Airport (train)
Japanese rapid train service
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The Airport (エアポート) is a series of rapid train services operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), which run from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo and Otaru on the Chitose Line and Hakodate Main Line.
- Special Rapid
- Rapid
- Semi-Rapid
14 March 2020 (Special Rapid)
16 March 2024 (Semi-Rapid)
JR HokkaidoA 733-3000 series set on a Special Rapid Airport service in August 2024 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type |
|
| Locale | Hokkaido |
| First service | 1 July 1992 (Rapid) 14 March 2020 (Special Rapid) 16 March 2024 (Semi-Rapid) |
| Current operator | JR Hokkaido |
| Route | |
| Termini | New Chitose Airport Otaru/Sapporo |
| Lines used | Chitose Line, Hakodate Main Line |
| On-board services | |
| Class | Standard class only |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | 721 series and 733 series EMUs |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 20 kV AC overhead |
| Operating speed | 120 km/h (75 mph)[1] |
Operations
As of 16 March 2024, during daytime hours, six Airport services (one Special Rapid, three Rapid and two Semi-Rapid) operate every hour between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo. Of these, one Special Rapid service and one Rapid service per hour operate to and from Otaru Station.[2]
Stations served
Airport services stop at the following stations:[3]
Legend
| ● | All trains stop |
|---|---|
| ▲ | Some trains stop |
| △ | Trains stop only during special events |
| Station | Semi-Rapid | Rapid | Special Rapid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP15 | New Chitose Airport | ● | ● | ● |
| H14 | Minami-Chitose | ● | ● | ● |
| H13 | Chitose | ● | ● | ｜ |
| H12 | Osatsu | ● | ｜ | ｜ |
| H11 | Sapporo Beer Teien | ● | ｜ | ｜ |
| H10 | Eniwa | ● | ● | ｜ |
| H09 | Megumino | ● | ｜ | ｜ |
| H08 | Shimamatsu | ● | ｜ | ｜ |
| H07 | Kita-Hiroshima | ● | ● | △ |
| H05 | Shin-Sapporo | ● | ● | ● |
| H03 | Shiroishi | ｜ | ▲ | ｜ |
| 01 | Sapporo | ● | ● | ● |
| S02 | Sōen | ● | ● | |
| S03 | Kotoni | ● | ● | |
| S07 | Teine | ● | ● | |
| S08 | Inaho | ▲ | ｜ | |
| S09 | Hoshioki | ▲ | ｜ | |
| S10 | Hoshimi | ▲ | ｜ | |
| S11 | Zenibako | ▲ | ｜ | |
| S12 | Asari | ▲ | ｜ | |
| S13 | Otaru-Chikkō | ● | ● | |
| S14 | Minami-Otaru | ● | ● | |
| S15 | Otaru | ● | ● | |
Some Special Rapid trains bound for Sapporo make an extra stop at Kita-Hiroshima Station only when there are night baseball events at Es Con Field Hokkaido.[4]
Rolling stock
Services are formed of 6-car 721 series and 733 series EMUs.[3]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved (u-Seat) | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
Former rolling stock
Prior to the start of the revised timetable on 26 March 2016, services between New Chitose Airport and Asahikawa via Sapporo were operated by five-car 785 series and 789-1000 series trains.[5]
History
The Airport service was first introduced on 1 July 1992 in tandem with the opening of New Chitose Airport as a rapid service between New Chitose Airport and Otaru or Asahikawa via Sapporo. The services that directly operated to Asahikawa were operated as the Lilac limited express service between Sapporo and Asahikawa. The 781 series was initially deployed for services that operated as far as Asahikawa while the other services used the 721 series.[6] On 1 October 2007, the Lilac services merged with the former Super White Arrow services to become Super Kamui services.[7]
On 19 July 2014, the 733-3000 series fleet was introduced on Airport services.[8]
From the start of the revised timetable on 26 March 2016, with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, the remaining Airport services that continued from Sapporo to Asahikawa as the Super Kamui limited express service were discontinued and limited express train sets were no longer used on Airport services.[5][9]
On 14 March 2020, the frequency of Airport trains per hour was increased from four to five. In addition, Special Rapid Airport services were introduced.[10]
From the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2024, all Airport trains that operate as far as Otaru began serving an additional stop at Sōen. In addition, Special Rapid Airport services were extended to Otaru and a new Semi-Rapid Airport service was introduced, operating between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport during daytime hours only. Rapid Airport services were also designated to stop at all stations between Teine and Otaru during daytime hours.[2][3]
Starting from 25 October 2024, new 733-4000 series sets entered service, replacing ageing 721 series sets on Airport services.[11]
