The is a

limited express A limited express is a type of express train or express bus service that stops at fewer locations compared to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common translation of the Japanese ...

train service in Japan operated by the

Hokkaido Railway Company The is one of the constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), and is often referred to by its official abbreviation: . It operates intercity and local rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart ...

(JR Hokkaido), which runs between and . There are two services per day running in both directions, with the journey time taking approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes. Trains operate at a maximum speed of 110 km/h (68 mph). It is named after the

Sea of Okhotsk The Sea of Okhotsk; Historically also known as , or as ; ) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean. It is located between Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, Japan's island of Hokkaido on the sou ...

Stops

Trains stop at the following stations: - - () - () - - - - - - - - - - - - - Stations in brackets () are stations where not all trains stop at. * ''Okhotsk'' no. 2 does not stop at Sunagawa and Bibai.

Rolling stock

''Okhotsk'' services are normally formed of 3-car

KiHa 283 series The is a tilting train, tilting diesel-hydraulic diesel multiple unit, multiple unit (DMU) train type operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) on limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan, since 1997. They were based on the KiHa 281 ...

diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains, with monoclass passenger accommodation.

Formations

KiHa 183 series

''Okhotsk'' services were previously formed of 4-car KiHa 183 series diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains as shown below, with car 1 at the Sapporo and Abashiri end (train reverses at Engaru Station). These trains were replaced by

DMUs from 18 March 2023. All cars were non-smoking.JR Timetable March 2012 issue, p.100/1003

Past

* KiHa 22 DMUs (September 1959 – October 1961) * KiHa 56 DMUs (October 1961 – October 1972) * KiHa 80 DMUs (October 1972 – November 1986) * KiHa 183 series DMUs (until March 2023) File:JNR-Kiha22-69.jpg, Preserved KiHa 22 DMU car, May 2005 File:JNR Kiha80 Okhotsk.jpg, KiHa 80 series DMU on an ''Okhotsk'' service, 1986 File:JNR-Kiha183 Okhotsk.jpg, KiHa 183 series DMU in JNR livery, August 1985 File:JR Hokkaido kiha183-900 Okhotsk.jpg, KiHa 183 series 6-car DMU in revised livery, 1990 File:JR Hokkaido kiha183series kiha183-100 Okhotsk.jpg, KiHa 183 series 6-car DMU in revised livery, 1990 File:JR Hokkaido kiha183series N Okhotsk.jpg, KiHa 183 series 6-car DMU in revised livery, 1990 Kiha183-1500_Okhotsk.jpg, KiHa 183 series 4-car DMU in blue-and-white livery, September 2021

History

The ''Okhotsk'' service was first introduced by

Japanese National Railways The , abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pre ...

from the start of the revised timetable on 22 September 1959, as a semi-express service operating between and , using KiHa 22 2-car DMUs, with five return workings daily. From July 1960, services were extended to Sapporo, and ran coupled with '' Sōya'' semi express services over the

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate, Hokkaido, Hakodate and Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines that is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawa ...

. From the start of the revised timetable in October 1961, services were upgraded to "Express" status, and were operated using KiHa 56 4-car DMU formations, including a KiRo 26 Green (first class) car. From the start of the revised timetable on 2 October 1972, services were upgraded to "

Limited express A limited express is a type of express train or express bus service that stops at fewer locations compared to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common translation of the Japanese ...

" status, and were operated using

KiHa 80 series The was a diesel multiple unit type that operated on express services from 1960 to 2002, under Japan National Railways and later under JR Hokkaido and JR Central. Two variants were initially built: the to replace the then steam-operated '' Ha ...

DMU formations. From the start of the revised timetable in November 1986, the KiHa 80 series rolling stock was replaced with KiHa 183 series 6-car DMUs.

Sleeper service

From 1992, the former express overnight sleeper service was integrated with the ''Okhotsk'' (becoming ''Okhotsk'' 9 & 10), featuring a SuHaNeFu 14-500 series sleeping car sandwiched in the DMU formation. From March 2006, this became a seasonal-only train (''Okhotsk'' 81 & 82), and the overnight service was discontinued entirely from 16 March 2008.Discontinuation of sleeping car service
18 April 2008 (Japanese)

''SL Okhotsk''

JR Hokkaido operates seasonal ''SL Okhotsk'' services formed of 14 series passenger coaches hauled by a JNR Class C11 steam locomotive and assisted by a JNR Class DE15 diesel locomotive.

References

External links

JR Hokkaido ''Okhotsk'' train information
{{Hokkaidō transit Hokkaido Railway Company Named passenger trains of Japan Night trains of Japan Railway services introduced in 1959 1959 establishments in Japan