The Cassiopeia (カシオペア) is a luxury cruise train service in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It formerly operated as a limited express from July 1999 until March 2016, when it was discontinued due to the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. It ran between Ueno Station in Tokyo and the city of Sapporo in the northern island of Hokkaido. The one-way journey to Sapporo took approximately 161/2 hours.

Route

The original Cassiopeia 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 at Ōmiya, Utsunomiya, Kōriyama, Fukushima, Sendai, Ichinoseki, and Morioka. The first stop in Hokkaido was at Hakodate 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. The original Cassiopeia departed three times per week, with more departures during holiday periods.

Rolling stock

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 by JR Freight, which include Class EF81 dual-voltage locomotives or Class EF64 locomotives from Ueno to Aomori, Class EH800 AC electric locomotives for the Seikan Tunnel and Class DF200 diesel locomotives for non-electrified routes in Hokkaido.

Former rolling stock

The original train was hauled by a JR East Tabata-based Class EF510-500 dual-voltage electric locomotive between Ueno and Aomori, by a JR Hokkaido ED79 AC electric locomotive between Aomori and Hakodate, and by a pair of JR Hokkaido DD51 diesel locomotives between Hakodate and Sapporo. Prior to June 2010, the services were hauled by JR East Class EF81 dual-voltage electric locomotives.

Formation

Accommodation and fares

The Cassiopeia 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 the Japan 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 and Aomori.

History

The Cassiopeia service from Ueno to Sapporo first ran on 16 July 1999. From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, smoking was banned in the restaurant car of Cassiopeia services.

End of scheduled services

The last scheduled Cassiopeia services were discontinued in March 2016 ahead of the opening of the Hokkaido 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.

Cruise services

Neither JR East nor JR Hokkaido owns electric locomotives capable of operating through the Seikan Tunnel to and from Hokkaido after the overhead line voltage was raised from 20 kV to 25 kV AC with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen on 26 March 2016, but JR East leases JR Freight Class EH800 electric locomotives to haul the Cassiopeia trainset on seasonal services through the Seikan Tunnel after the Hokkaido Shinkansen opened. The coaches are also used on cruise train services to other destinations within the JR East region, which include Sendai and Aomori.