#4392
781 series
🇯🇵 Japan ·built by Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing· from 1980· Japanese electric multiple unit train type
1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. 781 Lilac Asahikawa 20061103: 出々 吾壱 at Japanese Wikipedia· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The 781 series (781系) was an AC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type formerly operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) on limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan, between 1980 and 2007.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 46 years ago, in 1980.
- 21.3 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 27 years (1980–2007).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1980
- in service from
- 1980
- retired
- 2007
- status
- retired
- number built
- 48
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing
- operators
- Japanese National Railways, Hokkaido Railway Company
- top speed
- 120 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 20 kV AC (50 Hz)
- formation
- 4/6 cars per trainset
- length
- 21.3 m
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q4643634, Wikipedia: 781 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.