Exploring new cities is always exciting, but the price of travel and accommodation can put a real damper on things when planning a trip.
But for those keen to visit Japan, the experience just got a whole lot cheaper and easier.
That’s because one bus company is launching the country’s first-ever bunk bed sleeper bus, with fully reclinable seats that allow people to lie flat.
That means, passengers won’t have to book a hotel or Airbnb for their trip, and can instead sleep on the move.
Named ‘Sommeil Profound’, which means deep sleep in French, the bus has been created by tour operator Kochi Ekimae Kanko and will take passengers on a journey through Japan lasting 13 hours.
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The sleeper bus, which the operator has dubbed a ‘mobile capsule hotel’, will run a trial service from March 4 between Tokyo and Kochi – a city on the island of Shikoku.
Inside, there’s room for 24 passengers on 12 bunk beds and the seats can convert from an upright position to a fully horizontal bed.
Tickets will cost 7,300 Japanese Yen (£38.60) during an initial trial period, and if all goes well, when the service launches properly the price of a ticket will rise to 14,000 Yen (£74).
While not exactly a glamorous place to sleep, it’s certainly a cheaper optionthan a hotel, with the average price of a hotel in Tokyo, ranging between £125 – £229 on Booking.com.
But what really makes it budget-friendly is that the price of the ticket also includes travel costs to Kochi, where hotels start from £50 per night.
The service is expected to prove particularly popular with younger people, heading to concerts and other events, allowing travellers to arrive at their destination ‘fully rested’ and return home without needing to book a hotel room.
‘Many people think of overnight buses as cheap but uncomfortable,’ Akitoshi Umebara, the president of Kochi Ekimae Kanko, said. ‘I want to give them the option of lie-flat seats and turn buses into the transportation option of choice.’
While the Sommeil Profond is the newest overnight bus to take to the roads – and is unique in that it offers fully reclining seats – it’s not the only sleeper bus that exists in Japan.
The Willer Express, has been described as an ‘ultra-classy’ and the ‘ultimate comfort’ as the overnight bus allows passengers to travel in their own ‘sleeping pod’. Each pod comes with a reclining seat, personal lighting, and curtains for privacy.
A trip using this transport option, travelling from Osaka/Kyoto to Tokyo costs 9,780 yen which is £52.
But while it might be cheaper than the Sommeil Profond, this is because its seats don’t recline all the way back, so while you can get comfortable, you won’t be able to lie flat.
The same is true for The Kanto Express Dream Sleeper, another long-haul option, with 11-seats.
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The bus travels between Tokyo, Osaka and Nara, and is equipped with completely private rooms with sliding doors, as well as reclining seats with a ‘zero-gravity’ position.
Each cabin on the Kanto Express boasts a personal reading light, USB charging ports, and a storage area. There’s also a powder room on board with bidet toilets. The total cost for the nine-hour journey varies between 18,000 and 20,000 Yen (£95-£105).
And for women, there’s also the Ladies-only Nagoya Cherish bus, which travels from Tokyo to Nagoya. The female-only bus offers four-seat rows, and guaranteed toilet breaks every two to three hours.
Tickets typically cost between 5,000 and 8,000 yen (£26 – £42) and passengers can take advantage of amenities such as blankets, slippers, and a vanity area on-board.
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