Sōya (train)

*Sōya*
	KiHa 261 series DMU on a Sōya service, September 2021
Overview
Service type	Limited express
Status	Operational
Locale	Hokkaido
First service	11 March 2000
Current operator	JR Hokkaido
Route
Termini	Sapporo; Wakkanai
Stops	17
Distance travelled	396.2 km (246.2 mi)
Average journey time	5 hours 10 minutes
Service frequency	One return service daily
Lines used	Hakodate Main Line, Sōya Main Line
On-board services
Class	Standard + Green
Disabled access	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	None
Catering facilities	None
Observation facilities	None
Entertainment facilities	None
Other facilities	Toilets
Technical
Rolling stock	KiHa 261 series DMUs
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph)
Track owner	JR Hokkaido

The Sōya (宗谷) is a limited express train service between Sapporo and Wakkanai in Hokkaido, which is operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). It was named Super Sōya (スーパー宗谷) between 2000 and 2017.^[1]

Service pattern

There is only one single daily return working per direction, with an average journey time between Sapporo and Wakkanai lasting approximately 5 hours 10 minutes. Trains operate at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour (75 mph).^[2]

The train operates over the same route as the Sarobetsu, which operates between Asahikawa and Wakkanai.^[3]

Station stops

The service calls at the following stations:

Station List
Line	Station	Note
Hakodate	01 Sapporo
	A13 Iwamizawa
	A16 Bibai	Trains for Sapporo do not stop here
	A20 Sunagawa	Trains for Sapporo do not stop here
	A21 Takikawa
	A24 Fukagawa
	A28 Asahikawa
Soya	W38 Wassamu
	W42 Shibetsu
	W48 Nayoro
	W54 Bifuka
	W61 Otoineppu
	W64 Teshio-Nakagawa
	W72 Horonobe
	W74 Toyotomi
	W79 Minami-Wakkanai
	W80 Wakkanai

Rolling stock

Services are normally formed of 4-car KiHa 261 series DMUs, which were introduced from the start of services on 11 March 2000, with car 1 at the Wakkanai end. Car 1 consists of both ordinary-class seats and the Green Car, while the other cars are ordinary-class cars. All cars are no-smoking.^[4]^[5] These are lengthened to 6 cars during busy seasons.

Future plans

On 19 November 2025, JR Hokkaido announced that all non-reserved seating on Sōya services would be eliminated effective the next timetable revision, making all trains operate solely with reserved seating.^[6]

Car No.	1		2	3	4
Class	Green car	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved	Non-reserved
Facilities			Toilets	Wheelchair-accessible toilet

References

↑ 管理人. "来年3月のダイヤ改正で道内の特急列車からスーパーの名称の取り止めを検討". fortysonseason.blog.fc2.com. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
↑ "平成26年3月ダイヤ改正について" (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). 北海道旅客鉄道. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
↑ JR Timetable, August 2008 issue
↑ Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: JR全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 115. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.
↑ JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
↑ "北海道内の特急から「自由席」消滅へ来年春から全車指定席に "不公平感"解消目指す" ["Unreserved seats" to be eliminated from Hokkaido express trains; all seats to be reserved from next spring, aiming to eliminate "unfairness"]. Traffic News (in Japanese). 19 November 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.

External links

Super Sōya information on JR Hokkaido official website (in Japanese)

[1] 管理人. "来年3月のダイヤ改正で道内の特急列車からスーパーの名称の取り止めを検討". fortysonseason.blog.fc2.com. Retrieved 25 August 2026.

[2] "平成26年3月ダイヤ改正について" (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). 北海道旅客鉄道. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.

[timetable-3] JR Timetable, August 2008 issue

[haraguchi2009-4] Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: JR全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 115. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.

[kotsu2008-5] JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.

[6] "北海道内の特急から「自由席」消滅へ来年春から全車指定席に "不公平感"解消目指す" ["Unreserved seats" to be eliminated from Hokkaido express trains; all seats to be reserved from next spring, aiming to eliminate "unfairness"]. Traffic News (in Japanese). 19 November 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.

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[2]

[3]

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[6]

Transit in Hokkaido
Shinkansen	Hokkaido Shinkansen
JR Hokkaido	Chitose Furano Hakodate Hidaka Kaikyō Muroran Nemuro Rumoi (defunct) Sasshō (Gakuentoshi) Sekihoku Sekishō Senmō Sōya
Sapporo Municipal Subway	Namboku Line Tōzai Line Tōhō Line
Other heavy rail lines	Dōnan Isaribi Railway
Trams and light rail	Hakodate Streetcar Sapporo Streetcar
Terminals	Rail Hakodate Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Sapporo Ōdōri Shin-Sapporo Asahikawa Airports Asahikawa New Chitose Hakodate Kushiro Memanbetsu Monbetsu Nakashibetsu Okadama Okushiri Rishiri Tokachi–Obihiro Wakkanai Ports Hakodate Otaru Tomakomai Kushiro
Public Ferries	Heart Land Ferry Silver Ferry Tsugaru Kaikyō Ferry Seikan Ferry Shin Nihonkai Ferry MOL Ferry Taiheiyō Ferry Haboro-Enkai Ferry
Miscellaneous	Seikan Tunnel Taiheiyō Coal (defunct) Cards Kitaca SAPICA Rail transport in Japan
Japan transit: Tokyo Keihanshin Chūkyō Fukuoka–Kitakyushu Hokkaido Aomori Sendai Akita Niigata Toyama Nagano Hakone–Fuji–Izu Okayama Hiroshima Shikoku Metro systems Shinkansen monorails (list) trams (list) aerial lifts (list)