The new Mickey Mouse Shinkansen bullet train in Kyushu

Go! Waku Waku Trip with Mickey - Mickey Mouse Shinkansen

Mickey Mouse is popular the world over and JR have taken note with the revealing of a new themed series 800 bullet train service inspired by the Disney mascot. The new Go! Waku Waku Trip with Mickey is a Mickey Mouse Shinkansen bullet train experience which is coming to JR this spring from May 17th and is sure to be a big hit with mouse fans.

As part of Mickey’s 90th-anniversary celebrations, Disney and JR have teamed up to create a specially decorated 6 carriage Shinkansen train which will run on the Island of Kyushu between May and November (although the end date may change). This new service will carry on the tradition of previous JR campaigns featuring beloved animation characters like the Hello Kitty Shinkansen and Pikachu train.

This new seasonal service will be fully available to Japan Rail Pass holders and offers a fantastic way to enjoy the sights of Kyushu in style.

Update:The Mickey Mouse Shinkansen will not be available from November 27, 2019. At the moment, it is unknown if it will run again in 2020.

Exploring Kyushu island with Mickey

To get ready for the summer season in Kyushu in the South of Japan, JR has created this special train service to help families get out and explore the beauty of the island. This service will be available to both regular ticket holders and holders of a Japan Rail Pass.

Kyushu is famous for many different things. Most notably its natural beauty and fruits, with the many watermelons that grow on the island and its tradition of artisanal pottery. A little of that Kyushu character has been captured for this special service.

Mickey Mouse Shinkansen route

The Mickey Shinkansen service launches initially on May 17th 2019 with an invitation-only service, before beginning regular service from May 18th onwards. The service will, however, run the full length of Kyushu island between Hakata station in Fukuoka and Kagoshima, stopping also at Kumamoto, along the Kyushu Shinkansen line.

Despite this campaign being conducted in partnership with the Disney company, the train service will not in fact run as far as Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea. However, it will, of course, be possible to continue onward to these destinations with additional JR services.

Kyushu Shinkansen - Line Information

Train stations served by Mickey Mouse Shinkansen (covered by JR Pass):

  • Hakata (Fukuoka)
  • Chikugo Funagoya
  • Kumamoto
  • Sendai (Kagoshima)
  • Kagoshima-Chuo

Mickey Mouse Shinkansen design

The outside of the train will be depicted with a colorful mural of Mickey excitedly heading out to start his vacation on Kyushu. He is shown fully prepared with a stylish straw hat – similar to those worn by local schoolchildren – to protect him from the summer sun.

Mickey's Shinkansen decoration
Wrapping design of the Mickey’s Shinkansen – Image © Disney

He will also be carrying a loaded suitcase of traditional items from the island, such as watermelons, a bathing bowl, and a local map. The inside of the Shinkansen will also be decked out with themed seat covers and a specially decorated interior.

Seat decoration of the Mickey's Shinkansen
Seat decoration of the Mickey’s Shinkansen – Image © Disney

Mickey Mouse Shinkansen schedule and operation days

The calendar for June has been published. There are two possible schedules depending on whether the day is even or odd. Keep in mind in June, the Mickey Mouse Shinkansen will not operate on the 17th, and on the 18th it will have a special schedule, which you can consult on the JR Kyushu website.

Schedule for odd days of June:

DayTrain numberTrain nameArrival and Departure timeIn-vehicle sales
Odd Days5302ATsubame 302Kumamoto 6:21 to Hakata 7:11
5311ATsubame 311Hakata 7:34 to Kumamoto 8:24
5316ATsubame 316Kumamoto 9:11 to Hakata 10:01
5319ATsubame 319Hakata 10:42 to Kumamoto 11:34✔️
5328ATsubame 328Kumamoto 15:10 to Hakata 15:57✔️
5331ATsubame 31Hakata 16:59 to Kumamoto 17:49✔️
5336ATsubame 336Kumamoto 18:06 to Hakata 18:55✔️
5339ATsubame 339Hakata 19:17 to Kumamoto 20:07
5353ATsubame 353Hakata 23:35 to Chikugo Funagoya 23:59

Schedule for even days of June:

DayTrain numberTrain nameArrival and Departure timeIn-vehicle sales
Even days5300ATsubame 300Chikugo Funagoya 6:00 to Hakata 6:26
5309ATsubame 309Hakata 7:01 to Kumamoto 7:51
5312ATsubame 312Kumamoto 8:10 to Hakata 8:58
5409ASakura 409Hakata 13:18 to Kagoshima-Chuo 14:54✔️
5406ASakura 406Kagoshima-Chuo 15:30 to Hakata 17:07✔️
5333ATsubame 333Hakata 17:32 to Kumamoto 18:21✔️
5342ATsubame 342Kumamoto 19:30 to Hakata 20:18
5345ATsubame 345Hakata 20:36 to Kumamoto 21:24

Disney and Mickey Shinkansen merchandise

In addition to the specially designed trains, the Go! Waku Waku with Trip with Mickey trains will also see the launch of a collection of limited-edition merchandise.

Go! Waku Waku Trip witk Mickey Shinkansen merchandise

These special products will also be decorated with the Mickey mural design seen on the interior and exterior of the train carriages. These will be exclusively available during the duration of the campaign.

This merchandise will include:

  • Notebooks
  • Stationary
  • Pin badges
  • Tote bags
  • Toy Shinkansen
  • Keyrings

The special edition products will be on sale on the bullet trains themselves and also in the stations the service calls at.

For more detailed information you can visit JR Kyushu official site: https://www.jrkyushu-wakuwaku.jp/

For Mickey fans, this summer is the perfect time to visit the Southernmost Island of Japan with a JR Pass. Explore this beautiful corner of the Japanese archipelago with a tour guide like no other.

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