japan Introduces Overnight Bus Service with Lie-Flat Seats
TOKYO – Japan has launched its first overnight bus service featuring lie-flat seats, offering a more agreeable travel option for long-distance journeys. the service,which began December 6th,connects western Japan with Tokyo,aiming to redefine bus travel as a “new form of mobility.”
Kochi Ekimae Kanko,a bus operator based in Kochi Prefecture,initiated the service to address passenger complaints regarding the physical strain of traditional overnight bus rides. The buses are equipped with seats that convert into two tiers of beds. Currently, the service operates weekly, departing from Kochi on Saturday nights and Tokyo on Sunday nights, with a stop in Naruto, tokushima Prefecture.
Service frequency will increase to three to four buses per week in each direction starting in January. One-way fares vary based on availability, with lower bed seats priced around 10,000 yen (approximately S$83) and upper bed seats costing 12,000 yen or more.
Each lie-flat bed measures approximately 180cm in length and 50cm in width and includes amenities such as smartphone chargers, privacy curtains, and safety rails. The company has been refining the service since March, incorporating passenger feedback and installing features like the charging ports.
Kochi Ekimae Kanko also plans to begin selling the lie-flat bed seating systems to other bus operators next spring, potentially enabling wider adoption of this enhanced travel experience across Japan.
