Blue Train "Fuji" one day revival

[bikkuri bahn]

In connection with the 100th anniversary of the opening of Tokyo Station, JR East is running a one-day only revival run of the Blue Train Fuji, which was at one time the longest distance overnight service in the nation, and which was discontinued in 2009.  The train will run on Dec. 19, from Tokyo Station to Ito Station in Shizuoka Pref., one-way only.  The train will be a 6 car consist.  Tickets will not be available through the usual ticket windows midori no madoguchi, but rather through travel agencies.

 

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20140903-OYT1T50166.html

 

Fuji in happier, JNR days:

 

[cteno4]

That will be a mob scene I bet to snag those tickets!

 

Jeff

[westfalen]

I wouldn't bother trying to get a spot on any station platform between Tokyo and Ito to photograph it either.

[bnicolas1987]

Hi, did someone in Japan took some pictures and movies from this one day revival?

[Mudkip Orange]

It's only running to Ito?

 

That's like running a train from Chicago to Peoria and calling it the Super Chief. 

 

Sacrilege...

[bikkuri bahn]

It's merely symbolic.  As the case with regularly scheduled overnight passenger trains anywhere in the First World with well developed passenger train systems (frequent and high speed services), ride them while you can, they will likely be gone in 10~15 years if not earlier, victims of changing travel habits.

[Guest keio6000]

want to ride an overnight blue train?

 

- fly to krakow, poland.  cheap from most places in europe. enjoy the lovely city.

- buy a ticket on the overnight train to lviv, ukraine   superb, modern sleeper.  cost went up recently, but now is about US $60 equivalent for what in japan costs jpy 40,000+.   experience dynamic gauge change bogies - or rather don't as it happens so smoothly you probably wont even notice.  no visa required for almost all nationalities.

- spend a day hanging around lviv.  all is cheap now in ukraine due to the russian aggression!  lviv is in the far west of ukraine.  all is peaceful and normal - just cheap.  interesting trams in the town and also an interesting mix of trains at the station to see.   it is probably possible to negotiate a cab ride there if you have special "green tickets" in your wallet.

- overnight train to kiev. SV (top class), 1st class, 2nd class, and platzcart sleeping trains available.  also avaialble ukraine's high speed "hyundai" trains. the overnight train is very cheap.

- go to kiev, see the city

 

what you will see:

- interesting trains, great food, beautiful women, cheap prices.  peace.

what you won't see:

- any of the bullshit that russian propaganda has invented as part of its aggression towards ukraine

 

from kiev you can fly back to your home.  no discount airlines except for wizzair. 

 

highly recommended and now's a great time for it! 

 

above: lviv: a proper european city.

Edited December 23, 2014 by keio6000