Tickets for two of Japan's soon to be retired Blue Trains sold out immediately after going on sale Friday morning, Japan Railway officials said.
The Fuji and Hayabusa long-distance express trains are scheduled to make their last runs on March 13. The Hayabusa, which debuted in 1958, connects Tokyo and Kumamoto. The Fuji, which launched in 1964, links Tokyo with Oita.
As part of JR's consolidation of train services in 2005, however, the two express services began using the same cars while traveling through Honshu under the joint name "Fuji/Hayabusa." They go their separate ways in Kyushu.
About 640 tickets sold out in 10 seconds after JR ticket offices started processing orders at 10 a.m., JR officials said. JR accepts reservations for train seats exactly one month before departure.
Long-distance express trains were popular decades ago when air travel was still a luxury. Most people in Tokyo now opt to fly when going to Kyushu.
A JR official said the sellout was ironic.
"If this level of popularity had continued, the express trains wouldn't have been terminated," the official said.
After the Fuji and Hayabusa are put to rest, there will be only four Blue Train services across the country, JR said.
