10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Series223-102: MaedaAkihiko· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2. Series223-2000-W15: MaedaAkihiko· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 3. JR West 223 series EMU 001: Tennen-Gas· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 4. JR West 223 series EMU 002: Tennen-Gas· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 5. JR West 223 series EMU 003: Tennen-Gas· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 6. JR West 223 series EMU 006: Tennen-Gas· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 7. 223-0 kuha: Wikimedia Commons· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 8. 223-0 Renewal,front inHineno: 鳥居クロロ· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 9. 223-0 Series EMU JR West: Samson Ng . D201@EAL· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 10. 223-0 転落防止: 日根野 (Hineno)· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The 223 series (223系, 223-kei) is a suburban electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in the Kansai region, Chūgoku region and Shikoku region of Japan. Multiple batches of the model have been built with varying differences (particularly motor output control), although the overall general appearance remains similar. Design of the rolling stock was an improved adaptation of the 221 series, with three pairs of doors per side per car and a transverse seating layout.
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 32 years ago, in 1994.
- 20 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
- Still in service after 32 years.
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1994
- in service from
- 1994
- status
- in service
- number built
- 927
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing
- operators
- West Japan Railway Company
- top speed
- 130 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 1,500 V DC overhead
- formation
- 2/4/6/8 cars per trainset
- length
- 20 m
- Dutch name
- JR West 223 type
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q845443, Wikipedia: 223 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.