The is a Commuter Limited Express train service operated by

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...

(JR West) between and or in Japan since June 2003. It replaced the previous ''Biwako Liner'' services.

Service pattern

, one weekday morning service (''Biwako Express'' 1) runs from to , and two weekday evening services (''Biwako Express'' 2 & 4) run from Osaka to and Maibara respectively, with the journey time from Osaka to Maibara taking approximately 1 hour 25 minutes.

Rolling stock

* 683 series 9-car EMU sets *

KiHa 189 series The is a diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) on ''Hamakaze'' limited express services between and since November 2010 and '' Biwako Express'' services between Osaka and since March 2014. O ...

3-car DMU (since March 2014) Services were initially operated using the nine-car

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or 683 series EMUs used on ''

Thunderbird Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to: * Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture * Ford Thunderbird, a car Birds * Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds ...

'' services. File:683-4000 Thunderbird Yamazaki 20151220.jpg, A 683-4000 series EMU File:JRW series189 Kobe.jpg, A KiHa 189 series DMU

Formations

''Biwako Express'' 1 and 4

''Biwako Express'' 1 and 4 (between Osaka and Maibara) are formed as follows, with car 1 at the Maibara end.

''Biwako Express'' 2

''Biwako Express'' 2 (Osaka to Kusatsu) is formed as follows, with car 1 at the Osaka end. * All cars are standard class and no-smoking. * Trains run as 6-car formations during busy periods.

History

The ''Biwako Express'' service was introduced from 2 June 2003. The service was made entirely no-smoking from 1 June 2009. The service start calling at Minami-Kusatsu Station, all seats become reserved from 13 March 2021.

References

External links

JR West 683 series ''Biwako Express''

JR West KiHa 189 series ''Biwako Express''
{{JR West trains Named passenger trains of Japan West Japan Railway Company Railway services introduced in 2003 2003 establishments in Japan