JR East and Tokyu Corporation have launched the cruise train “THE ROYAL EXPRESS – SHIZUOKA・FUJI CRUISE TRAIN” which tours around Shizuoka Prefecture, starting November 8.
Departing from Yokohama, the three-night, four-day journey covers various locations in Shizuoka Prefecture along the Tokaido Line, including Mishima, Shizuoka, and Hamamatsu, returning to Yokohama. The trip is scheduled for six departures: November 8, 15, 22, 29, and December 6, 13.
On the first day, the train departs from Yokohama, makes a turn at Fujikawa, and heads to Mishima. On the second day, it starts from Numazu and travels to Niihama Town. The third day takes it from Hamamatsu to Shizuoka, and on the fourth day, it returns from Shizuoka to Yokohama.
“THE ROYAL EXPRESS” is a modified Izu Kyuko 2100 series “Alpha Resort 21” train, with interior design by Eiji Mitooka of Don Design Institute. It has previously operated as a cruise train in Hokkaido, Shikoku, and other regions, in addition to the Izu Kyuko Line.
The initiation of this cruise train was prompted by Tokyu Railways’ extension to Shin-Yokohama Station in March 2023, which led to the collaboration with JR Central. The journey from Yokohama to Atami is managed by JR East, while JR Central handles the segment from Atami to Shizuoka to Hamamatsu to Niihama Town. The travel cost starts from 750,000 yen per person, and all trips have already been sold out, with applications reportedly double the available capacity according to both companies.
The inaugural ride on November 8 saw 24 passengers on board. A commemorative ceremony held at Mishima Station the same day was attended by Toshinori Niwa, President of JR Central; Masahiro Horiuchi, President of Tokyu; Kenji Hirata, President of Izu Kyuko; Eiji Mitooka; and Yasutomo Suzuki, Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, who welcomed the train’s arrival.
▲JR Central President Toshinori Niwa
JR Central’s President Niwa stated, “Shizuoka Prefecture is rich in nature, history, and culture, offering delicious food. We have arranged a special timetable unlike any before, so our guests can enjoy its charm while leisurely appreciating the scenery.” As an example, on the first day, there will be a stop of several minutes at Fujikawa Station, providing passengers with time to enjoy the imposing view of Mount Fuji from the platform. Tokyu’s President Horiuchi welcomed this unique schedule, saying, “This is an experience hard to come by on bullet trains, having Fuji Mountain to oneself while on the station platform.”
▲Tokyu President Masahiro Horiuchi
Furthermore, Governor Suzuki of Shizuoka Prefecture commented, “Luxury trains are immensely popular nationwide recently. I had been hoping for such a train to run in our prefecture and am delighted to see it realized. We aim to leverage this cruise train operation to enhance tourism and cultural exchange by utilizing local resources.”
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This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
