The is a

limited express A limited express is a type of express train or express bus service that stops at fewer locations compared to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common translation of the Japanese ...

train service in Japan operated by

Central Japan Railway Company is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu (Nagoya) region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and occasionally as JR Tokai (). The term ''Tōkai'' refers to the southern portion of Central Japan, ...

(JR Central), which runs from

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...

to Shingū and Kii-Katsuura. The service passes through several notable and important locations, situated on the

Kii Peninsula The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan and is located within the Kansai region. It is named after the ancient Kii Province. The peninsula has long been a sacred place in Buddhism, Shinto, and Shugendo, and many people wou ...

, such as . Travelling the entire 246 km (152.9 mi) journey from Nagoya to Kii-Katsuura takes just under four hours, while the 231.1 km (143.6 mi) section from Nagoya to Shingu takes approximately three and a half hours. As the ''Nanki'' is a limited express service, passengers must purchase a limited express ticket on top of the basic fare ticket to use the train.

History

The service was first introduced on 2 October 1972. Until February 18, 1989, the Nanki was operated by KiHa 80 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), until their replacement by KiHa 85 DMUs. ''Nanki'' services were sometimes called ''Wide View Nanki'' because of their large viewing windows that offer uninterrupted views of the track and scenery at the front of the train, as is the case with other JR Central Limited Express services operated with 383 series, 373 series or KiHa 85 series trains. After the introduction of the new HC85 hybrid units, the term ''Wide View'' was removed from all services and the train was simply renamed to ''Nanki''.

Route

The train stops at the following stations: - - - - () - - - - - - - - - Between Yokkaichi and Tsu, the train runs along the private

Ise Railway Ise Line The is a Japanese railway line in Mie Prefecture which runs between Kawarada Station, Yokkaichi, and Tsu Station. It is the only railway line of the third-sector operator , commonly abbreviated to . The company took over the former Japanese ...

. An additional fee of 520 yen is required for

Japan Rail Pass The , also called the JR Pass, is a rail pass sold by the Japan Railways Group exclusively for overseas visitors. It is valid for travel on all major forms of transportation provided by the JR Group in Japan, with a few exceptions. The pass is de ...

holders to ride the train in this section. Suzuka Circuit Inō is only served on the day of the annual

Formula 1 Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

Grand Prix race at

Suzuka Circuit The , the , is a long motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka, Mie, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Honda Mobilityland, a subsidiary of Honda, Honda Motor Co, Ltd. It has a capacity of 155,000. It is most well known by i ...

. From Nagoya to Taki, the train follows the same route and generally the same stopping pattern as the '' Mie'' rapid service. The section of the route between Shingū and Kii-Katsuura is operated by JR West.

Service

There are 4 daily departures in each direction. Of the 4 departures from Nagoya, 3 run the full length to Kii-Katsuura, while the last service of the day terminates at Shingu. 3 services begin at Kii-Katsuura and run to Nagoya. The earliest Nagoya-bound service starts from Shingu. The Nanki is formed of HC85 series diesel-electric multiple units in 2-4 car formations, but sometimes it may operate in 5 or 6 car formations, especially during busy seasons and days of large events, such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which is held at

every October.

Facilities

Only standard class is available on this service. The Green car (first class) was removed from all services on 1 November 2020, due to declining ridership. Seat reservations can be made for an extra fee. There are toilets, including universal access ones. There are also wheelchair spaces. Onboard catering services ceased on 16 March 2013. Complimentary

WiFi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...

is available.

Plans

In September 2020, JR Central announced that as a result of declining ridership in the past 3 years, due to development of the Kisei Highway, changes will be made to the car formations. On 1 November 2020, the number of cars forming regular services was reduced from 4-6 to 2-3, with the Green car (first class) also being removed from all services. The service frequency remains the same. The KiHa 85 DMUs were fully replaced by new HC85 Hybrid units in July 2023.

References

{{japan-rail-transport-stub Named passenger trains of Japan Central Japan Railway Company Railway services introduced in 1972