733 series

Variants

• 733-0 series: 3-car sets operated since June 2012
• 733-1000 series: 3-car sets to be operated on Hakodate Liner shinkansen access services from March 2016
• 733-3000 series: 6-car sets operated on Airport rapid services since July 2014
• 733-4000 series: 6-car sets operated on Airport rapid services since October 2024

Design

Similar in appearance to the aluminum-bodied 735 series EMUs built in 2010, the 733 series EMUs have stainless steel bodies with steel driving cab ends. At 2892 mm, the 733 series cars are also wider than the 731 series and 735 series cars, which are 2800 mm wide. Sets B-113 onward, delivered from September 2013, feature full-color LED destination indicators, instead of the three-color indicators used on earlier sets.

Five new six-car sets, classified "733-3000 series", were delivered in 2014 and phased in on Airport rapid services between and from July, operating alongside the existing 721 series EMUs, and allowing the withdrawal of the remaining 711 series EMUs still in service. These sets include a "u Seat" car with unidirectional reclining seating for reserved seat passengers. The new sets feature LED lighting in the passenger areas.

File:733 LED destination indicator Sapporo 20120810.JPG|3-color LED destination indicator showing bilingual display, August 2012 File:733 series B-116 LED destination indicator Sapporo 20131115.JPG|Full-color LED destination indicator on set B-116, November 2013

Operations

The 733 series sets entered service from 1 June 2012 on suburban services in the Sapporo area of Hokkaido, including the newly electrified Sasshō Line. They are capable of running in multiple with 721 series, 731 series, and 735 series EMUs. However, unlike the 731 series, they cannot operate in multiple with the KiHa 201 series DMUs also used on the Sasshō Line.

Formations

, the fleet consists of 21 three-car sets, numbered B-101 to B-121, and seven six-car 733-3000 series sets, numbered B-3101 to B-3107, formed as shown below, with one motored ("M") intermediate car and two non-powered trailer ("T") cars. Car 1 is at the Takikawa/Tomakomai end.

3-car sets (B-101 – B-121)

• Car 1 has a universal access toilet.
• Car 2 is fitted with an N-PS785 single-arm pantograph.

3-car 733-1000 series sets (B-1001 – B-1004)

The fleet of four three-car 733-1000 series sets are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Hakodate end.

• Car 1 has a universal access toilet.
• Car 2 is fitted with a single-arm pantograph.

File:Kuha 733-1002.jpg|KuHa 733-1002 of set B1002 File:Moha 733-1002.jpg|MoHa 733-1002 of set B1002 File:Kuha 733-2002.jpg|KuHa 733-2002 of set B1002

6-car 733-3000 series sets (B-3101/3201 – B-3107/3207)

Seven six-car 733-3000 series sets are formed as shown below with two motored ("M") cars and four non-powered trailer ("T") cars. The sets each consist of two 3-car half sets, numbered "B-310x" and "B-320x", with car 1 at the New Chitose Airport end.

• Car 4 has "u Seat" unidirectional reclining seating.
• Car 1 has a toilet, and car 3 has a universal access toilet.
• Cars 2 and car 5 are each fitted with an N-PS785 single-arm pantograph.

Interior

The 3-car sets have longitudinal bench seating throughout, with a total capacity of 439 (148 seated).

File:JRH-733 inside 20120901.jpg|Interior view, showing priority seats highlighted in orange, September 2012

Bogies

File:N-DT733 bogie 733 Hyogo 20120208.JPG|N-DT733 motor bogie File:N-TR733 bogie 733 Hyogo 20120208.JPG|N-TR733 trailer bogie

History

The first two 3-car sets, B-101 and B-102, were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in February 2012, with two more sets, B-103 and B-104, delivered later the same month. Twelve more sets (36 vehicles) are scheduled to be delivered during fiscal 2014.

The first 733-3000 series six-car sets entered service on 19 July 2014.

The first two 733-1000 series three-car sets, B-1001 and B-1002, were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in October 2015.

The first two 733-4000 series six-car sets, B-4101/4201 and B-4102/4102, were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in May 2024. These sets entered service from 25 October 2024, replacing ageing 721 series EMUs and allowing for additional capacity and frequency on Airport services.

Build details

The official delivery dates for the fleet are as shown below.

References

References

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22. (24 October 2024). "JR北海道733系4000番代B4103+B4203編成、甲種輸送を実施". Neko Publishing.
23. (12 June 2025). "【JR北海道】733系4000番代の甲種輸送を実施". Neko Publishing.
24. (29 August 2025). "733系4000番代が甲種輸送される". Koyusha Co., Ltd..