Several railway companies in Japan decorated their trainsets with the OSAKA KANSAI WORLD EXPO 2025 theme liveries

UPDATE 24 AUG 25: The Osaka Kansai World Expo had started on 13th April and it's ticket sales exceeded the breaking even point with 18.09 million on 11th Aug tickets despite sluggish ticket sales before the opening and during the first few weeks. Source from the Japan Times and NHK. Also, beforehand, on 14th July, an air show was held as the Exposition hit its 10 millionth visitor mark.

Time flies, as the year 2024 will come to an end in less than 2 weeks time. As 2025 is nearing, I would like to share something important about an event that will in Japan, which is the World Expo. The World Expo will be hosted in Osaka on a new reclaimed island called Yumeshima, with pavilions showcasing exhibitions from 60+ different countries, as well as some major Japanese companies like Bandai and Mitsubishi. The theme of the Expo 2025 will be "Designing Future Society for Our Lives" 

As part of the celebrations that Osaka Japan get to host the World Expo for the third time, the first being Expo 1970, several railway companies are preparing for the event by decorating some of their trains with the EXPO 2025 wrapping to promote the event and build excitement and awareness among its population. The Expo 2025 will take place for 6 months from opening on 13 April 2025 to closing on 13 October 2025. 

The logo for the 2025 World Expo, with the mascot “Myaku-Myaku”

The following companies are:

Nankai Railway - A set of 6-car Rapi:t limited express train will be wrapped in the Expo 2025 themed livery with an operation period of 13 Apr 2024 to 13 Oct 2025. The Rapi:t limited express train is a train service that plies between Central Osaka's Nankai Namba Station with Kansai Airport.

Keihan Railway - A Limited Express 8000-series train and a Rapid Express 3000-series train will be wrapped with the 2025 Expo theme, with design posters of the Expo being displayed in the advertising spaces inside the trains. 

JR West (Shinkansen) - Since November last year, 3 trains on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Tokaido-Sanyo and Sanyo-Kyushu Shinkansen will be adorned with the Expo 2025 logo, one trainset from each line. For the Hokuriku Shinkansen, a 12-car set W7 series will be used. Meanwhile, on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen, a set of N700S series will be wrapped and on the Sanyo-Kyushu Shinkansen, a light blue N700 Series trainset will be wrapped.

JR West (Conventional Line) - Since November last year, a set of 8-car 323 Series train will be decorated with the Expo theme. It will serve the Osaka Loop Line and the Yumesaki Line.

Meanwhile, from 15 March next year onwards, a special train named "Expo Liner" or "JR West Parade Train" will serve as a direct local train between the Shin-Osaka and Sakurajima Station, with stops at Osaka Station and Universal City along the way. There will be 14 trains to Sakurajima and 12 trains to Shin-Osaka. From Sakurajima Station, there will be a direct shuttle bus service to the Expo Site. This train will feature LED panels and AR effects to stimulate an open-air parade for commuters.

JR West Unveils Parade Train Ahead of Expo 2025 in Osaka

In a bid to enhance the travel experience for visitors heading to Expo 2025 in Osaka, West Japan Railway Company (JR West) has announced the launch of a new immersive train experience, the “JR WEST Parade Train.” Scheduled… pic.twitter.com/z1tO62uoTK

— Japan Station (@JPNStation) November 27, 2024

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Exterior

Interior

Osaka Monorail - Wrapped since 2022, it was the first train to be wrapped in the Expo 2025 theme nationwide.

Starting today, the Osaka Monorail operates the "EXPO TRAIN 2025 Osaka Monorail", the first train in Japan to be wrapped in the original design of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan🚝.
The train will run for about 3 years until October 13, 2025, when the Expo comes to a close. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/SzO90zicjc

— Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai (@expo2025japan) November 7, 2022

Kintetsu Railway - From November 30, 2023 onwards, a 6-car series 9820 and a 6-car Series 5820 was wrapped in the original Expo 2025 theme. The routes of these wrapped trains are Kintetsu-Nara to Kobe-Sannomiya, as well as Osaka-Uehommachi to Ise-Nakagawa.

Hankyu Railway and Hanshin Railway - From Thursday, November 30, 2023 onwards, three trains was wrapped in the Expo 2025 livery. On the Hankyu Railway, a set of 8-car 1000-series on the Kobe and Takarazuka Lines, as well as a set of 8-car 1300-series on the Kyoto Line, will be wrapped. Similarly, on the Hanshin Railway, a set of the orange and gray 6-car 1000 series will be wrapped.

Top: Hankyu Railway, Bottom: Hanshin Railway

JR East - A set of the Yamanote Line E235 Series, fully adorned with the "Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan" advertising, operated from 16th Oct to 31st October. Also, a set of the E5 Series Shinkansen will be decorated with the "Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan" advertising. It had started operated from 16 October this year and will operate on the Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen until early October next year.

Tokyu Railway - A 8-car 5050 Series commuter EMU will be decorated with "Expo 2025" advertising from 12 November 2024 to 13 October 2025. It will run on the Yokohama Minatomirai Line, Tokyu Tōyoko Line, Tokyo Metro, Fukutoshin Line, Seibu Ikebukuro Line, as well as the Tobu Tojo Line.

References

Japan Guide. (n.d.). Expo 2025 osaka visitor guide. Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan - A basic visitor guide. https://www.japan-guide.com/event/expo-2025/