Hakutaka


The Hakutaka is a limited-stop high-speed Shinkansen service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen jointly operated by the East [Japan Railway Company] and the West Japan Railway Company. It operates between and in Japan. The Shinkansen service was introduced on 14 March 2015, although the name Hakutaka was previously used for a limited express service operated by Japanese National Railways from 1965 to 1982, and later by JR West and Hokuetsu Express between 1997 and March 2015.

Service outline

, the Hakutaka service sections are as follows:
  • 5 daily return services between and
  • 9 daily return services between Tokyo and
  • 1 daily return service between and Kanazawa
Trains operate at a maximum speed of.
Hakutaka services stop at the following stations. Not all trains stop at stations marked with an asterisk.
*

Rolling stock

  • E7 series 12-car sets based at Nagano Depot, since 14 March 2015
  • W7 series 12-car sets based at Hakusan Depot, since 14 March 2015
Hakutaka services are operated using JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series 12-car train sets based at Nagano and Hakusan depots respectively.

Pre-shinkansen

Limited express services from March 1997 until March 2015 were operated with 6- or 9-car 681 series or 683-8000 series EMU trains owned by JR West or Hokuetsu Express. Green car accommodation was provided in car 1.

Formations

Hakutaka shinkansen services use 12-car JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series trainsets, formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. Cars 1 to 10 are ordinary-class cars with 2+3 seating, car 11 is a "Green" car with 2+2 seating, and car 12 is a "Gran Class" car with 2+1 seating. All cars are no-smoking.
Car No.123456789101112
AccommodationNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedGreenGran Class
FacilitiesToilets Toilets, phone Toilets Wheelchair space, accessible toilet, phone Toilets Wheelchair space, accessible toiletToilets

History

October 1965 – November 1982

The Hakutaka service was first introduced on 1 October 1965 as a limited express service operating between in Tokyo and via. This was discontinued from 15 November 1982.

March 1997 – March 2015

The Hakutaka name was reinstated from 23 March 1997 for use on new limited express services jointly operated by JR West and Hokuetsu Express connecting Kanazawa with on the Joetsu Shinkansen via the newly built Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line, operating at a maximum speed of. Services travelling beyond Naoetsu required a switchback. Hakutaka services operated at approximately hourly intervals between Kanazawa and Echigo-Yuzawa, with one return service daily starting and terminating at Fukui. One return working daily operated between and Echigo-Yuzawa. Services stopped at the following stations.
– – – – – – –
The last Hakutaka limited express service ran on 13 March 2015, replaced by new high-speed shinkansen services from the start of the revised timetable introduced the following day.

Shinkansen ''Hakutaka'', (March 2015 – )

From 14 March 2015, the name Hakutaka was transferred to new shinkansen services operating between Tokyo and Kanazawa following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Nagano.
Since the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga on 16 March 2024, Hakutaka service has been extended past Kanazawa and now reaches Tsuruga.