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West Express Ginga

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WEST EXPRESS Ginga
The West Express Ginga at JR-Sōjiji Station
Overview
Service typeLimited express
StatusOperational
LocaleJapan
First service11 September 2020
Current operator(s)JR West
Route
Termini
  • Kyoto (San'in Route, Kinan Route)
  • Osaka (San'yo Route)

Line(s) 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 (ウエストエクスプレス 銀河, 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]

Kinan Route - Night (To Shingu)[7]
Station Line Arrival Departure
Kyoto JR 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)[7][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 Hanwa Line 19:35 (19:28) 19:37 (19:31)
Tennōji 20:03 20:05
Osaka 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.[8]

WEST EXPRESS Ginga (San'in Route)[8][note 2]
Station Line To Kyoto To Izumoshi Arrival Departure
Kyoto
JR Kyoto Line		 - ● — / 21:15
Shin-Osaka - ● — / 22:07 — / 22:17
Osaka
JR Kobe Line		 ● ● 6:12 / 22:21 — / 22:28
Sannomiya ● ● 5:50 / 22:50 5:51 / 22:51
Kōbe ● ● 5:46 / 22:53 5:47 / 22:55
Nishi-Akashi - ● — / 23:12 — / 23:15
Himeji - ● — / (0:40 / 23:48) — / 0:42
Bitchū-Takahashi Hakubi Line ● - 21:25 / — 22:00 / —
Shōyama - ● — / 6:02 — / 6:34
Neu ● - 18:25 / — 18:58 / —
Yonago ● ● 17:38 / 7:46 17:48 / (7:56 / 8:18)
Yasugi
San'in Main Line		 ● ● 17:27 / (8:04 / 8:26) 17:29 / 8:28
Matsue ● ● 16:37 / 8:45 17:05 / 8:48
Tamatsukuri-Onsen ● ● 16:27 / 9:01 16:30 / 9:02
Shinji ● ● 16:15 / 9:15 16:16 / 9:17
Izumoshi ● ● — / 9:31 16:00 / —

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.[9]

San'yo Route - Night (To Shimonoseki)[10][note 3]
Station Line Arrival Departure
Kyoto
JR Kyoto Line 		— 21:15
Shin-Osaka 22:07 22:17
Osaka 22:21 22:28
Sannomiya
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
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 —

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.[11]

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  • Car 1 (KuHa116-7016)
    Car 1 (KuHa116-7016)
  • Car 2 (MoHa116-7036)
    Car 2 (MoHa116-7036)
  • Car 3 (MoHa117-7036)
    Car 3 (MoHa117-7036)
  • Car 4 (MoHa116-7032)
    Car 4 (MoHa116-7032)
  • Car 5 (MoHa117-7032)
    Car 5 (MoHa117-7032)
  • Car 6 (KuHa117-7016)
    Car 6 (KuHa117-7016)
  • Logo of the WEST EXPRESS Ginga painted on the sides of Cars 1, 4, and 6
    Logo of the WEST EXPRESS Ginga painted on the sides of Cars 1, 4, and 6

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. ^ () denotes Monday departure times.

References

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  1. ^ 恵, 知仁 (November 29, 2016). "JR西日本、新たな長距離列車の運行を検討 「鉄道の旅を気軽に楽しめるものを」". Traffic News. Archived from the original on 2022-04-04. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  2. ^ "WEST EXPRESS 銀河" (PDF). JR West. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  3. ^ Tsurita, Yuki (March 21, 2019). "Photo Journal: Galactic express". The Mainichi. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  4. ^ Naoi, Masao (September 23, 2022). "Sightseeing train 'Ginga' will be full steam ahead again in October". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  5. ^ Shibasaki, Tatsuya (September 12, 2020). "JR West's new sightseeing train debuts after months-long delay due to coronavirus". The Mainichi. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  6. ^ Oya, Hideyuki (September 7, 2020). "Delayed by virus, sightseeing train to make 1st run in Sanin region". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "「WEST EXPRESS 銀河」紀南コース4年目運行" (PDF). JR West. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b "「WEST EXPRESS 銀河」2024 年山陰コース 運行概要・おもてなしの詳細について" (PDF). 西日本旅客鐵道 (in Japanese).
  9. ^ "運行情報(10-3月：山陽)". Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  10. ^ "2024 年度「WEST EXPRESS 銀河」山陽コース 運行概要・おもてなしについて" (PDF). JR West. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-09-05. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  11. ^ 福岡, 誠 (January 25, 2020). "「ウエストエクスプレス銀河」お披露目 まるで寝台列車のような車内". Tetsudo Shimbun. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
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