Akatsuki (train)

Last updated

Akatsuki
Naha akatsuki.jpg
Naha/Akatsuki headed by EF66 electric locomotive (2007)
Overview
Service type Limited express
First service1965
Last service2008
Current operator(s) JR West
Route
Line(s) used Tōkaidō Main Line, Sanyō Main Line, Kagoshima Main Line, Nagasaki Main Line
Akatsuki at Nagasaki Station headed by ED76 electric locomotive (2008) JRkyusyuED76-94.jpg
Akatsuki at Nagasaki Station headed by ED76 electric locomotive (2008)

The Akatsuki (あかつき; Dawn) was an overnight sleeper train service in Japan operated by JR West from Kyoto Station to Nagasaki Station and return. It ran on the Tōkaido, Sanyō, Kagoshima, and Nagasaki main lines.

Contents

From October 2005, the train ran coupled with the Naha sleeper between Kyoto Station and Tosu Station.

Due to falling passenger numbers, both the Naha and Akatsuki services ceased following the March 15, 2008 timetable revision.

Schedule

Timetable of Akatsuki, as of March 2008 before its discontinuation

kmStationTrain #31
for
Nagasaki		Train #32
for
Kyoto
0.0 Kyoto 20:02Dp7:53Ar
39.0 Shin-Osaka 20:28Ar7:24Dp
20:35Dp7:24Ar
42.8 Osaka 20:41Ar7:19Dp
20:47Dp7:17Ar
73.4 Sannomiya 21:10Ar6:53Dp
21:11Dp6:52Ar
130.7 Himeji 21:53Ar6:08Dp
21:55Dp6:06Ar
219.3 Okayama 23:00Ar5:03Dp
23:02Dp5:01Ar
235.2 Kurashiki 23:16Ar4:48Dp
23:16Dp4:47Ar
277.6 Fukuyama 23:49Ar4:16Dp
23:50Dp4:16Ar
297.7 Onomichi 0:07Ar↑
0:07Dp
309.2 Mihara 0:20Ar↑
0:21Dp
535.1 Shin-Yamaguchi ↓0:49Dp
0:48Ar
560.4 Ube ↓0:27Dp
0:27Ar
570.2 Asa ↓0:18Dp
0:17Ar
604.0 Shimonoseki 4:22Ar23:49Dp
4:29Dp23:44Ar
610.3 Moji 4:36Ar23:37Dp
4:42Dp23:31Ar
615.8 Kokura 4:49Ar23:24Dp
4:50Dp23:24Ar
629.7 Kurosaki 5:04Ar23:12Dp
5:04Dp23:12Ar
683.0 Hakata 5:52Ar22:31Dp
5:53Dp22:30Ar
711.6 Tosu 6:17Ar22:07Dp
Train #33Train #34
6:34Dp21:48Ar
736.6 Saga 6:52Ar21:29Dp
6:53Dp21:29Ar
751.2 Hizen-Yamaguchi 7:05Ar21:17Dp
7:05Dp21:17Ar
766.2 Hizen-Kashima 7:17Ar20:05Dp
7:18Dp20:04Ar
812.0 Isahaya 8:12Ar20:11Dp
8:13Dp20:11Ar
836.9 Nagasaki 8:55Ar19:47Dp

Source: [1]

History

Akatsuki, as an overnight limited express service, was introduced on October 1, 1965, by Japanese National Railways. It was operated between Shin-Ōsaka and two destinations in Kyūshū, namely Nishi-Kagoshima (present-day Kagoshima-Chūō) and Nagasaki. It was connected at Shin-Ōsaka with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen.

In the 1960s, the operation of Akatsuki was increased. Its maximum operation was 14 services (7 round-trips) a day in the mid-1970s, and all of them were connected with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen.

At the end of the 1970s, the number of Akatsuki services was reduced due to decreasing ridership.

From November 1986, Akatsuki remains as only two services (one round-trips) a day.

Due to falling passenger numbers, the service was discontinued in March 2008.

Rolling stock

Special "Legato Seat" coach exclusive for Akatsuki Oha14-303.JPG
Special "Legato Seat" coach exclusive for Akatsuki

Historically, Akatsuki used the following types of coaches:

When the train was discontinued, the train consisted of 14/15 series cars.

See also

References

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