Japanese overnight sleeper train service
Akatsuki at Nagasaki Station headed by ED76 electric locomotive
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.
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
km
Station
Train #31 for Nagasaki
Train #32 for Kyoto
0.0
Kyoto
20:02
Dp
7:53
Ar
39.0
Shin-Osaka
20:28
Ar
7:24
Dp
20:35
Dp
7:24
Ar
42.8
Osaka
20:41
Ar
7:19
Dp
20:47
Dp
7:17
Ar
73.4
Sannomiya
21:10
Ar
6:53
Dp
21:11
Dp
6:52
Ar
130.7
Himeji
21:53
Ar
6:08
Dp
21:55
Dp
6:06
Ar
219.3
Okayama
23:00
Ar
5:03
Dp
23:02
Dp
5:01
Ar
235.2
Kurashiki
23:16
Ar
4:48
Dp
23:16
Dp
4:47
Ar
277.6
Fukuyama
23:49
Ar
4:16
Dp
23:50
Dp
4:16
Ar
297.7
Onomichi
0:07
Ar
↑
0:07
Dp
309.2
Mihara
0:20
Ar
↑
0:21
Dp
535.1
Shin-Yamaguchi
↓
0:49
Dp
0:48
Ar
560.4
Ube
↓
0:27
Dp
0:27
Ar
570.2
Asa
↓
0:18
Dp
0:17
Ar
604.0
Shimonoseki
4:22
Ar
23:49
Dp
4:29
Dp
23:44
Ar
610.3
Moji
4:36
Ar
23:37
Dp
4:42
Dp
23:31
Ar
615.8
Kokura
4:49
Ar
23:24
Dp
4:50
Dp
23:24
Ar
629.7
Kurosaki
5:04
Ar
23:12
Dp
5:04
Dp
23:12
Ar
683.0
Hakata
5:52
Ar
22:31
Dp
5:53
Dp
22:30
Ar
711.6
Tosu
6:17
Ar
22:07
Dp
Train #33
Train #34
6:34
Dp
21:48
Ar
736.6
Saga
6:52
Ar
21:29
Dp
6:53
Dp
21:29
Ar
751.2
Hizen-Yamaguchi
7:05
Ar
21:17
Dp
7:05
Dp
21:17
Ar
766.2
Hizen-Kashima
7:17
Ar
20:05
Dp
7:18
Dp
20:04
Ar
812.0
Isahaya
8:12
Ar
20:11
Dp
8:13
Dp
20:11
Ar
836.9
Nagasaki
8:55
Ar
19:47
Dp
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
Historically, Akatsuki used the following types of coaches:
20 series passenger cars
14/15 series passenger cars
24/25 series passenger cars
When the train was discontinued, the train consisted of 14/15 series cars.
See also
References