The Cassiopeia was a luxury overnight limited express train service between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Sapporo Station in Hokkaido, operated by JR East from July 1999. With the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, the Cassiopeia completed its final regular journey on 21 March 2016, reaching Ueno Station at 9.25 am. The Cassiopeia has been popular with travelers and train fans, with its suite, dining and lounge cars offering a premium experience.
JR East, however, has announced plans to use The Cassiopeia as a chartered service for packaged tours, running 16 times this June and July. There will be two types of tours available. One will make a round trip starting from Ueno Station, stopping at a few hotels along the way, while touring the Tohoku region and the Hokkaido region. The other will just run between Ueno Station and Sapporo Station, while staying at hotels along the way. Tickets are only available through tour agencies.
