On Mondays and Fridays, the train will operate from Kyoto Station to Shingu Station as an overnight express train, and on Sundays and Wednesdays, it will operate from Shingu Station to Kyoto as a daytime express train until March 6, 2023. This article reports on the test-ride and tour events held prior to the start of this service.
On October 3, JR West started operation of the “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” Kinan Course. This express train is a refurbished version of the 117 Series cars formerly used for the Shin-Kaisoku Express and other services. This is the second year that the Kinan Course, which runs between Kyoto and Shingu Stations, has been introduced.
Car 6 has private rooms named “Premium Rooms,” which are completely private spaces. There are a total of five rooms: four private rooms for multiple passengers and one private room for a single passenger. In addition, the free space “Comet” is located by the crew quarters.
Car 5 (regular reserved seats) has four boxes (16 seats in total) with a total of four “couchette” bunks above and below, as well as two wheelchair-accessible seats. There are also wheelchair-accessible toilets and washbasins.
Car 4 is a free space “Yusei,” an entire car, and the interior is always brightly lit, even during nighttime operation. It is a multipurpose space that anyone can freely use at any time.
Car 3 (regular reserved seats) has 20 reclining seats. The seats are more spaced apart than those on regular express trains, allowing passengers to spend long periods of time in comfort. In addition, there are two “Family Cabin” compartments with large bench seats, and a free space “Meisei” with a quiet and calm atmosphere.
Car 2 (regular reserved seats) is a car for women. In addition to the 14 regular reclining seats, there are a total of four “couchette” bunks in one box, two at the top and two at the bottom. There are a total of three such boxes, with a capacity of 12 passengers. There are also women-only changing rooms and restrooms.
First, let’s start with the construction of each car: Car 1 (reserved seats in Green Car) has eight boxes with two first seats facing each other, for a total of 16 seats. During nighttime operation, the capacity is 8 passengers, and one box (for two seats) is used by one person. During the night, the box can be used as a cot by folding down the movable backrest. A deck is also provided for the exclusive use of Green Car passengers.
Tried the Kinan course.
The “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” Kinan Course consists of six 117 Series trains. Starting this fiscal year, the train configuration will be reversed, with Car No. 6 facing Shingu and Car No. 1 facing Kyoto. As a result, the number of seats from which passengers can enjoy a view of the train windows will increase from 24 to 61 (during night service). In-train services and hospitality have also been renewed for the second year of operation.
This test ride, conducted on September 30, was an overnight train from Kyoto Station to Shingu, departing Kyoto Station at 21:15 and arriving at Shingu Station, the final destination, at 09:37 the next morning. The overnight train journey from Kyoto to Shingu takes about 12 hours and 22 minutes, and travels halfway around the Kii Peninsula on the Tokaido Main Line, Osaka Loop Line, Hanwa Line, and Kisei Main Line.
The author boarded the train from Shin-Osaka. The train arrived at Shin-Osaka at 22:10, stopped for 6 minutes, and departed at 22:16. The train stops at Tennoji Station and Hineno Station on the way to the first hospitality stop, Wakayama Station.
We arrived at Wakayama Station at 23:42. Here, the first treat, Wakayama Chinese noodles from Noodle Shop Hishio, the evening meal, awaits. Upon arrival at Wakayama Station, the tour guide will take you to the store, which is about a 3-minute walk from the station. We then receive our freshly made bowl of noodles in a take-out container.
You can sit on a bench on the platform and eat while watching the galaxy stop. Of course, you can also return to your seat and eat inside the train. Each person can enjoy hot Chinese soba noodles in his or her own way.
Wakayama Chuka Soba has a delicious rich flavor with a tonkotsu (pork bone) soy sauce base. I couldn’t stop eating it after taking a sip, feeling a sense of immorality because of the time it took me. I finished it in no time.
Departure is at exactly 1:00 am. There is a convenience store in front of the station, so beverages and other items can be procured. There are no vending machines on board the “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” and no on-board vending machines are available, so you will need to prepare your own beverages and snacks. It is advisable to procure what you need at this time.
To avoid being late for departure, I boarded the train again, rubbing my full stomach. At 1:00 a.m., the train departed from Wakayama Station on time. The train was about to become sleepy after a full night’s meal. After leaving Wakayama Station, the lights were turned off in all the cars except for the free space “Yusei” in car No. 4, and the atmosphere of a night train became more intense at once. The train departed from Wakayama Station and headed for Shingu on the Kisei Main Line.
As I moved to Car 4 to get a little work done, I noticed that several guests participating in the test ride were also enjoying travel conversation in the free space of Car 4. I could see that this kind of space was indeed a nice way to enjoy the trip at one’s own pace. In the meantime, I began to feel sleepy. I returned to my seat and decided to go to sleep.
I was awakened by the brightness of the train window shortly after 05:30 in the morning. This time I sat in a standard reclining seat, the most comfortable seat in the train, and the angle of the seat was deep enough to allow me to sleep soundly, probably due to the effect of the late-night snack. The next stop was Kushimoto, the southernmost station on Honshu. A second hospitality awaited us here.
At 6:04, the WEST EXPRESS Ginga arrives at Kushimoto Station. The highlight here will be a visit to Hashigake Iwa, one of the Nanki-Kumano Geoparks. Upon arrival at the station, we will board the bus prepared for us from here. The bus will take you to MICHINOEKI KUSHIMOTO HASHIKEIWA, located about 5 minutes drive from Kushimoto Station.
Hashigakeiwa is a national natural monument with an orderly line of oddly shaped rocks of various sizes. It is one of the most spectacular views in Kumano. Here, you can break into small groups and have the Geopark guides explain to you the origin of this spectacular view. We hope you will enjoy the spectacular view of Hashikaiwa, which rises along the coast at sunrise.
After the tour, the bus will take you back to the station. Departure is at exactly 8:00 am. There is still a little time to spare after the tour. There is a convenience store in front of the station, so you can get something to drink.
Departing from Kushimoto Station, you will finally have the breakfast you have been waiting for. The breakfast served is a boxed lunch of tai-meshi (sea bream) named “Kukai: Fisherman’s Breakfast. Kushimoto, the southernmost town in Honshu, has a thriving fishing industry. The tai-meshi, which uses sea bream caught offshore, is superb with its broth. The accompanying dish is a vinegared local shellfish, which also goes well with the tai-meshi. This also goes well with the tai-meshi. We enjoyed a luxurious time in the morning.
Departing from Kushimoto Station, WEST EXPRESS Ginga passes through Koza on the Kisehon Line and Taiji Town, which is said to be the birthplace of Japanese old-style whaling. The windows of the train windows display one magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean after another. The journey finally comes to a close. The train stopped for 5 minutes at Kii-Katsuura Station on the way, and arrived at Shingu Station at 9:37.
The “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” Kinan Course has two patterns: the night train from Kyoto to Shingu and the day train from Shingu to Kyoto. The choice is between enjoying the atmosphere of a night train and enjoying the scenery from the train window in a day train. Of course, a one-way trip is also possible, but we recommend that you take a round-trip trip and enjoy your train trip to the fullest.
© Source travel watch
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