The West Express Ginga, stylized as WEST EXPRESS 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 JR West first discussed visions for a new long-distance train in 2016, after launching the Twilight Express Mizukaze. In 2019 plans for the West Express Ginga, including its name, design, and rolling stock, were officially revealed.
Ginga means galaxy in Japanese. The service is designed to run as a sightseeing train in western Japan (hence West Express). The service includes passengers being treated to local cuisine and sightseeing guides both on the train and at different stations.
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.
Operation status
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: San'in Route from to San'yo Route from to Kinan Route from to
Stations Kinan Route ( to )
In 2024, the West Express Ginga ran its Kinan route from 1 July to 25 September. In 2025, the West Express Ginga will run its Kinan route from 25 August to 29 October.
+Kinan Route - Night (To Shingu)StationLineArrivalDeparture KyotoJR Kyoto Line — 21:15 Shin-Osaka 22:10 22:13 Osaka 22:17 22:19 Wakayama 23:42 0:40 Kushimoto 6:50 8:00 Kii-Katsuura 9:05 9:10 Shingu 9:37 —
+Kinan Route - Day (To Kyoto)StationLineArrivalDeparture Shingu — 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 ( to )
In 2024, the West Express Ginga ran its San'in route from 18 March to 26 June.
+WEST EXPRESS Ginga (San'in Route)StationLineTo KyotoTo IzumoshiArrivalDeparture KyotoJR Kyoto Line - ● 6:43 / — — / 21:15 Shin-Osaka - ● 6:16 / 22:07 6:17 / 22:17 OsakaJR 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-TakahashiHakubi 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) YasugiSan'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 ( to )
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. In 2025, the West Express Ginga ran its San'yo route between 2 June and 8 September. It will run its San'yo route again between 3 November and 13 December.
+San'yo Route - Night (To Shimonoseki)StationLineArrivalDeparture KyotoJR Kyoto Line — 21:15 Shin-Osaka 22:07 22:17 Osaka 22:21 22:28 SannomiyaJR Kobe Line 22:50 22:51 Kōbe 22:53 22:55 Nishi-Akashi 23:12 12:15 Himeji 23:48 (00:40) 0:42 HiroshimaSan'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)StationLineArrivalDeparture ShimonosekiSan'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 KōbeJR Kobe Line 5:44 5:45 Sannomiya 5:48 5:49 ŌsakaJR Kyoto Line 6:10 6:12 Shin-Ōsaka 6:16 6:17 Kyōto 6:43 —
Rolling stock 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.
Gallery
See also JR West Sleeping car Blue Train (Japan)
Notes
References
External links WEST EXPRESS Ginga (Official site)