Tango Explorer

Tango Explorer

Tango Explorer at Nishi-Maizuru Station
Overview
Service type	Intercity rail, Limited express
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Ōsaka, Hyōgo, Kyōto Prefectures
First service	1990
Last service	2011
Former operator(s)	Kitakinki Tango Railway, JR West
Route
Termini	Shin-Osaka Miyazu, Toyooka
Stops	21
Distance travelled	207.3 km (128.8 mi)
Average journey time	3 hours 19 minutes
Service frequency	Two round trips daily
On-board services
Class(es)	Unreserved, reserved, and Green class seating
Technical
Rolling stock	Kitakinki Tango Railway KTR001 series DMU
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Diesel

Tango Explorer (タンゴエクスプローラー, Tango-ekusupurōrā) was a limited express service operated by Kitakinki Tango Railway and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Shin-Osaka and Miyazu and/or Toyooka stations. The term also referred to the KTR001 series (currently used for Tango Relay services between Fukuchiyama and Toyooka) rolling stock itself. "Tango" refers to the Tango (丹後) region of northern Kyoto Prefecture.

Prior to 1999, the Tango Explorer operated from Kyoto Station, but with the introduction of the Tango Discovery service, Tango Explorer services begi at Shin-Osaka.

Services

Tango Explorer services were generally run with three-car trains, though during peak holiday periods six-car trains (three paired sets) are used. When the Tango Explorer KTR001 series trainset was out of operation, KTR8000 series DMUs (used on the Tango Discovery service) or JNR 183 series EMUs were sometimes used.

Terminuses are in bold.

Shin-Osaka - Osaka - Amagasaki - Takarazuka - Sanda - (Shin-Sanda) - (Aino) - Sasayamaguchi - (Tanikawa) - Kaibara - (Kuroi) - Fukuchiyama - Ōe - Miyazu - Amanohashidate - Nodagawa - Tango-Ōmiya - Mineyama - Amino - Kumihama - Toyooka

• The Tango Explorer 2 stopped at Kuroi and Tanikawa.
• The Tango Explorer 3 stopped at Shin-Sanda, Aino, Tanikawa and Kuroi.