is the name used by

Kyushu Railway Company The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait ...

(JR Kyushu) for the

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 operating between Hakata and Ōita via

Kokura is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyushu, Japan, guarding the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshu and Kyushu with its suburb Moji. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen lin ...

and

Beppu is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of March 31, 2017, the city had a population of 122,643

along the

Kagoshima Main Line The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it extended 393 km between its two ...

and

Nippō Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, in southern Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). The line connects Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima via the east coast of Kyushu, passing through the pr ...

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...

, Japan. It runs every 30 minutes at a speed of - with a journey time of approximately 2 hours.

Rolling stock

Services are operated by a fleet of eight 7-car 883 series

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 and eleven 6-car 885 series ''White Sonic'' EMUs. * 883 series EMUs (8 x 7-car) - Since 1997 * 885 series EMUs (11 x 6-car) - Since 2001 Most services are operated by renovated Series 883 trains including a panoramic lounge area located in the Green Car (first class). Sonic883 at oita station

History

* 20 April 1995: New 883 series ''Sonic'' EMUs are introduced on ''Nichirin'' limited express services between Hakata and Ōita, and named ''Sonic Nichirin''. * 22 March 1997: ''Nichirin'' and ''Sonic Nichirin'' services are combined to become ''Sonic'' services operated entirely by 883 series EMUs. * 3 March 2001: New 5-car 885 series ''White Sonic'' are introduced on ''Sonic'' services. * 15 March 2003: 885 series ''White Sonic'' sets lengthened from 5 to 6 cars, allowing interchangeability with 885 series ''White Kamome'' sets. * 18 March 2007: All cars become non-smoking. * 19 July 2008: The three 5-car 883 series sets are augmented to 7 cars."中間車両を6両新製し、特急「ソニック」の座席数を増やします", JR Kyushu press release, 24 June 2008, retrieved 26 June 2008

References

* "JR Timetable" March 2008 issue

External links

JR Kyushu website
{{JR Kyushu trains Kyushu Railway Company Named passenger trains of Japan Railway services introduced in 1997 1997 establishments in Japan

Rolling stock

History

See also

References

External links