Comfort Japanese trains Bashny.Net

It's about a train Sunrise Izumo / Seto, which connects Tokyo and Shimane Prefecture in western Japan, and Takamatsu on Shikoku Island. In fact, two trains: the composition of the evening goes from Tokyo, is divided into two parts in Okayama in the morning and two arrive in Izumo and Takamatsu. At the same time in the opposite direction of the train and engage in Okayama travel to the capital ...
And he said, I tell you, is very different from our realities Railways!




A distinctive feature of the composition can be called, it is not the cars with a locomotive as we are used to seeing night trains and two electric motor and two trailer cars with five each. However, the old night train with a locomotive, too, is there, but due to the expansion of the network Shinkansen, "traditional" Night Messages "blue train" (as they are called in Japan), is becoming less and less. Direction Izumo / Takamatsu - Tokyo serves not only residents of end stations, but, first of all, is one of the few ways to get from Tokyo to the night of the second largest city in the country - Osaka, so the fall in passenger traffic this train is not threatened.
Single-Room, as the name implies, a single compartment. Besides beds located along the direction of motion it has a wash basin with hot and cold water, a desk, a chair, a mirror, a control unit and a TV. Enough space even for a person with a lot of baggage.



Although the Sunrise Express travels along paths once owned by four companies, the direction is served by JR East. Electric 285-series co-production of Kawasaki, Kinki Nippon Syarё and Syarё specifically "sharpened" under the direction of this and passenger traffic, because nowhere else in Japan is not found. All double-decker cars and windows specially oriented to the path from Izumo to Tokyo to watch the sunset over the rivers and Hino Takahashi, admire the sky over the mountains of the Chugoku and see sunrise over the Pacific Ocean on the way back. Maximum train speed - 130 km / h, faster than almost anywhere else in the Japanese narrow gauge is not accelerated. Links wagons sealed, air vents around the part of not - meant that a faulty air conditioning composition of the line can not produce.

The train three classes: Single "Deluxe" (A1), single and double second class (B1 and B2), as well as local analogue reserved seat called nobinobi. Their location can be seen in the diagram compositions (again, all in Japanese). Two cars in the 14 carriages made up smoking. Train by Japanese standards, is quite old, was built in 1997, so all sorts of newfangled features like wi-fi in the cabin should not wait. There is also a compartment for the disabled, on the wagon 1-2 toilet.

Single-Room, as the name implies, a single compartment. Besides beds located along the direction of motion it has a wash basin with hot and cold water, a desk, a chair, a mirror, a control unit and a TV. Enough space even for a person with a lot of baggage.



All passengers free issue yukata robe and slippers.



On the control unit regulates the air conditioning, the volume of ads stops and lighting in the compartment.



Also, all first class passengers give a nice bag of toiletries: towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, razor, all sorts of shampoos and gels. All this, of course, you can take home with them.





Window first-class compartment 'climbs' to the roof: it is very nice to watch from a starry sky.



Coupe each class occupies its own segment on the floor. From the hallway at high platforms to lead them up and down stairs.



Any passenger may use a shower using the card. Showers - four on the composition. For passengers traveling in first class, this service is free, the rest have to buy a card of about 100 rubles. On the card, you can run hot water for 6 minutes (before the eyes of the counter ticks). If one prefers a cold shower, the shower you can use for free. At the exit you have to press the disinfection and sanitation, which is a 1-minute brushing booth of your presence there. The train from Izumo to Tokyo is 12 hours so that is enough time for it to take a shower before going to sleep, how to sleep, and wash your hair in the morning and have breakfast.



Local economy class is a two-level segments, separated from each other by a small wall near the window. Japanese are accustomed to sleeping on the floor. Curtains can be separated only by the passage, but not on the adjacent segments, although if you sleep with your head to the window, the neighbors can not see.





Single second class - just a bed with a minimum of space for luggage.





And looking coupe.



Each composition Sunrise Izumo and Seto there is one conductor. Tickets are checked after the start of movement, access to a compartment - for four-digit key that sets the passenger. Conductors announce stops (heard from the speakers in the coupe), but spaced teas are not engaged: beverages sold in vending machines, there is also a small lounge bar. Moreover, they are not forced to take the "B" before the arrival of the final.



Toilets are available in Europe,



and in the Japanese style. Management sink and washbasin and there, and there touch.

As is known, the individual branded formulations now we have only to read directions, including Leningrad. Single coupe and a shower in the train Railways is still considered "luxuries", for example, single compartment in "grandekspresse" will cost a minimum of 19,000 rubles, while a single second-class compartment in the Sunrise Izumo stands up to 6000 rubles (with more we must not forget about the fact that the income level in Japan is much higher than the Russian). The demand for low cost transportation in single compartments Railways is not going to meet, although it is due to the fact that the compartment and even the soft coaches have to spend the night with strangers, many passengers prefer to train airplane ticket which is often cheaper coupe

Well, again, I repeat that described in this reportage comfort level - is the level of 17 years ago.