
JR East to Revise Fares in March 2026 with a 7.8% Increase, Application Approved
JR East (East Japan Railway Company, Japan) will operate the special train ‘Thank You EL’ on November 24.
The consist will feature EF64 and EF81 locomotives operating in a push-pull configuration, coupling the seven ‘Banetsu Monogatari’ cars from both ends. It will make two round trips as a Rapid service between Nagaoka and Niitsu Stations. All seats are reserved; there will be no intermediate stops and no onboard sales. Reserved-seat tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m. one month before the day of operation via EKI-NET, reserved-seat ticket vending machines, and Midori-no-Madoguchi (JR ticket offices).
Original goods will be available from November 1 to coincide with the operation. Items: two-piece acrylic keychain (1,200 yen), clear file (440 yen). Sales locations: NewDays Niigata East Exit, NewDays Mini Niitsu, NewDays Mini Tsubamesanjo, NewDays Mini Nagaoka 2F1, NewDays Mini Echigo-Yuzawa 1, NewDays Mini Naoetsu. Prices include tax.
Timetable
Rapid ‘Thank You EL’ No. 1 Nagaoka (10:55) – Niitsu (11:42) / November 24
Rapid ‘Thank You EL’ No. 3 Nagaoka (13:57) – Niitsu (14:44) / November 24
Rapid ‘Thank You EL’ No. 2 Niitsu (12:20) – Nagaoka (13:05) / November 24
Rapid ‘Thank You EL’ No. 4 Niitsu (15:44) – Nagaoka (16:35) / November 24