West Express Ginga
The West Express Ginga, stylized as WEST EXPRESS Ginga, is a limited express train service in Japan operated by the West Japan Railway Company 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. 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:Stations
Kinan RouteIn 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.
| Station | Line | Arrival | Departure |
| Kyoto | Kyoto Line | — | 21:15 |
| Shin-Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | 22:10 | 22:13 |
| Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | 22:17 | 22:19 |
| Wakayama | 23:42 | 0:40 | |
| Kushimoto | 6:50 | 8:00 | |
| Kii-Katsuura | 9:05 | 9:10 | |
| Shingu | 9:37 | — |
| 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 | Hanwa Line | 19:35 | 19:37 |
| Tennōji | Hanwa Line | 20:03 | 20:05 |
| Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | 20:16 | 20:17 |
| Shin-Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | 20:21 | 20:22 |
| Kyoto | JR Kyoto Line | 20:53 | — |
San'in Route
In 2024, the West Express Ginga ran its San'in route from 18 March to 26 June.
| Station | Line | To Kyoto | To Izumoshi | Arrival | Departure |
| Kyoto | JR Kyoto Line | - | ● | 6:43 / — | — / 21:15 |
| Shin-Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | - | ● | 6:16 / 22:07 | 6:17 / 22:17 |
| Osaka | JR Kobe Line | ● | ● | 6:10 / 22:21 | 6:12 / 22:28 |
| Sannomiya | JR Kobe Line | ● | ● | 5:48 / 22:50 | 5:49 / 22:51 |
| Kōbe | JR Kobe Line | ● | ● | 5:44 / 22:53 | 5:45 / 22:55 |
| Nishi-Akashi | JR Kobe Line | - | ● | — / 23:12 | — / 23:15 |
| Himeji | JR Kobe Line | - | ● | — / | — / 0:42 |
| Bitchū-Takahashi | Hakubi Line | ● | - | 21:22 / — | 22:00 / — |
| Shōyama | Hakubi Line | - | ● | — / 6:02 | — / 6:34 |
| Neu | Hakubi Line | ● | - | 18:33 / — | 18:52 / — |
| Yonago | Hakubi Line | ● | ● | 17:40 / 7:46 | 17:42 / |
| Yasugi | San'in Main Line | ● | ● | 17:08 / | 17:31 / 8:28 |
| Matsue | San'in Main Line | ● | ● | 16:34 / 8:46 | 16:50 / 9:05 |
| Tamatsukuri-Onsen | San'in Main Line | ● | ● | 16:26 / 9:12 | 16:27 / 9:13 |
| Shinji | San'in Main Line | ● | ● | 16:16 / 9:24 | 16:17 / 9:25 |
| Izumoshi | San'in Main Line | ● | ● | — / 9:39 | 15:52 / — |
San'yo Route
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.
| Station | Line | Arrival | Departure | |
| Kyoto | JR Kyoto Line | — | 21:15 | - |
| Shin-Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | 22:07 | 22:17 | - |
| Osaka | JR Kyoto Line | 22:21 | 22:28 | - |
| Sannomiya | JR Kobe Line | 22:50 | 22:51 | - |
| Kōbe | JR Kobe Line | 22:53 | 22:55 | - |
| Nishi-Akashi | JR Kobe Line | 23:12 | 12:15 | - |
| Himeji | JR Kobe Line | 23:48 | 0:42 | - |
| Hiroshima | San'yo Main Line | 6:42 | 6:51 | - |
| Miyajimaguchi | San'yo Main Line | 7:16 | 7:18 | - |
| Iwakuni | San'yo Main Line | 7:37 | 7:42 | - |
| Yanai | San'yo Main Line | 8:13 | 8:31 | - |
| Tokuyama | San'yo Main Line | 9:03 | 9:05 | - |
| Hōfu | San'yo Main Line | 9:28 | 9:30 | - |
| Shin-Yamaguchi | San'yo Main Line | 9:45 | 9:47 | - |
| Ube | San'yo Main Line | 10:10 | 10:11 | - |
| Shin-Shimonoseki | San'yo Main Line | 10:41 | 10:42 | - |
| Shimonoseki | San'yo Main Line | 10:50 | — | - |
| Station | Line | Arrival | Departure | |
| Shimonoseki | San'yo Main Line | — | 19:43 | - |
| Shin-Shimonoseki | San'yo Main Line | 19:51 | 19:53 | - |
| Ube | San'yo Main Line | 20:25 | 20:27 | - |
| Shin-Yamaguchi | San'yo Main Line | 20:49 | 20:51 | - |
| Hōfu | San'yo Main Line | 21:05 | 21:07 | - |
| Tokuyama | San'yo Main Line | 21:30 | 21:33 | - |
| Yanai | San'yo Main Line | 22:04 | 22:16 | - |
| Iwakuni | San'yo Main Line | 22:44 | 22:55 | - |
| Hiroshima | San'yo Main Line | 23:43 | 23:48 | - |
| Kōbe | JR Kobe Line | 5:44 | 5:45 | - |
| Sannomiya | JR Kobe Line | 5:48 | 5:49 | - |
| Ōsaka | JR Kyoto Line | 6:10 | 6:12 | - |
| Shin-Ōsaka | JR Kyoto Line | 6:16 | 6:17 | - |
| Kyōto | JR Kyoto Line | 6:43 | — | - |