Hankyu Kyoto Main Line


The Hankyu Kyoto Main Line is a railway line in Japan operated by the private railway operator Hankyu Railway. It connects Osaka-umeda Station in Osaka and Kyoto-kawaramachi Station in Kyoto.

Definition

The Kyoto Main Line is often called the Kyoto Line for short, and in a broader sense its two branch lines, the Senri Line and the Arashiyama Line, are included to the Kyoto Line by historical, geographical and structural reasons. The other two sections of Hankyu, the Kobe Line and the Takarazuka Line are called the as a whole.
Officially, the Kyoto Main Line is from Jūsō to Kyoto-kawaramachi, however, all trains run beyond Jūsō to Osaka-umeda terminal, using the eastern tracks of the section exclusively. Hankyu treats the Kyoto Main Line in the same way as the passengers do, i.e. as the line between Osaka-umeda and Kyoto-kawaramachi.

History

The Kyoto Main Line was constructed in the following phases:
  • 1 April 1, 1921: Jūsō – Awaji
  • 16 January 1928: Awaji – Takatsuki-machi
  • 1 November 1928: Takatsuki-machi – Kyoto-Saiin
  • 31 March 1931: Saiin – Keihan-Kyoto
  • 18 February 1959: The additional double tracks of the Takarazuka Main Line between Umeda and Jūso now used exclusively by the Kyoto Main Line
  • 17 June 1963: Ōmiya – Kawaramachi
Prior to the merger of Hankyu Railway and Keihan Electric Railway in 1943, the line and its branches were owned by the latter and called the Shin-Keihan Line. In the breakup of the merger in 1949, the line was not ceded to Keihan and became a competitor of the Keihan Main Line.
Construction has been in progress since 2012 to elevate a section of track from Sōzenji Station to Kami-Shinjō Station including the junction with the Senri Line at Awaji Station. Originally projected for a 2020 completion, various delays have pushed back the start of operations on the new tracks to 2031.
Station numbering was introduced to all Hankyu stations on 21 December 2013.

Proposed connecting line

A loop line from Juso to Awaji via Shin-Osaka Station, to provide a direct connection to the Shinkansen has been proposed, but is not currently scheduled for construction.

Service types

Regular operations

As of the December 2022 timetable, trains are classified as follows:
Local
  • Local trains stop at all stations on the Kyoto and Senri lines. During the day they operate between Osaka Umeda or Tengachaya and Takatsuki-shi or Kita Senri. During early mornings, rush hours, and late nights, some services are extended to Kyoto-Kawaramachi and other short turn services are operated as well.
Semi-Express
  • All day except early morning and late nights between Osaka-Umeda and Kyoto-Kawaramachi. Additional services operate through to Tengachaya during weekday rush hours and weekends. Limited stops between Osaka-Umeda and Takatsuki-shi, then all stops to Kyoto-Kawaramachi.
Express
  • Late nights from Osaka-Umeda to Kyoto-Kawaramachi and weekday early mornings towards Osaka-Umeda.
Semi-Limited Express
  • Early mornings and evenings and weekday rush hours, both directions.
Commuter Limited Express
  • Weekday morning rush hours only, both directions. Car number 5 is for women only.
Limited Express
  • Operates during the daytime when other express and limited express services are not running.
Rapid Limited Express
  • Weekends only, using special 6 car trains.

    Extra services

  • Rapid Limited Express
  • * Osaka-umeda - Arashiyama: "Sagano"
  • *Kyoto-kawaramachi - Arashiyama: "Ogura"
  • Direct Limited Express - Through services to Arashiyama Line, Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line, Takarazuka Main Line and the Kobe Main Line.
  • *Kosoku Kobe - Arashiyama: "Atago"
  • *Takarazuka - Arashiyama : "Togetsu"
  • *Tengachaya - Arashiyama: "Hozu"
  • On the Kyoto Main Line, these extra limited express stop at the same stations as the regular Rapid Limited Express.

    Stations

Legends:
  • ● : Trains stop.
  • | : Trains pass.
Local trains stop at all stations.
No trains stop at which is served by Local trains on the Kobe Main Line and the Takarazuka Main Line, because of the absence of any platforms on this line. Thus, in operation, Nakatsu Station is not listed on the Kyoto Line.
The starting point of the distances shown is Jūsō Station, which is officially the starting point of the Kyoto Main Line.

Rolling stock