| Azusa | |
| Type: | Limited express |
| Status: | Operational |
| Locale: | Chiba Prefecture / Tokyo / Kanagawa Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture / Nagano Prefecture, Japan |
| First: | (Semi express) (Limited express) |
| Last: | (Super Azusa) |
| Operator: | JR East |
| Formeroperator: | JNR |
| Line Used: | Chūō Main Line, Shinonoi Line, Sōbu Main Line, and Ōito Line |
| Class: | Green + Ordinary |
| Catering: | Trolley service |
| Stock: | E353 series EMUs |
| El: | 1,500 V DC |
| Speed: | 130round=5NaNround=5 |
The is a limited express service operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), which mainly run between and via the Chūō Main Line and Shinonoi Line. The name Azusa is taken from the Azusa River in Matsumoto, Nagano. On the Chūō Main Line, limited express Kaiji also runs between /, and / .
The name Super Azusa (ja|スーパーあずさ|links=no) was used for services operated with tilting rolling stock, namely the E351 series, and the E353 series (prior to 16 March 2019).
As of March 2023, 16 round trips are operated every day. All trains run on the Chūō Main Line and Shinonoi Line, with few of them also running on the Sōbu Main Line and Ōito Line.
| Train number | |||
| Eastbound (Up) | Westbound (Down) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku - Matsumoto | 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 44, 54, 60 | 1, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37, 45, 49, 53, 55 | |
| Tokyo - Shinjuku - Matsumoto | 4, 8, 12, 16 | 41 | |
| Shinjuku - Matsumoto - Minami-Otari | 46 | 5 | |
| Chiba - Shinjuku - Matsumoto | 50 | 3 |
【Chiba - Funabashi - Kinshichō / Tokyo】 - Shinjuku - Tachikawa - Hachiōji - 【Ōtsuki - Enzan - Yamanashishi - Isawa-Onsen】 - Kōfu - (Nirasaki) - Kobuchizawa -【Fujimi】 - Chino - Kami-Suwa - 【Shimo-Suwa】 - Okaya - Shiojiri - Matsumoto - 【Toyoshina - Hotaka - Shinano-Ōmachi - Hakuba - Minami-Otari】
A limited express ticket has to be purchased to board an Azusa train, along with the basic fare ticket. There are two types of such limited express tickets, namely the, and the .
The Reserved Seat Ticket enables a specified seat to be reserved for the holder. The reserved status for the seat is signified by a green overhead lamp on top of the corresponding seat.
The Unreserved Seat Ticket enables the holder to be seated on any unreserved seat. A red overhead lamp signifies that the seat is unreserved; while a yellow overhead lamp signifies that the seat is reserved for the later part of the journey, implying that one has to give up their seat to the passenger who has reserved the seat and change to another vacant seat, when they board the train later.
The was an extra limited express service that was operated in 2017 and 2018, as a part of the to boost tourism to Nagano Prefecture (Shinshū is an old name for the region). The extra train operated on the Chūō Main Line between Shinjuku to Nagiso, via Tatsuno. With consideration that tourists would be staying the night around the area, the inbound train to Shinjuku was operated the day after the outbound train to Nagiso has arrived.
In 2018, the train operated 2 round trips during the campaign duration.
Shinjuku - Tachikawa - Hachiōji - Kōfu - Chino - Kami-Suwa - Okaya - Tatsuno - Shiojiri - Narai - Kiso-Fukushima - Nagiso
From 23 December 2017, new E353 series EMUs were introduced on Super Azusa services.[1] By March 2018, all Super Azusa services were replaced by E353 series trains,[2] and the E257 series trainsets used on Azusa services by 16 March 2019.[3] Following the unification of all Super Azusa and Azusa services into E353 series, the name Super Azusa was abolished.
All Azusa services (E353 series) are formed of nine cars as shown below, numbered 4 to 12, with car 4 at the Shinjuku end.
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuMoHa E353-0 | MoHa E353-1000 | KuMoHa E352-0 | KuHa E353-0 | MoHa E353-500 | MoHa E352-500 | MoHa E353-2000 | SaHa E353-0 | SaRoHa E353-0 | MoHa E353-0 | MoHa E352-0 | KuHa E352-0 | ||
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Green | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | ||
| Facilities | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet |
Azusa services (E257 series) were formed of 2+9-car or 9-car sets as shown below, with car 1 at the southern (Chiba/Tokyo/Shinjuku) end. All cars were no-smoking.[4]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuHa E257 | KuMoHa E257 | KuHa E257 | MoHa E257 | MoHa E256 | MoHa E257 | SaHa E257 | SaRoHa E257 | MoHa E257 | MoHa E256 | KuHa E256 | |||
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Green | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | ||
From March 2018 to March 2019, Super Azusa services were formed of 3+9-car E353 series trainsets as shown below, with car 1 at the southern (Tokyo/Shinjuku) end. All cars were no-smoking. There were days when car 3 operates as a reserved seating car.[4]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuMoHa E353-0 | MoHa E353-1000 | KuMoHa E352-0 | KuHa E353-0 | MoHa E353-500 | MoHa E352-500 | MoHa E353-2000 | SaHa E353-0 | SaRoHa E353-0 | MoHa E353-0 | MoHa E352-0 | KuHa E352-0 | ||
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Green | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | ||
| Facilities | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet |
The Azusa service began on 1 October 1957 as a semi express operating between Shinjuku and Matsumoto. This operated until 24 April 1960 when it was absorbed into Hakuba semi express services.[5]
The Azusa name was revived from 12 December 1966 for use on limited express services operating between Shinjuku and Matsumoto.[5]
The premier Super Azusa service commenced on 3 December 1994 with the delivery of the first new E351 series tilting EMUs.[5]
New E257 series EMUs were introduced on Azusa services from the start of the revised timetable on 1 December 2001.[6]
Smoking was prohibited in all cars from 18 March 2007.
From 16 March 2019 onwards, with the replacement of E257 series trains to E353 series trains on all Azusa services, the name Super Azusa were discontinued and were integrated with Azusa services.[7]