JR East's New Overnight Express Train Named "Luna Azul"

Tokyo, June 9 (Jiji Press)--East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, on Tuesday unveiled "Luna Azul" as the name of its new overnight limited express train, set to debut in fiscal 2027.

The name, Spanish for "blue moon," was chosen to convey a sense of luxury and an escape from everyday life, the railway operator said.

From spring through autumn, the train will be operated for two round-trip weekly services linking Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Aomori Station in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, via the Joetsu and Uetsu lines.

The journey will take roughly 12 and a half to 15 hours one way and can accommodate up to 125 passengers.

During winter, the service will switch to daytime operations, offering six round trips a week between Shinagawa and Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station in Gunma Prefecture, eastern Japan, with a one-way trip taking about two and a half to three hours and up to 150 passengers to be carried.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]