On January 17, 2025, JR West announced that it will operate the first special express train in 36 years on the Nara Line on select weekends in April and May. The train will be called "Inishihe." It will run between Kyoto and Nara in about 50 minutes, stopping at Uji.
The train will cater to the increasing number of tourists visiting Kyoto and Nara. This will be the first special express train on the Nara Line since the "Shirahama" which ran between Kyoto and Shirahama (Wakayama Prefecture) from 1988-89.
An express fare of 1,290 yen will be charged in addition to the fare. The train will run one round trip each on April 19 and 20, and May 17 and 18. Tickets will be available for purchase from one month before the start of operation on the internet reservation site "e5489" and "Midori ticket vending machines."
