JR Central operated a special overnight Shinkansen service called the Lumiere Express from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka on Aug. 8 [1, 2, 3].
The service targets travelers who wish to begin their activities at their destination early in the morning while avoiding the high costs of hotels [1, 2, 3].
The train departed Tokyo Station at 22:00 on Aug. 8 and arrived at Shin-Osaka Station at 06:59 the following morning [2]. During the journey, the train stopped at Gifu-Hashima Station for approximately six hours [2, 4].
Tickets for standard seats were priced at 15,000 yen per adult [2]. Approximately 500 seats were available for sale [1], and the operator said that all seats were sold out within two days of becoming available [1].
Passengers noted the rarity of the experience. "It is quite rare to be able to ride a Shinkansen at night," one passenger said [1].
Another passenger mentioned the difficulty of securing a ticket, noting they entered the booking site immediately upon release. They said they were able to secure a seat quickly, possibly because they booked a women-only carriage [1].
“"It is quite rare to be able to ride a Shinkansen at night,"”
The introduction of the Lumiere Express suggests that JR Central is experimenting with non-traditional scheduling to capture a shifting travel market. By positioning the train as a viable alternative to overnight hotel stays, the company is testing whether the Shinkansen's infrastructure can support a 'sleeper' style leisure model to combat inflation in the hospitality sector.
