West Express Ginga

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WEST EXPRESS Ginga
File:JR-WEST 117 series "WEST EXPRESS GINGA" at JR-Sojiji.jpg
The West Express Ginga at JR-Sōjiji Station
Overview
Service typeLimited express
StatusOperational
LocaleJapan
First service11 September 2020
Current operatorJR West
Route
Termini
  • Kyoto (San'in Route, Kinan Route)
  • Osaka (San'yo Route)

Lines used
Technical
Rolling stock117 series
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead

The West Express Ginga, stylized as WEST EXPRESS Ginga (Japanese: ウエストエクスプレス 銀河, romanized: Uesuto Ekusupuresu Ginga), is a limited express train service in Japan operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) since September 2020. It is the second service using the Ginga name, after the now-discontinued Ginga.

Overview

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JR West first discussed visions for a new long-distance train in 2016, after launching the Twilight Express Mizukaze.[1] In 2019 plans for the West Express Ginga, including its name, design, and rolling stock, were officially revealed.[2]

Ginga means galaxy in Japanese. The service is designed to run as a sightseeing train in western Japan (hence West Express).[3] The service includes passengers being treated to local cuisine and sightseeing guides both on the train and at different stations.[4]

Originally meant to start operations in May 2020, the launch of the service was delayed to September 11, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6]

Operation status

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The West Express Ginga is a limited express train service that requires reservations ahead of time. Unlike the original Ginga, it is not strictly a sleeper train, and has both nighttime and daytime routes. It currently runs three different service routes, each at different times of the year:

Stations

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Kinan Route (Kyoto to Shingu)

In 2024, the West Express Ginga ran its Kinan route from 1 July to 25 September.[7] In 2025, the West Express Ginga will run its Kinan route from 25 August to 29 October.[8]

Kinan Route - Night (To Shingu)[8]
Station Line Arrival Departure
Kyoto File:JRW kinki-A.svgJR Kyoto Line — 21:15
Shin-Osaka 22:10 22:13
Osaka 22:17 22:19
Wakayama      Kisei Main Line 23:42 0:40
Kushimoto 6:50 8:00
Kii-Katsuura 9:05 9:10
Shingu 9:37 —
Kinan Route - Day (To Kyoto)[8][note 1]
Station Line Arrival Departure
Shingu      Kisei Main Line — 13:05
Kii-Katsuura 13:25 13:31
Taiji 13:42 13:45
Koza 14:20 14:23
Kushimoto 14:31 15:07
Susami 15:46 16:00
Shirahama 16:23 16:24
Kii-Tanabe 16:35 16:54
Gobō 17:27 17:28
Kainan 18:06 18:23
Wakayama 18:33 18:44
Hineno File:JRW kinki-R.svg Hanwa Line 19:35 (19:28) 19:37 (19:31)
Tennōji 20:03 20:05
Osaka File:JRW kinki-A.svg JR Kyoto Line 20:16 20:17
Shin-Osaka 20:21 20:22
Kyoto 20:53 —

San'in Route (Kyoto to Izumoshi)

In 2024, the West Express Ginga ran its San'in route from 18 March to 26 June.[9]

WEST EXPRESS Ginga (San'in Route)[9][note 2]
Station Line To Kyoto To Izumoshi Arrival Departure
Kyoto File:JRW kinki-A.svg
JR Kyoto Line		 - ● 6:43 / — — / 21:15
Shin-Osaka - ● 6:16 / 22:07 6:17 / 22:17
Osaka File:JRW kinki-A.svg
JR Kobe Line		 ● ● 6:10 / 22:21 6:12 / 22:28
Sannomiya ● ● 5:48 / 22:50 5:49 / 22:51
Kōbe ● ● 5:44 / 22:53 5:45 / 22:55
Nishi-Akashi - ● — / 23:12 — / 23:15
Himeji - ● — / (0:40 / 23:48) — / 0:42
Bitchū-Takahashi File:JRW san-V.svgHakubi Line ● - 21:22 / — 22:00 / —
Shōyama - ● — / 6:02 — / 6:34
Neu ● - 18:33 / — 18:52 / —
Yonago ● ● 17:40 / 7:46 17:42 / (7:56 / 8:18)
Yasugi File:JRW san-D.svg
San'in Main Line		 ● ● 17:08 / (8:04 / 8:26) 17:31 / 8:28
Matsue ● ● 16:34 / 8:46 16:50 / 9:05
Tamatsukuri-Onsen ● ● 16:26 / 9:12 16:27 / 9:13
Shinji ● ● 16:16 / 9:24 16:17 / 9:25
Izumoshi ● ● — / 9:39 15:52 / —

San'yo Route (Kyoto to Shimonoseki)

The West Express Ginga will run its San'yo route between 4 October 2024 to 12 March 2025. Originally run between Osaka and Shimonoseki in its first year, the route will be extended to run from Kyoto to Shimonoseki for 2024.[10] In 2025, the West Express Ginga ran its San'yo route between 2 June and 8 September.[11] It will run its San'yo route again between 3 November and 13 December.[12]

San'yo Route - Night (To Shimonoseki)[12][note 3]
Station Line Arrival Departure
Kyoto File:JRW kinki-A.svg
JR Kyoto Line 		— 21:15
Shin-Osaka 22:07 22:17
Osaka 22:21 22:28
Sannomiya File:JRW kinki-A.svg
JR Kobe Line 		22:50 22:51
Kōbe 22:53 22:55
Nishi-Akashi 23:12 12:15
Himeji 23:48 (00:40) 0:42
Hiroshima File:JRW hiro-R.svg
San'yo Main Line 		6:42 6:51
Miyajimaguchi 7:16 7:18
Iwakuni 7:37 7:42
Yanai 8:13 8:31
Tokuyama 9:03 9:05
Hōfu 9:28 9:30
Shin-Yamaguchi 9:45 9:47
Ube 10:10 10:11
Shin-Shimonoseki 10:41 10:42
Shimonoseki 10:50 —
San'yo Route - Night (To Kyoto)[12][note 3]
Station Line Arrival Departure
Shimonoseki File:JRW hiro-R.svg
San'yo Main Line 		— 19:43
Shin-Shimonoseki 19:51 19:53
Ube 20:25 20:27
Shin-Yamaguchi 20:49 20:51
Hōfu 21:05 21:07
Tokuyama 21:30 21:33
Yanai 22:04 22:16
Iwakuni 22:44 22:55
Hiroshima 23:43 23:48
Kōbe File:JRW kinki-A.svg
JR Kobe Line 		5:44 5:45
Sannomiya 5:48 5:49
Ōsaka File:JRW kinki-A.svg
JR Kyoto Line 		6:10 6:12
Shin-Ōsaka 6:16 6:17
Kyōto 6:43 —

Rolling stock

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The service consists of 6 cars modified from 117 series units that were previously used for the Kansai region's Special Rapid Service. The livery was designed by Yasuyuki Kawanishi, who also designed the Echigo Tokimeki Resort Setsugekka and Hisatsu Orange Railway.[13]

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Weekend times are shown in parentheses.
  2. ^ ● denotes the train stops at the station, while - denotes the train does not stop at station. Trains going to Kyoto or to Izumoshi are separated by a / for Monday or Friday times.
  3. ^ a b () denotes Monday departure times.

References

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