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3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. JR-WEST 221 series at Minami-Suita: さりと· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2. JR West 221 Yamatoji rapid: Sui-setz· Public domain
- 3. JR-221(3): Wikimedia Commons· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The 221 series (221系, 221-kei) is a suburban electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in the Kansai Region of Japan since March 1989.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 37 years ago, in 1989.
- 20 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1989
- in service from
- 1989
- number built
- 474
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Hitachi, Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing, Kinki Sharyo
- operators
- West Japan Railway Company
- top speed
- 120 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 1,500 V DC overhead line
- formation
- 2/4/6/8 cars per trainset
- length
- 20 m
- Dutch name
- JR West type 221
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q4631217, Wikipedia: 221 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.