Luxury Sleeper Train Cassiopeia to Be Retired in June; Iconic Train Served for 25 Years

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:26 JST, March 29, 2025

The luxury sleeper train Cassiopeia, which once connected Tokyo’s Ueno Station with Hokkado’s Sapporo Station, is set to make its final run this June before being fully retired, according to sources at East Japan Railway Co.

Although Cassiopeia ended its regular service nine years ago, it continued to operate as a special tour train. However, due to the aging of its cars, its long journey is coming to an end.

Cassiopeia began operation in July 1999. With the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, the voltage in the Seikan Tunnel connecting Hokkaido to Honshu was switched to accommodate high-speed trains, leading to the end of Cassiopeia’s regular service in March 2016.

Since then, the train has continued to run across eastern Japan, taking people on tours sold by travel agencies. There is only one Cassiopeia trainset in existence, and its distinctive design — featuring a silver metallic body adorned with five stripes — has remained extremely popular over the years.

More than 25 years have passed since the train began service, and the cars have aged significantly, according to the sources. In addition, there are now fewer locomotives capable of pulling the train. As a result, the tour scheduled for June, which includes overnight accommodations, will serve as Cassiopeia’s final run.