JR Hokkaido will add extra cars to some trains on the Hanasaki and Senmo lines, setting reserved seating for the summer season.
On the Hanasaki line, this will be implemented on two round trips between Kushiro and Nemuro stations. The 8:21 AM departure from Kushiro Station, called ‘Earth Explorer Train,’ and the 11:08 AM departure of the rapid ‘Hanasaki’ from Nemuro Station will be operated with a two-car formation of series KiHa 54 and KiHa 40, respectively. The rapid ‘Nosappu’ departing Kushiro Station at 11:15 AM and the ‘Earth Explorer Train’ departing Nemuro Station at 1:34 PM will be operated with a two-car formation of series KiHa 54. Reserved seating will be sold for part of the second car’s seaside seats (either the box seats of the KiHa 40 series or the cross seats of the KiHa 54 series) for the whole section. The implementation period is from August 1 to September 30.
On the Senmo line, this will be implemented on a round trip between Kushiro and Abashiri stations. The target train is the 8:52 AM departure from Kushiro Station, ‘Shiretoko Mashu,’ and the 3:16 PM departure of the normal train from Abashiri Station, operated with a two-car formation of the H100 series. The implementation periods are from July 13 to August 18 and from August 24 to September 29, on weekends and holidays. After August 24, only the box seats of the second car for the segment from Kushiro Station to Kawayu Onsen Station on the ‘Shiretoko Mashu’ departing from Kushiro will be sold as reserved seats.
To use the reserved seats, a seating reservation ticket (840 yen for adults, 420 yen for children) in addition to the passenger ticket is required. Tickets will go on sale from 10 AM one month before the boarding date at all JR station Midori no Madoguchi ticket offices, reserved seat ticket vending machines, major travel agencies, etc. Internet reservations can also be made through ‘Ekinet’.
