Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd. (近畿日本鉄道株式会社), referred to as Kintetsu (近鉄) and officially Kinki-Nippon Railway, is a Japanese passenger railway company, managing infrastructure and operating passenger train service. Its railway system is the largest in Japan, excluding Japan Railways Group. The railway network connects Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Nagoya, Tsu, Ise, and Yoshino. Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kintetsu Group Holdings Co., Ltd.

History

On September 16, 1910, Nara Tramway Co., Ltd. (奈良軌道株式会社) was founded and renamed Osaka Electric Tramway Co., Ltd. (大阪電気軌道株式会社) a month after. Osaka Electric Tramway completed Ikoma Tunnel and started operating a line between Osaka and Nara (present-day Nara Line) on April 30, 1914. The modern Kashihara, Osaka, and Shigi lines were completed in the 1920s, followed by the Kyoto Line (a cooperative venture with Keihan Electric Railway). Daiki founded Sangu Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (参宮急行電鉄株式会社) in 1927, which consolidated Ise Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (伊勢電気鉄道株式会社) on September 15, 1936. In 1938, Daiki teamed up with its subsidiary Kansai Express Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (関西急行電鉄株式会社) to operate the first private railway service from Osaka to Nagoya. Another subsidiary Sankyū bought Kansai Express Electric Railway on January 1, 1940 and continued the service on its own. Then, Sankyū consolidated Yoro Railway Co., Ltd. (養老鉄道株式会社) on August 1. Daiki consolidated its largest subsidiary Sankyū on March 15, 1941 and was renamed Kansai Express Railway Co., Ltd. (関西急行鉄道). Kankyū consolidated Osaka Railway Co., Ltd. (大阪鉄道株式会社) on February 1, 1943 and moved its headquarters from Uehommachi to Osaka Abenobashi. Kankyū was renamed Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. (近畿日本鉄道株式会社) after it consolidated Nankai Railway in June 1944: it maintained the name when Nankai regained its independence in 1947. After World War II, Kintetsu branched out and became one of the world's largest travel agencies, Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., Ltd., opening offices in the United States of America (Kintetsu International Express, Inc.) and other countries. The first charged limited express train service started between Uehommachi and Nagoya in 1947, and this is the start of the present Kintetsu limited express trains. The rail network was mostly completed by consolidating Nara Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (奈良電気鉄道株式会社), Shigi-Ikoma Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (信貴生駒電鉄株式会社), Mie Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (三重電気鉄道株式会社) and other companies. Kintetsu moved its headquarters again from Osaka Abenobashi to Osaka Uehommachi on December 5, 1969. On June 28, 2003, Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. was renamed Kintetsu Corporation. The corporation was split on April 1, 2015. Its railway business division was succeeded by Kintetsu Split Preparatory Company, Ltd. (founded on April 30, 2014), while its real estate business division by Kintetsu Real Estate Co., Ltd., its hotel business division by Kintetsu Hotel Systems, Inc., and its retail business by Kintetsu Retail Service Corporation, respectively. On the same day Kintetsu Corporation was split, it was renamed as Kintetsu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. as a holding company, while Kintetsu Split Preparatory Company, Ltd. was renamed as Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd.

Abbreviations

Lines

Owned and operated lines (Type I Railway Business), funiculars, and aerial tramway

Following lines belong to Kintetsu's Type I Railway Business (第一種鉄道事業) and Cableway (索道) Business under the Railway Business Act. This means that Kintetsu is the owner and operator of the lines.

lines

All lines operate with 1,500 V DC overhead catenary except for the Keihanna Line, which operates on 750 V DC third rail.

narrow gauge lines

Cable car (Funicular) lines

Ropeway (aerial tramway)

Operated lines owned by other entities (Type II Railway Business)

Following line belongs to Kintetsu's Type II Railway Business (第二種鉄道事業) under the Railway Business Act. This means that Kintetsu operates trains on the line, but the owner of the railway trackage is a separate company.

Owned lines operated by other entities (Type III Railway Business)

Following lines belong to Kintetsu's Type III Railway Business (第三種鉄道事業) under the Railway Business Act. This means that Kintetsu is the owner of the railway facility, but the trains are operated by separate companies. Until September 30, 2007, those lines were part of the Category 1 railway business.

Through-train services

Kintetsu trains also run on the Osaka Metro Chūō Line (all Keihanna Line trains), the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line, and the Hanshin Railway Hanshin Namba Line, but such lines are not Kintetsu lines.

Abandoned lines and transferred lines

Lines transferred to Nankai Electric Railway

To separate both former Kankyū lines and Nankai Railway lines, on June 1, 1947, the following lines were transferred to Nankai Electric Railway Co. Ltd. that was renamed from Kōyasan Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

Unbuilt lines

Rolling stock

, Kintetsu operates a fleet of 1,905 electric multiple unit (EMU) vehicles, the second largest fleet for a private railway operator in Japan after Tokyo Metro (2,766 vehicles). The newest Hinotori 80000 series EMU trainsets entered revenue service on limited express services between Osaka Namba and Kintetsu Nagoya in spring 2020. Eight six-car sets and three eight-car sets, 72 vehicles in total, will enter service by 2021. The end cars in each set will be designated "High Grade cars" with 1+2 abreast seating and a seat pitch of 1300 mm. The intermediate "Regular" cars will have 2+2 abreast seating and a seat pitch of 1160 mm. Seating in both types of accommodation will consist of fixed-back shell seats.

Future

In May 2022 Kintetsu announced that new commuter trainsets, classified as 8A would be in service for October 2024.

Fare cards

Kintetsu accepts ICOCA, PiTaPa, and other compatible nation-wide IC cards throughout their network except on the Ikoma cable car and Katsuragi ropeway. Various discount tickets are also available from their website or ticket machines, with varying valid areas and usage periods. Surutto Kansai passes can be used in the Keihanshin area, west of Aoyamachō and north of Tsubosakayama stations.

Offices of Kintetsu