Kochi: Night Bus with Lie-Flat Seats to Be Introduced on Trial Basis for Service between Kochi, Tokyo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:30 JST, February 15, 2025

KOCHI — Lie-flat seats, which allow passengers to lie completely flat, will be introduced on a night bus that will shuttle between Kochi and Tokyo on a trial basis starting in March.

The introduction of a bus with lie-flat seats will be the first in the nation.

When the back of the seat is folded down, it becomes 48 centimeters wide and 1.8 meters long. The two front and rear seats can be combined to form a bunk bed.

A set of 12 seats can be installed in a large bus, for a total of 24 passengers. To prevent passengers from falling out, the seats are equipped with two-point seat belts that comply with the guidelines of the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.

Kochi Ekimae Kanko, a company that operates night buses between Kochi and Tokyo, has developed this new type of bus with lie-flat seats in collaboration with a local machinery manufacturer and a design company to meet the wishes of customers who want to sleep with their legs stretched out.

The company plans to start a trial service with one round trip per week in March, aiming to start full-scale operations later this year after taking into account passenger feedback.

The fare for the 13-hour bus ride between Tokyo and Kochi is about ¥14,000 one way, which is somewhat more expensive than usual.

“We want to provide passengers with a new option when hotel prices are rising,” the company’s official said.