The only private railway (non-JR) night train in Japan

[bikkuri bahn]

Tobu Railway runs the weekend winter season-only "Snow Pal 25:55" all reserved seat limited express between Asakusa (dep. 23：55) and Aizukogen Ozeguchi Station (arr. 05:33) in Fukushima Pref. for the benefit of skiers. It's a one-way only (down) service.  The return is an ecs move (回送).

 

departing Asakusa:

 

Arriving Kasukabe.  This is one of three intermediate station stops, the others being Kita-Senju and Shin-Koshigaya.

 

The return empty coaching stock move (somewhere in Tochigi?):

 

Tobu website info regarding this train:

http://www.tobu.co.jp/snowpal/

 

*interestingly, tickets/reservations can only be purchased through Tobu Travel Agency offices, by internet, or by phone.  They cannot be purchased at regular train station ticket windows/TVMs.

Edited February 15, 2013 by bikkuri bahn

[Kabutoni]

Interesting!

 

Tobu might be the only firm with a network large enough, with interesting destinations to boost, to run an overnight service. The only company other than Tobu I might think of may be Kintetsu between Nagoya and Osaka (around 180km) to run an overnight express service as the Urban Liner. I guess they did so in the past (I'm not an expert on night trains, especially not in west of Nagoya),  but I guess they can't be bothered on this rather short run.

[Densha]

I only learned of this train type this week, and now a topic is posted about it being used for night services. Interesting indeed.

 

I think the front display says "Snow Pal".

[Sacto1985]

Not riding this train if the seats don't recline substantially so I can get some ZZZ's along the way....

[westfalen]

As the normal run only takes about three hours, with three or four changes of train enroute, the overnight train must run to a much slower schedule or park somewhere for a few hours to let the passengers get some sleep.

[miyakoji]

Here's the timetable from the page that Bikkuri linked:

 

23:55　Asakusa (depart)

0:10 　Kita-Senju (depart)

0:25 　Shin-Koshigaya (depart)

0:40 　Kasukabe (depart)

5:33 　Aizukogen Ozeguchi (arrive)

6:10 　Aizukogen Ozeguchi (depart)

 

Not a great comparison, but this is a rapid for Nikko:

 

6:20 AM Asakusa

6:32 AM Kita-Senju (depart)

6:54 AM Kasukabe (depart)

7:00 AM Tōbu Dōbutsu Kōen (depart)

 

So using the Asakusa to Kasukabe section, the overnight train's stats are:

 

Duration is 45.0 minutes.

Distance is 35.3 kilometres, 21.94 miles.

Average speed is 47.07 km/h, 29.25 mph.

 

And the rapid's are:

 

Duration is 34.0 minutes.

Distance is 35.3 kilometres, 21.94 miles.

Average speed is 62.29 km/h, 38.71 mph.

Edited February 16, 2013 by miyakoji

[Kabutoni]

Well, it's not the speed between Asakusa and Kasukabe that surprises me, but the speed between Kasukabe and Aizukogen Ozeguchi. Normally, it takes in between 2:30 to 3 hours to get there (depending on your train connections, since you need to change at least once), but the Snow Pal seems to take a staggering 5 hours for this stretch.

 

Kasukabe to Aizukogen Ozeguchi is roughly 138km, which rounds up to an average traveling speed of 46km/h to 60km/h on regular trains (including a transfer at Shimoimachi). The Snow Pal does this (without a transfer though) at a boring 27.6km/h...

 

I can't imagine this being a comfortable ride where you can get enough shuteye, but it's probably worth the effort for die-hard skiing fans.

[bikkuri bahn]

Night trains often have their schedules formulated so as to arrive at the destination at a reasonable time in the morning. This may either be achieved by slow running, or extended stops at stations. Nobody wants to arrive at Aizukogen at 3:30am in the winter, I reckon.

[ianlaw]

The trains seems rather empty... is everybody sleeping on the floor?

[westfalen]

Maybe they are using common sense and sleeping at home then leaving early the next morning instead of spending a brief night on a train not designed for sleeping just to get a couple of extra hours on the slopes.

[Densha]

For people having to travel further than the last stop it doesn't make sense to arrive at 3:30am either because there won't be any connection to anywhere, I presume. I would also think there should be a passenger shelter somewhere in the station for the cold.