West Express 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:

• San'in Route from Kyoto to Izumoshi
• San'yo Route from Osaka to Shimonoseki
• Kinan Route from Kyoto to Shingu

Stations

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]

More information Station, Line ...

Kinan Route - Night (To Shingu)^[8]

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	—

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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	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	—

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San'in Route (Kyoto to Izumoshi)

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

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WEST EXPRESS Ginga (San'in Route)^{[9][note 2]}

Station	Line	To Kyoto	To Izumoshi	Arrival	Departure
Kyoto	JR Kyoto Line	-	●	6:43 / —	— / 21:15
Shin-Osaka		-	●	6:16 / 22:07	6:17 / 22:17
Osaka	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	Hakubi 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	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 / —

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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]

More information Station, Line ...

San'yo Route - Night (To Shimonoseki)^{[12][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	—

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More information Station, Line ...

San'yo Route - Night (To Kyoto)^{[12][note 3]}

Station	Line	Arrival	Departure
Shimonoseki	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	JR Kobe Line	5:44	5:45
Sannomiya		5:48	5:49
Ōsaka	JR Kyoto Line	6:10	6:12
Shin-Ōsaka		6:16	6:17
Kyōto		6:43	—

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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]

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

• JR West
• Sleeping car
• Blue Train (Japan)