Service type Shinkansen Locale Hokuriku region, Japan Former operator(s) JNR | Status Operational Current operator(s) JR West | |
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First service 1 October 1961 (Limited express)
14 March 2015 (Shinkansen) | ||
The Tsurugi (つるぎ) is a high-speed shinkansen train service operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Toyama and Kanazawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line in Japan. The shinkansen service was introduced on 14 March 2015, but the name was first used for a limited express overnight "Blue Train" sleeping car train service operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by JR West from 1961 until 1994. It was named after Mount Tsurugi.
Contents
Service outline
As of 15 March 2015, 18 return Tsurugi services operate daily as a shuttle between Toyama and Kanazawa, calling at Shin-Takaoka en route, typically taking 23 minutes. Trains operate at a maximum speed of 260 km/h (160 mph).
Rolling stock
Tsurugi services are operated using JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series 12-car train sets based at Nagano and Hakusan depots respectively.
Formations
Tsurugi shinkansen services use 12-car JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series trainsets, formed as follows, with car 1 at the Toyama (eastern) end. Cars 1 to 7 are ordinary-class cars with 2+3 seating, car 11 is a "Green" car with 2+2 seating, and cars 8 to 10 and 12 are not available for passenger use. All cars are no-smoking.
Sleeping car Tsurugi
The Tsurugi service was first introduced on 1 October 1961 as a limited express service operating between Kanazawa and Nagaoka. Regular Tsurugi services were discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 4 December 1994.
Shinkansen Tsurugi
From 14 March 2015, the name Tsurugi was reinstated for use on all-stations shuttle services operating between Toyama and Kanazawa following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Nagano.