TOKYO - Night trains are making a comeback across Japan, with railway operators introducing new overnight services and even experimenting with overnight Shinkansen trains as demand grows for alternatives that combine transportation, accommodation and the experience of traveling through the night.
The Tokaido Lumiere Express, billed as an overnight Shinkansen, made its debut on August 8, departing Tokyo late at night and arriving at Shin-Osaka the following morning.
The service charged 15,000 yen for an adult standard-class ticket, and all roughly 500 available seats sold out within two days. Passengers were given more space than on a conventional Shinkansen service, with seating arranged so that no passenger had someone sitting directly beside them.
A second overnight run has already been scheduled for the Silver Week holiday period, this time traveling in the opposite direction from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo overnight from September 22 to September 23. Adult tickets are priced at 17,000 yen, with sales continuing through September 3.
The first service departed Tokyo Station at 10 p.m. on August 8 and passed Mount Fuji and Nagoya before arriving at Gifu-Hashima Station at around midnight. It then remained there for approximately six hours before departing at around 6 a.m. on August 9 and reaching Shin-Osaka shortly before 7 a.m.
Passengers were allowed onto the platform for about 30 minutes after arriving at Gifu-Hashima and again for about 30 minutes before departure. Many took advantage of the unusual opportunity to step onto a Shinkansen platform in the middle of the night.
For most of the six-hour stop, however, the train doors remained closed and many passengers slept inside.
One advantage of the extended stop was that passengers could rest without having to contend with the movement and noise of a traveling train. One drawback was that the interior lights remained on throughout the night for security reasons.
For the next service, passengers are expected to be provided with eye masks and slippers.
The lengthy stop at Gifu-Hashima is necessary because Central Japan Railway, or JR Central, does not operate Shinkansen trains between midnight and 6 a.m., when maintenance work is carried out and efforts are made to limit nighttime noise for residents living near the tracks.
The overnight service is aimed partly at travelers who want to begin activities earlier in the morning than would be possible by taking the first regular Shinkansen of the day, as well as passengers seeking to avoid the cost of staying in a hotel the night before.
That places the service in competition with overnight buses, which have long served travelers looking for inexpensive transportation while sleeping en route.
JR Central is emphasizing the additional space and security offered by the Shinkansen. Passengers can sleep without someone occupying the neighboring seat and have extra room for luggage, while train crew members patrol the cars throughout the journey.
The company believes those features could appeal to travelers who feel uneasy about spending the night on a bus.
The overnight Shinkansen is part of a wider revival of night trains in Japan after years in which the disappearance and final runs of traditional sleeper and overnight services regularly made headlines.
West Japan Railway has operated the West Express Ginga since 2020. A journey between Kyoto and Shimonoseki, for example, costs 12,950 yen.
East Japan Railway introduced the Alps overnight service in 2024, connecting Shinjuku with Hakuba during the July-to-September period for 8,870 yen.
JR East is also planning another overnight train, Luna Azul, from fiscal 2027, with routes expected to include services between Shinagawa and Aomori. Fares are still under consideration.
Passengers on the Tokaido Lumiere Express are currently unable to leave through the ticket gates during the overnight stop at Gifu-Hashima, limiting the stop to the station platform.
Allowing passengers to leave stations during long overnight stops could potentially create new travel options, such as spending part of the night in entertainment districts at intermediate cities, although such arrangements would also create operational and security challenges.
JR Central has indicated that it is considering a range of possibilities for future overnight services, including offering passengers special hospitality or activities at stations during extended stops.
Source: TBS
