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 the

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

(JR East). It runs from to and on the

Bōsō Peninsula The is a peninsula that encompasses the entirety of Chiba Prefecture on Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. It forms the eastern edge of Tokyo Bay, separating it from the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula covers ...

Chiba Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama ...

Station stops

''Wakashio'' services operate over the Keiyo Line and Sotobo Line, stopping at the following stations. Some services terminate at Kazusa-Ichinomiya, and some services operate as "Local" all-stations services between Katsuura and Awa-Kamogawa. , all trains pass through Ubara and Awa-Amatsu stations.Information about schedule change in March 2017
EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY Chiba branch、2017-12-15 - ※- ※ - - ※ - - - - - - - ※ - -
※:Some trains pass through these stations. ''Shinjuku Wakashio'' services, which operate to/from Shinjuku instead of Tokyo, operate on weekends "when there is heavy use". , trains no longer stop at

Akihabara is a neighborhood in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan, generally considered to be the area surrounding Akihabara Station (nicknamed ''Akihabara Electric Town''). This area is part of the and Kanda-Sakumachō districts of Chiyoda. There is an ...

Tsudanuma is a district of Narashino, Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, consisting of 1-chōme to 7-chōme. The name “Tsudanuma” is also used to refer to the area around Tsudanuma Station ranging over Narashino and Funabashi, Chiba, Funabashi ci ...

. Trains now stop at the following stations: - - - - ... Shinjuku wakashio 2024-12-01

From April 2016 until March 2024, ''Shinjuku Wakashio'' services, operating mainly on weekends, stopped at the following stations between Shinjuku and Soga. - - - - - - ...

Rolling stock

* E257-500 series 5-car EMUs (since 16 October 2004) ''Wakashio'' services are operated using Makuhari-based 5-car E257-500 series

EMU The emu (; ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is a species of flightless bird endemism, endemic to Australia, where it is the Tallest extant birds, tallest native bird. It is the only extant taxon, extant member of the genus ''Dromaius'' and the ...

formations. The E257-500 series formations have no Green (first class) cars.

Past

183 series The was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in 1972 by Japanese National Railways (JNR). Following the privatization of JNR, the 183 series was operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and We ...

9-car EMUs (15 July 1972 – October 2004) * 255 series 9-car EMUs (2 July 1993 – 15 March 2024) File:183 Wakashio 20020503.jpg, A 183 series EMU in May 2002

Formations

Trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.千葉を走る列車＞わかしお：EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY Chiba branch (Japanese)
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5-car E257 series

Past formations

Trains were originally formed of 9-car

and 255 series EMUs and 10-car E257-500 series EMU with formed as shown below, including one Green car, as shown below.

9-car 183 series

* All cars except the Green car were non-reserved for ''Ohayo Wakashio'' and ''Hometown Wakashio'' services.

9-car 255 series

5+5-car E257 series

History

The ''Wakashio'' service commenced on 15 July 1972, using

EMUs. Evening ''Hometown Wakashio'' services for commuters were introduced from 16 March 1991, operating from Tokyo to Kazusa-Ichinomiya. New 255 series EMUs were introduced from 2 July 1993, initially branded as ''View Wakashio''. Morning ''Oyaho Wakashio'' services for commuters were introduced from 3 December 1994, operating from Kazusa-Ichinomiya to Tokyo. New E257-500 series EMUs were introduced from 16 October 2004, displacing the remaining 183 series trainsets. From the start of the revised timetable on 10 December 2005, ''Wakashio'' services were made entirely no-smoking. The opening of the

Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line The , also known as the Trans-Tokyo Bay Expressway, is an expressway that is mainly made up of a bridge–tunnel combination across Tokyo Bay in Japan. It connects the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture with the city of Kisarazu in Chiba P ...

road across the Tokyo Bay in 1997 saw increased competition from long-distance bus services offering cheaper fares, resulting in decreasing ridership figures on the ''Wakashio'' services. From the start of the 15 March 2014 timetable revision, the number of services was reduced from 15 to 13 return workings daily. With the timetable revision on 16 March 2024, the number of Wakashio services is scheduled to reduce again and all remaining regular services will only operate as 5-car formations using E257 series trains. As a result, 9- and 10-car trainsets will cease to run on these services. In addition, services to/from Shinjuku will only operate on selected Saturdays and holidays.

References

External links

JR East 255 series Shiosai/Wakashio/Sazanami

{{JR East trains Named passenger trains of Japan East Japan Railway Company Railway services introduced in 1972 1972 establishments in Japan