The is a

limited express A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common ...

train service operated by

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

(JR Hokkaido) between and in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

via the

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km loop line from Ōnuma to Mo ...

since 4 March 2017. The ''Lilac'' train service name was also formerly used for express and limited express services operated 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 pref ...

(JNR) and later by JR Hokkaido between 1963 and 2007.

Stations

Rolling stock

Services are normally formed of six-car

789 series __NOTOC__ Year 789 ( DCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 789 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar ...

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a numbe ...

(EMU) trains. All cars are no-smoking. Up until 2007, ''Lilac'' services were normally formed of 4-car

781 series The was an AC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type formerly operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) on limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan, between 1980 and 2007. Operations * ...

EMUs based at Sapporo. All cars were non-reserved except for car 4.

History

1963-1968

The ''Lilac'' was first introduced on 1 June 1963 as an express service operating between and via . This service was discontinued from 1 October 1968 when it was merged with the ''Niseko'' express.

1980-2007

The ''Lilac'' name was revived from 1 October 1980 as a limited express service operating between and via , replacing previous '' Ishikari'' (Sapporo – Asahikawa) limited express and ''Chitose'' (Chitose and Muroran Main Line) express services. From 1 July 1992, with the opening of , ''Lilac'' services were changed to operate between New Chitose Airport and Asahikawa via Sapporo, where trains reversed. Between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, trains operated as the ''Airport'' rapid service. At the same time, the services to Mururan were split off to become the ''

Suzuran is a limited express train service operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) between and in Hokkaido, Japan. The current limited express service was introduced in July 1992, but the name was first used from 1956 for an express servi ...

'' limited express. The ''Lilac'' services supplemented the '' Super White Arrow'' services between Sapporo and Asahikawa, which stopped at fewer stations. The ''Lilac'' services operated hourly, departing from Sapporo and Asahikawa at 30 minutes past the hour, taking 1 hour 30 minutes. Trains were repainted from the original JNR livery into a new livery based on that of the ''

Super Tokachi The is a limited express train service between and via the Hakodate and Nemuro Main Lines in Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). As of November 2013, there are five trains per day running in both directions, wi ...

'' between February 1992 and March 1993. Improved "u-Seat" reserved seating accommodation (rows 1 to 7) was added to half of car 4 between March and June 2001. ''Lilac'' services were discontinued from the start of the 1 October 2007 timetable revision, when they were merged and replaced together with the former '' Super White Arrow'' services to become Super Kamui services, and the 781 series EMUs were retired. File:781 Lilac.jpg, 781 series EMU in original JNR livery, 1986 File:781 Lilac Asahikawa 20061103.jpg, 781 series on a ''Lilac'' service at Asahikawa Station, showing the modified livery applied to the "u-Seat" car, November 2006

2017-

From the start of the revised timetable on 4 March 2017, ''Lilac'' limited express services were reintroduced between and using six-car 789-0 series EMUs previously used on '' Super Hakucho'' services until March 2016. These services complement the '' Kamui'' services using five-car 789-1000 series EMUs.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lilac (Train) Named passenger trains of Japan Hokkaido Railway Company Railway services introduced in 1963 Railway services introduced in 1980 Railway services introduced in 2017 ja:ライラック (列車)