When will the schedules for the Seikan tunnel Shinkansens be loaded

[Steve4031]

I understand that this service starts March 26, 2016.  We will be in Japan starting April 17.  I am able to look at schedules on Hyperdia for some of my other tirips in April, but these schedules are not yet available. 

 

Once the information has been loaded for a particlualr route, how likely is the schedule to change?  Do the track numbers listed stay constant?

 

Thank you. 

[Kitayama]

If a track number is likely to be constant or not at a timetable change depends on the layout of the station. At some stations it's very unlikely, at some stations it's quite possible. The same applies for the real track number versus the planned. You can in some cases not be 100% sure that the advertised track will be used. You have to check the monitors and displays.

[katoftw]

The timetable normally comes out 28 days before the full timetable change in March/April.  Each company has when they will change on their websites.

Edited January 22, 2016 by katoftw

[Steve4031]

The timetable normally comes out 28 days before the full timetable change in March/April.  Each company has when they will change on their websites.

Thank you.  Therefore It does not make sense to do to much detailed planning until March when I start seeing the actual schedules for the shinkanse trains operating through the Seikan tunnel.  

[bikkuri bahn]

The preliminary schedules have already been released. Hyperdia is probably the last source to get updated. Scroll down to the bottom of this document:

http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2015/20151211.pdf

 

It's more or less an hourly or two hourly service for Tokyo-Shin Hakodate during the daylight hours.

 

Don't worry about platform numbers. They are consistent unlike the practice in other nations. As others have mentioned, just check the displays at the station for your train number on the day of your departure.

Edited January 22, 2016 by bikkuri bahn

[Steve4031]

Now if I could only read Japones . . .

[Kitayama]

Timetable for Hokkaido Shinkansen. Final version published today.

http://hokkaido-shinkansen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/timetable.pdf

[TestudoToTetsudo]

Will there still be local/conventional trains going through Seikan?  Or will the passenger operation become 100% Shinkansen?

 

If there will still be conventional trains,which ones and where will they run to/from?

 

I have a friend who may want to ride both when in Japan.

[Kitayama]

There will only be Shinkansen and Freight trains through the Seikan tunnel.

[kvp]

This is why i think a train ferry service would be a good idea. Instead of the local trains, non tourist people (aka. locals) would have to start using the local buses and the ferries across the straight.

[Kitayama]

This is why i think a train ferry service would be a good idea. Instead of the local trains, non tourist people (aka. locals) would have to start using the local buses and the ferries across the straight.

There are no local trains through the tunnel. Never been. Only Limited Expresses.

The ticket price from Kikonai to Aomori is currently 4110 yen. With Shinkansen, the price to Shin-Aomori will be 5480 yen.

1370 yen extra for a 110 km-trip. Yes, it's more expensive, but not that much. Japanese people in general can afford Shinkansen.

I don't think the change from the Limited Expresses to Shinkansen will decrease the number of local passengers between Hakodate/Kikonai and Aomori.

 

BTW, What do you mean by local buses? The current trains have two stops on Hokkaido, Kikonai and Hakodate. If you don't want to go by Shinkansen, you can take the local TRAIN from Kikonai to Hakodate. From there you can the ferry. Ca 2500 yen.

No need to use buses.

[kvp]

Limited expresses had more stops and better connections to local trains. Some of these local trains have been discontinued or worse whole lines have been closed. Now you have to take a shinkansen between two larger stations far out from the nearest cities. This means, first you have to take a local train (if there is one) or a local bus to these stations, then take the shinkansen, then take the local train/bus again to your destination. It's much easier and cheaper to take the local bus directly to the ferry, cross the sea and take another bus to your destination.

 

There is at least one whole line and several stations that have been closed on the northern side and at least two stations i know about on the southern side. All of these stations were hubs for the local buses, trains and changing points for the limited expresses. Some of the stations i mentioned were closed when the standard gauge track construction began and aren't in the timetable anymore, but they were reachable with local and limited express trains before. The new transfer stations, like Okutsugaru-Imabetsu is in the middle of nowhere because recent shinkansen lines avoid populated areas. Kikonai is at least near the original changing point but some lines were closed in that area too. Just try to take a train to Esashi and see what i'm saying.

 

Personally i think the most direct and much cheaper route is to use the ferry, which essentially puts the region back into the state it was before the tunnel was built. As always, new shinkansen services are great for the tourists, but are a huge step back for local people who don't live near one of the rare shinkansen stations.

[TestudoToTetsudo]

There will only be Shinkansen and Freight trains through the Seikan tunnel.

Thanks for the info!

[katoftw]

I'm surprised about the little services on offer.  Sometimes up to 2 hours between services.

 

10 services a day between Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate

1 service a day between Shin-Hakodate and Shin-Aomori

1 service a day between Shin-Hakodate and Morioka

1 service a day between Shin-Hakodate and Sendai

(return)

Edited March 27, 2016 by katoftw

[westfalen]

When I started planning my September trip I thought the frequency of service a little sparse for a Shinkansen line too, I was expecting existing services to be extended to Shin-Hakodate.  I guess that's all cash strapped JR Hokkaido can afford.

[railsquid]

Sounds about right, it's not like Hakodate is a major business/tourist destination people are suddenly going to want to visit because Shinkansen.

[bikkuri bahn]

Sounds about right, it's not like Hakodate is a major business/tourist destination people are suddenly going to want to visit because Shinkansen.

Yes, exactly. The target customers are casual tourists rather than business or locals going shopping or to the hospital. Thus you get that frequency.

[katoftw]

Tourists wanna depart Shin-Hakodate at 9:34pm?  But not depart at 11:34am?  Every tourist is different.  Although with the last few services only going as far a Aomori/Morioka/Sendai.  It will be interesting to see how many ride the train at those hours.

 

I just had a look and the weekends have 3 more services.  An extra service around 2pm and more between 7pm and 9pm.

 

I'm surprised they spent so much money on construction not to use it more.  Make sense though with Hokkaido not being a busy place.

 

Kikoni and Okutsugaru-Imabetsu dont get much love either.  Didn't think the later would.  But Kikoni is a surprise.

Edited March 27, 2016 by katoftw