view from inside the "royal suite" in car 8 was obstructed by the adjacent generator van.^[3]

From 2 December 1989, trains were formed as follows.^[3]

From 20 July 1990, trains were lengthened to nine cars (plus a generator van), and formed as shown below.^[3][4]

From May 2015, the following formation was used for cruise train services.^[5] The "OHaNeFu 25" car was not used by passengers on these services.^[5]

Three types of locomotives were used to haul the Twilight Express service:^[6]

• Osaka to Aomori: JR West Class EF81 AC/DC electric locomotive assigned to Fukui Depot
• Aomori to Goryōkaku: JR Hokkaido Class ED79 AC electric locomotive assigned to Hakodate Depot
• Goryōkaku to Sapporo: JR Hokkaido Class DD51 diesel locomotives assigned to Hakodate Depot (double-headed)

As of October 2014^[update], five specially-liveried Class EF81 locomotives were assigned for Twilight Express duties, numbers EF81 43, 44, 103, 113, and 114.^[4] Locomotive number EF81 104 was also formerly used on Twilight Express services, but was withdrawn in 2013.^[4]

• 
  A Twilight Express service hauled by a JR West Class EF81 electric locomotive in August 2009
• 
  A Twilight Express service hauled by a JR Hokkaido Class ED79 electric locomotive in July 2013
• 
  A Twilight Express service hauled by two Class DD51 diesel locomotives in Hokkaido in September 2012

As of October 2014^[update], three 9-car 24 series trainsets were used on Twilight Express services, formed as follows.^[4] The former coach numbers and conversion dates are shown below the current running numbers.^[4]

Four generator vans, numbered "KaNi 24 10, 12, 13, and 14", were used with the Twilight Express trainsets.^[4]

The train timetable as of March 2011^[update] was as follows. For the Osaka departure to Sapporo, read down. For the Sapporo departure to Osaka, read up. Stations that were not used for passenger pick-up or drop-off are in italics.

The Twilight Express first ran on 18 July 1989 from Osaka to Sapporo and back as a special preview run for invited passengers.^[7] From 21 July, it began operating as a charter service.^[7][8] A second rake of coaches was introduced from December 1989, allowing operation as a seasonal service.^[8] "A"-type sleeping cars were added to the formations between 1990 and 1991, and the formations were extended to 10 cars (including generator car).^[8] In April 1991, a third rake of coaches was introduced, allowing daily operations during busy seasons.^[8] The coaches underwent a program of interior refurbishment between 2001 and 2002.^[8]

Twilight Express services were discontinued from March 2015, with the final services departing from both Osaka and Sapporo on 12 March, arriving at their destinations the following day.^[9]

From 16 May 2015, the train became a luxury cruise train named the Special Twilight Express (特別なトワイライトエクスプレス) operating on a weekly basis between Osaka and Shimonoseki in the west of Japan.^[1] This operated until March 2016, with the last service departing from Osaka on 19 March, returning on 22 March.^[2]

• 
  A Special Twilight Express cruise train hauled by a pair of Class DD51 diesel locomotives in September 2015
• 
  A Special Twilight Express cruise train hauled by specially reliveried electric locomotive EF65 1124 in February 2016

In June 2017, JR West introduced a new luxury sleeping-car excursion train named Twilight Express Mizukaze, continuing the name and brand established by the Twilight Express train service.^[10]

Former Twilight Express Class EF81 electric locomotive EF81 103 is exhibited at the Kyoto Railway Museum, which opened in April 2016, together with four former Twilight Express 24 series coaches, sleeping car SuRoNeFu 25-501, dining car SuShi 24-1, lounge car OHa 25-551, and generator van KaNi 24-12.^[11]

• 
  Twilight Express EF81 103 (right) in the Twilight Plaza zone at the Kyoto Railway Museum in May 2016
• 
  Former Twilight Express generator van KaNi 24-12 and lounge car OHa 25-551 in the Main Hall at the Kyoto Railway Museum in May 2016

The Twilight Express formed the main backdrop for the TBS TV drama Terminus: Love on the Twilight Express (終着駅-トワイライトエクスプレスの恋), starring Kōichi Satō and Miho Nakayama, and broadcast on 20 March 2012.^[12]

The Twilight Express's dining car was featured in Chapters 41 an 42 of Ekiben Hitoritabi, a manga about ekiben.

• List of named passenger trains of Japan

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Twilight Express (1989-2015).

• Dream Rail Trip on Twilight Express 2004 promotional video for the Twilight Express.
• Twilight Express Train Gallery Twilight Express train route and composition information. (in Japanese)