Japan’s Seibu Railway Orders Fine Dining Train

Photo Credit: Hitachi Rail

JAPAN –– Train name and logo finalised for fine dining service due to launch in March 2028.

HITACHI Rail has announced that it will manufacture a new train for the Vies fine dining service that Japan’s Seibu Railway is due to introduce in March 2028.

The new design will be based on the eight-car 001 series Laview EMU built by Hitachi for Seibu Railway, which began operating limited express services in March 2016. Hitachi says that the new dining train will similarly feature open and spacious interiors and large windows, with the design intended to harmonise with the surrounding landscape while creating a premium travelling environment.

The fine dining train has been named Vies, derived from the plural of “vie,” the French word for “life,” and expressing the desire to enrich the lives of each passenger. According to Hitachi, the name also reflects respect for nature and the live-giving qualities of food.

Vies builds upon the concept established by 52 Seats of Happiness, the full-course restaurant train that Seibu Railway has operated since April 2016, aiming to provide guests with a more refined and exclusive space and dining experience. The service operates mainly at weekends and on public holidays between Ikebukuro/Seibu-Shinjuku and Seibu-Chichibu, using a refurbished 4000 series EMU.

Designed by architect Kengo Kuma, the exterior and interior of the train are inspired by Chichibu, one of the region’s most prominent tourist destinations. The exterior incorporates motifs of the Arakawa River flowing through the natural landscape, while the interior features traditional Chichibu Meisen textiles and locally-sourced Nishikawa timber.