| WEST EXPRESS Ginga | |
| Type: | Limited express |
| Status: | Operational |
| Locale: | Japan |
| First: | 11 September 2020 |
| Operator: | JR West |
| Stock: | 117 series |
| El: | 1,500 V DC overhead |
The West Express Ginga, stylized as WEST EXPRESS Ginga (ja|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.
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]
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:
Kinan Route (to)
In 2024, the West Express Ginga ran its Kinan route from 1 July to 25 September.[7]
| +Kinan Route - Night (To Shingu) | Station | Line | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | — | 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) | Station | Line | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 19:35 (19:28) | 19:37 (19:31) | ||
| Tennōji | 20:03 | 20:05 | ||
| Osaka | 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.[8]
| +WEST EXPRESS Ginga (San'in Route) | Station | Line | To Kyoto | To Izumoshi | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | - | ● | — / 21:15 | |||
| Shin-Osaka | - | ● | — / 22:07 | — / 22:17 | ||
| Osaka | ● | ● | 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 | ● | - | 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 | ● | ● | 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 (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.[9]
| +San'yo Route - Night (To Shimonoseki)[10] | Station | Line | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | — | 21:15 | ||
| Shin-Osaka | 22:07 | 22:17 | ||
| Osaka | 22:21 | 22:28 | ||
| Sannomiya | 22:50 | 22:51 | ||
| Kōbe | 22:53 | 22:55 | ||
| Nishi-Akashi | 23:12 | 12:15 | ||
| Himeji | 23:48 (00:40) | 0:42 | ||
| Hiroshima | 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 | — | ||
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]