Romancecar

Odakyu Romancecar
Kita-senju
Ōtemachi
Kasumigaseki
 
Shinjuku
Omote-sandō
Seijōgakuen-mae
Shin-Yurigaoka
Machida
Sagami-Ōno
Ebina
Yamato
Hon-Atsugi
Fujisawa
Isehara
Katase-Enoshima
Hadano
Matsuda
Odawara
Suruga-Oyama
Hakone-Yumoto
Gotemba
The first Romancecar, 1957 world-record-holding 3000 series SE

The Romancecar (Japanese: ロマンスカー, Hepburn: Romansukā) is Odakyu Electric Railway's brand name for its limited express services operating between Tokyo and tourist destinations southwest of the city, including the mountain resorts of Hakone and Gotemba (near Mount Fuji), as well as coastal destinations including Odawara and Enoshima. Introduced in 1957 with the 3000 series SE trainset, the service set a world speed record of 145 kilometres per hour (90 mph) for a narrow gauge railway. This achievement was influential to the design and creation of the country's high speed rail network, the Shinkansen.

Name origin

The name comes from romance seats, two-person seats without separating armrests when one-person seats were a norm. Some Romancecars are equipped with standard seats featuring armrests. Other railroad companies also used "romance cars" or "romance seats" (a Japanese portmanteau for "loveseat") for their special accommodation passenger cars, but Odakyu holds the trademark for the term "Romancecar".

Service

Bento meal on board a VSE train

Odakyu currently operates the following Romancecar services. All are classified as tokkyū (limited express) services, requiring a separate limited express supplement ticket in addition to the standard fare and seat reservations. Bento meals are available on board.

Leisure oriented services

Commute oriented services

Trainset evolution

Current

Historic

References

  1. ↑ 50年前の特急ロマンスカーが登場 (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. October 3, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  2. ↑ 「特急ロマンスカー・EXE(30000形)」をリニューアル ~EXEは、「EXEα」へ進化します~ [EXE 30000 series Romancecar to be refurbished—becoming “EXEα”] (PDF) (in Japanese). Odakyu Electric Railway. October 20, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  3. ↑ 小田急電鉄、新型ロマンスカー70000形デビューへ 高さ1mの側面窓や展望室 [Odakyu Electric Railway to debut new 70000 series Romancecar with 1 m high side windows and observation saloon] (in Japanese). Tetsudo Shimbun. October 20, 2016. Archived from the original on October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  4. ↑ "2007 小田急ロマンスカーオールガイド" [2007 Odakyu Romancecar Comprehensive Guide]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol. 36, no. 277. Kōtsū Shimbun. May 2007. pp. 10–13.
  5. ↑ 小田急50000形ロマンスカー「VSE」の定期運用終了 [Regular operation of Odakyu 50000 series “VSE” Romancecars has ended]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). March 12, 2022. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  6. ↑ Miyamoto, Yasuhiro (December 11, 2023). 小田急50000形ロマンスカー「VSE」がラストラン [Odakyu 50000 series “VSE” makes its last run]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.

Further reading