Two trains per day operate in each direction, with the journey taking approximately 3 hours 45 minutes.

Trains stop at the following stations: Asahikawa - Wassamu - Shibetsu - Nayoro - Bifuka - Otoineppu - Teshio-Nakagawa - Horonobe - Toyotomi - Minami-Wakkanai - Wakkanai Services are normally formed of 4-car KiHa 261 series DMUs, with Car No.

Up until 2007, an additional "Japanese-style seating car" (お座敷車, Ozashikisha) was attached to the train during busy seasons.

However, the Sarobetsu service had no green cars, in contrast to Sōya, and stopped at these stations: Sapporo - Iwamizawa - Bibai - Sunagawa - Takikawa - Fukagawa - Asahikawa - Wassamu - Shibetsu - Nayoro - Bifuka - Otoineppu - Teshio-Nakagawa - Horonobe - Toyotomi - Minami-Wakkanai - Wakkanai The Sarobetsu service was suspended, as the KiHa 183 series, which was the same type of train used for the service at that time, was involved in a fire on the Hakodate Main Line in July 2013.

[2] The service was supposed to resume the following month, but was delayed due to the accident investigation and resulting preventative measures.