First service 15 July 1972 Former operator(s) JNR | Current operator(s) JR East | |
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The Wakashio (わかしお) is a limited express train service in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It runs from Tokyo to Kazusa-Ichinomiya and Awa-Kamogawa on the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture.
Contents
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.
Tokyo - Kaihimmakuhari - Soga - Toke - Ōami - Mobara - Kazusa-Ichinomiya - Ōhara - Onjuku - Katsuura - Ubara - Kazusa-Okitsu - Awa-Kominato - Awa-Amatsu - Awa-Kamogawa
Shinjuku Wakashio services, operating mainly at weekends only, stop at the following stations between Shinjuku and Soga.
Shinjuku - Akihabara - Kinshichō - Funabashi - Tsudanuma - Chiba - Soga ... Awa-Kamogawa
Rolling stock
Wakashio services are operated using Makuhari-based 9-car 255 series EMU and 5- or 10-car E257-500 series EMU formations. The E257-500 series formations have no Green (first class) cars.
Past
Formations
Trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.
5-car E257 series
Car 1 is non-reserved on some services, and car 3 is reserved on some services.
Past formations
Trains were originally formed of 9-car 183 series EMUs with formed as shown below, including one Green car, as shown below.
9-car 183 series
History
The Wakashio service commenced on 15 July 1972, using 183 series 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 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.