【金沢行きのサンダーバード復活】本気で走ったら北陸新幹線も勝てない...待望の在来線特急の復活

Following the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga, the Thunderbird limited express train terminated at Tsuruga, and the service to Wakura Onsen was discontinued. To compensate for this, five round trips of the Limited Express Noto Kagari-bi train now operate between Kanazawa, Nanao, and Wakura Onsen. However, like the Shirasagi limited express, two transfers are required when traveling from Osaka to Wakura Onsen. This has led to a decrease in tourists traveling from the Osaka area to the Noto Peninsula. The route for the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Osaka has not yet been finalized, and construction has not yet begun. In other words, the current system of transferring at Tsuruga will continue for some time. Therefore, residents along the Nanao Line, in particular, are hoping for the revival of the Limited Express Thunderbird train that runs directly between Osaka and Wakura Onsen. Amidst this situation, in November 2025, the Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture indicated that a limited express train connecting Osaka and Wakura Onsen is expected to be realized next year. However, they haven't explicitly stated that it will be the Thunderbird, so there's much speculation about which train car will be used. Furthermore, although they've stated that it's likely to happen, it's considered almost impossible to operate it as a regular train service. The reason is that reviving the Thunderbird service to Wakura Onsen would likely decrease the number of passengers on the parallel Hokuriku Shinkansen line.