Hakutaka

Hakutaka
W7 series set operating a Hakutaka service near Sakudaira Station, August 2020
Overview
Service typeShinkansen (Limited-stop)
StatusOperational
LocaleHokuriku region, Japan
First service
  • Limited express: 1 October 1965
  • Shinkansen: 14 March 2015
Current operators
Former operatorsJapanese National Railways, Hokuetsu Express
Route
TerminiTokyo
Tsuruga
Distance travelled579.2 km (359.9 mi)
Service frequency15 round trips daily
Train number551–591
Line usedHokuriku Shinkansen
On-board services
ClassesOrdinary, Green, Gran Class
Disabled accessYes, cars 7 and 11
Seating arrangements
  • 2+3 (Ordinary car)
  • 2+2 (Green car)
  • 1+2 (Gran Class)
Technical
Rolling stockE7 and W7 series
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification
Operating speed275 km/h (171 mph)

The Hakutaka (Japanese: はくたか; lit. 'white hawk') is a limited-stop high-speed Shinkansen service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen jointly operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It operates between Tokyo and Tsuruga in Japan. The Shinkansen service was introduced on 14 March 2015, although the name Hakutaka was previously used for a limited express service operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) from 1965 to 1982, and later by JR West and Hokuetsu Express between 1997 and March 2015.

Service outline

The operational schedule for the Hakutaka service currently features 15 continuous regular round trips, numbered 551 to 591, between Tokyo and Tsuruga, as well as between Tokyo and Kanazawa, with more trains terminating at Kanazawa.

Trains operate at a maximum speed of 260 km/h (160 mph).

Hakutaka services stop at the following stations. Not all trains stop at stations marked with an asterisk.

Rolling stock

Hakutaka services are operated using JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series 12-car train sets based at Nagano and Hakusan depots respectively.

Pre-shinkansen

Limited express services from March 1997 until March 2015 were operated with 6- or 9-car (6+3-car) 681 series or 683-8000 series EMU trains owned by JR West or Hokuetsu Express. Green (first class) car accommodation was provided in car 1.

Formations

Hakutaka shinkansen services use 12-car JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series trainsets, formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo (southern) end. Cars 1 to 10 are ordinary-class cars with 2+3 seating, car 11 is a "Green" car with 2+2 seating, and car 12 is a "Gran Class" car with 2+1 seating. All cars are no-smoking.

Car No. 123456789101112
Accommodation Non-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedGreenGran Class
Facilities Toilets Toilets, phone Toilets Wheelchair space, accessible toilet, phone Toilets Wheelchair space, accessible toiletToilets

History

October 1965 – November 1982

The Hakutaka service was first introduced on 1 October 1965 as a limited express service operating between Ueno in Tokyo and Kanazawa via Naoetsu. This was discontinued from 15 November 1982.

March 1997 – March 2015

A Hokuetsu Express 683-8000 series EMU on the last run as limited express Hakutaka service from Kanazawa on 13 March 2015

The Hakutaka name was reinstated from 23 March 1997 for use on new limited express services jointly operated by JR West and Hokuetsu Express connecting Kanazawa with Echigo-Yuzawa on the Joetsu Shinkansen via the newly built Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line, operating at a maximum speed of 160 km/h (100 mph). Services travelling beyond Naoetsu required a switchback. Hakutaka services operated at approximately hourly intervals between Kanazawa and Echigo-Yuzawa, with one return service daily starting and terminating at Fukui. One return working daily operated between Wakura-Onsen and Echigo-Yuzawa. Services stopped at the following stations.

(Fukui) – Kanazawa – Takaoka – Toyama – Uozu – Itoigawa – Naoetsu – Echigo-Yuzawa

The last Hakutaka limited express service ran on 13 March 2015, replaced by new high-speed shinkansen services from the start of the revised timetable introduced the following day.

Shinkansen Hakutaka, (March 2015 – )

From 14 March 2015, the name Hakutaka was transferred to new shinkansen services operating between Tokyo and Kanazawa following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Nagano.

Since the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga on 16 March 2024, Hakutaka service has been extended past Kanazawa and now reaches Tsuruga.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tokyo JR Hokuriku Shinkansen(via Nagano) Hakutaka for Nagano/Kanazawa Timetable | Japan Travel by NAVITIME - Japan Travel Guides, Transit Search and Itinerary Planner". japantravel.navitime.com. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 長野～金沢のあらまし [Outline of Nagano to Kanazawa]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44, no. 371. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. March 2015. pp. 12–14.
  3. ↑ "北陸新幹線 金沢—敦賀間の開業日が2024年3月16日に決定 〜運行計画の概要を発表〜" [Hokuriku Shinkansen Extension to Tsuruga to Open on 16 March 2024]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  4. 1 2 JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. p. 38. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
  5. 1 2 JR Timetable, October 2013 issue, pp. 123–124
  6. ↑ JR Timetable. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. February 2015. EAN 4910053110259.
  7. ↑ 列車名鑑1995 [Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995. p. 128.
  8. ↑ 北陸新幹線開業で２つの特急廃止 [2 limited express services scrapped with opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen]. NHK News (in Japanese). Japan. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.