Moonlight Nagara
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 A 185 series EMU formation on a Moonlight Nagara service, December 2013 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Rapid |
| Status | Seasonal operation |
| Locale | Japan |
| First service | 16 March 1996 |
| Last service | 29 March 2020 (Final operation) |
| Current operator(s) | JR East, JR Central |
| Route | |
| Termini | Tokyo Ōgaki |
| Stops | Shinagawa, Yokohama, Odawara, Numazu, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Nagoya, Gifu |
| Average journey time | 6:40 westbound, 6:16 eastbound |
| Service frequency | Seasonal |
| Line(s) used | Tokaido Main Line |
| On-board services | |
| Catering facilities | None |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | 185 series EMU |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC |
The Moonlight Nagara (ムーンライトながら) was a seasonal rapid overnight train service operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), which ran from Tokyo to Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture via the Tokaido Main Line. From 2009, the service had been offered approximately three weeks per year, corresponding to the spring, summer and year-end holiday seasons.
On 22 January 2021, JR East and JR Central announced the cessation of the Moonlight Nagara service, with no replacements offered at the time, due to increased popularity of highway buses and the ageing of trains operated on the line.[1][2] Since the train service had not operated during the summer and winter of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this announcement caused 29 March 2020 to be the final run of the Nagara. As a result, this day also marked the complete cessation of "Moonlight"-branded services from Japan.
Past rolling stock
From December 2013, Moonlight Nagara services were formed from 185 series electric multiple unit (EMU) 10-car (4+6-car) formations based at Omiya Depot.[3]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved |
- All cars were non-smoking
- Passengers were unable to pass between cars 4 and 5.
- All cars featured reserved seating, meaning a seat reservation ticket (座席指定券) was required to board the train
- 165 series EMUs
- 373 series EMU 9-car formations
- 183/189 series EMUs
Trains normally comprised three three-car 373 series EMUs operated by JR Central and based at Shizuoka Depot.[4] Additional Moonlight Nagara 91 and 92 trains also operated during busy seasons, and these comprised ten-car 183 series EMU sets owned by JR East and based at Tamachi Depot.[4]
165 series, December 2000
373 series, September 2007
183/189 series, January 2007
Station list
| Station | Distance (km) | Time | Location | Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Japanese | Between
stations |
From
Tokyo |
Westbound
(-> Ōgaki)[5] |
Eastbound
(-> Tokyo)[6] |
Ward / City | Prefecture /
Metropolis | |
| Tokyo | 東京 | - | 0.0 | 23:10 Departure | 5:05 Arrival | Chiyoda | Tokyo | |
| Shinagawa | 品川 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 23:17 Arrival
23:18 Departure |
4:57 Arrival
4:58 Departure |
Minato | ||
| Yokohama | 横浜 | 22.0 | 28.8 | 23:35 Arrival
23:36 Departure |
4:40 Arrival
4:41 Departure |
Yokohama | Kanagawa | |
| Odawara | 小田原 | 55.1 | 83.9 | 0:30 Arrival
0:31 Departure |
↑ | Odawara | Westbound: First stop after midnight (12am) | |
| Numazu | 沼津 | 42.3 | 126.2 | 1:07 Arrival
1:08 Departure |
3:05 Arrival
3:19 Departure |
Numazu | Shizuoka | |
| Shizuoka | 静岡 | 54.0 | 180.2 | 1:48 Arrival
1:50 Departure |
1:52 Arrival
1:55 Departure |
Shizuoka | ||
| Hamamatsu | 浜松 | 76.9 | 257.1 | 2:46 Arrival
3:15 Departure |
0:46 Arrival
0:55 Departure |
Hamamatsu | Westbound: 29 minutes stop
Eastbound: 9 minutes stop | |
| Toyohashi | 豊橋 | 36.5 | 293.6 | ↓ | 0:15 Arrival
0:18 Departure |
Toyohashi | Aichi | Eastbound: First stop after midnight (12am) |
| Nagoya | 名古屋 | 72.4 | 366.0 | 5:19 Arrival
5:21 Departure |
23:18 Arrival
23:20 Departure |
Nagoya | ||
| Gifu | 岐阜 | 30.3 | 396.3 | 5:40 Arrival
5:41 Departure |
22:58 Arrival
22:59 Departure |
Gifu | Gifu | |
| Ōgaki | 大垣 | 13.7 | 410.0 | 5:50 Arrival | 22:48 Departure | Ōgaki | ||
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