The Haruka (はるか, Haruka) is a limited express passenger train service operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) mainly between Kyoto Station to Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Dubbed as the Kansai Airport Limited Express (関空特急) by JR West, it is the fastest train service connecting the airport with downtown Osaka and Kyoto, and also travels to and from Yasu via Kyoto during peak hours. A change of trains was required at either Tennoji or Shin-Ōsaka in order to access Ōsaka Station,[2] before the Umekita underground platforms and tracks for the service at the station were opened in 2023 with a revised timetable.
Operations
There are a total of 30 daily return workings per direction (30 to the airport, 30 from the airport), with services operating every half an hour through most of the day. A typical travel time between Kyoto Station and the airport takes 1 hour 20 minutes per way.[3]
Before the discontinuation of services between Maibara and Yasu, two morning rush hour Haruka trains ran from Maibara to the airport, and one morning rush hour trip from Kusatsu. Two evening rush hour Haruka trains also ran from the airport to Maibara.
The train service once traveled over the Umeda Freight Line which was used to bypass Ōsaka Station when it runs from the Tōkaidō Main Line to Osaka Loop Line and vice versa, until the underground tracks and platforms for trains either stopping at and passing the former were opened on 18 March 2023.
As a limited express service, the Haruka requires both a fare ticket (乗車券, jōshaken) and a limited express ticket (特急券, tokkyūken) – see train tickets in Japan. The ICOCA card can be used as a fare ticket (for passing the ticket gate) for non-reserved travel, with the limited express ticket purchased from the conductor on board the train. There are no extra charges required for the Haruka service for foreign passengers traveling with a Japan Rail Pass.
A free public Wi-Fi service is provided in the train.[6]
History
The Haruka service was inaugurated on 4 September 1994 using 3-car 281 series EMUs.[5]
6-car 281 series sets were introduced from 2 April 1995, and 9-car (6+3-car) formations were introduced from 14 July 1995.[5]
Non-reserved cars were introduced from 1 December 1998.[5]
The smoking areas were abolished from the start of 18 March 2007 timetable revision.[5]
Haruka services were suspended on 4 September 2018 due to the effects of Typhoon Jebi causing damage to the airport and the Sky Gate Bridge R being damaged by an empty fuel tanker. Services were restored on 8 September 2018, but could only go as far as Hineno Station due to the section leading to the airport being cordoned off for repair works. Through services to the airport were completely restored on 18 September 2018.
From the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2020, new 271 series trains were introduced on these services, operating coupled with the existing 281 series sets. From the same date, all Haruka services were formed as nine cars, increasing passenger capacity between Kansai International Airport and Kyoto.
All trains currently run in a special "Hello Kitty"-themed wrapping since 29 January 2019.[7]
Haruka services were reduced since September 2020 due to low passenger demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, only operating during morning and evening commuter hours. Daytime Haruka services were partially restored from 1 July 2022, with the remaining services reinstated on 1 November 2022 to coincide with the reopening of Japan's borders.[8]
From the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2023, all Haruka services began to make stop at Ōsaka Station using the new Umekita underground platforms set aside for these services, facilitating better connectivity between the airport and the city center.[9] In preparation for the opening of the Umekita underground platforms, train services were rerouted from the Umeda Freight Line from 13 February 2023.[10] The new platforms opened for service a month later on 18 March 2023.[11]
281 series Hello-Kitty train Butterfly set in September 2019
281 series Hello-Kitty train Ori-Tsuru set in August 2019
281 series Hello-Kitty train Kanzashi set in August 2019
^"Süße Katzen auf Erfolgsschiene" [Cute cats on track to success]. Lok Magazin (in German). Vol. 5/2019, no. 452. Geramond Verlag. May 2019. p. 34. ISSN0458-1822.
^"特急「はるか」すべての列車 運転再開のお知らせ" (Press release) (in Japanese). West Japan Railway Company. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
^杉山, 淳一 (11 November 2016). "「なにわ筋線」の開通で特急「ラピート」と「はるか」が統合される？" [Will the limited express "Rapi:t" and "Haruka" be integrated with the opening of "Naniwasuji Line"?]. itmedia.co.jp/ (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2021.
^"梅田貨物線「地下化」来年2月に「うめきた地下ホーム」使用開始に先行" [Umeda Freight Line "Underground ahead of the start of use of "Umekita Underground Platform in February next year]. news.railway-pressnet.com. 9 December 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^"「うめきた地下線」開通は2月13日！ 「はるか」「くろしお」が一足先に運転開始 新駅は通過" ["Umekita Underground Line" will open on February 13! "Haruka" and "Kuroshio" start operation ahead of opening the new station]. trafficnews.jp (in Japanese). 18 December 2022. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
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