Haruka (train)

Haruka

A JR West 281 series EMU on a Haruka service in August 2004
Overview
Service type Airport rail link
(Limited express)
Locale Tokaido Main Line, Osaka Loop Line, Hanwa Line, Kansai Airport Line
First service 4 September 1994
Current operator(s) JR West
Route
Start Maibara
End Kansai Airport
Service frequency 30 return workings daily
On-board services
Class(es) Green/standard
Technical
Rolling stock 281 series EMUs
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC overhead
Operating speed 130 km/h (80 mph)[1]

The Haruka (はるか Haruka), is a limited express train service, connecting Maibara via Kyoto Station to Kansai Airport Station in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West).

Operations

There are 60 Haruka train services per day, numbered 1 to 60; odd-numbered trains run south (toward the airport) and even-numbered trains run north (away from the airport). They operate every half hour during the daytime and early evening. The typical travel time between Kyoto Station and the airport is 75 minutes for southbound trains and 73 minutes for northbound trains.[2]

Station stops

The Haruka primarily operates between Kyoto Station and Kansai Airport Station, with stops at Shin-Ōsaka Station and Tennōji Station in Osaka City. Some trains make additional stops (stations in italics in list below).[2]

The train travels over the Umeda Freight Line which bypasses Osaka Station when it runs from the Tōkaidō Main Line to Osaka Loop Line and vice versa. Therefore, it does not stop at Osaka Station.

Line Station Transfers
Tōkaidō
(Biwako)		 Maibara Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Tōkaidō Main Line, Hokuriku Main Line,
Ohmi Railway Main Line
Hikone Ohmi Railway Main Line
Ōmi-Hachiman Ohmi Railway Yōkaichi Line
Yasu
Moriyama
Kusatsu Kusatsu Line
Ishiyama Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line
Ōtsu
Yamashina Kosei Line, Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line, Subway Tōzai Line
Kyoto Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Sanin Main Line, Nara Line
Kintetsu Kyoto Line, Subway Karasuma Line
Tōkaidō
(JR Kyoto)
Takatsuki
Shin-Ōsaka Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Sanyō Shinkansen,
Subway Midōsuji Line
Tōkaidō
(freight branch)
Osaka Loop
Tennōji Yamatoji Line,
Subway Midōsuji and Tanimachi Lines,
Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line
Hanwa
Izumi-Fuchū
Hineno Hanwa Line for Wakayama
Kansai Airport
Kansai Airport

Rolling stock

Haruka services are operated by a dedicated fleet of 281 series EMUs formed in 6- or 9-car formations. Each formation includes one Green (first class) car (as car No. 1).[1]

Formations

6-car formations

6-car formations are arranged as shown below, with car 1 at the Maibara/Kyoto end.[3][4]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Numbering KuRo 280 MoHa 281 SaHa 281 SaHa 281 MoHa 281 KuHa 281
Accommodation Green Reserved Reserved Reserved Non-reserved Non-reserved
Facilities Toilet Vending machine Wheelchair space / Toilet Toilet Vending machine  

All cars are no-smoking.[3]

9-car formations

9-car formations are arranged as shown below, with car 1 at the Kyoto end.[3][4]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Numbering KuRo 280 MoHa 281 SaHa 281 SaHa 281 MoHa 281 KuHa 281 KuHa 280 SaHa 281 KuHa 281
Accommodation Green Reserved Reserved Non-reserved Non-reserved Non-reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved
Facilities Toilet Vending machine Wheelchair space / Toilet Toilet Vending machine   Toilet Toilet Vending machine

All cars are no-smoking.[3]

Ticketing

As a limited express service, Haruka travel 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. Japan Rail Pass holders can ride Haruka services free of charge.

A free public Wi-Fi service is provided in the train.[5]

History

The Haruka service was inaugurated on 4 September 1994 using 3-car 281 series EMUs.[4]

6-car 281 series sets were introduced from 2 April 1995, and 9-car (6+3-car) formations were introduced from 14 July 1995.[4]

Non-reserved cars were introduced from 1 December 1998.[4]

The smoking areas were abolished from the start of the 18 March 2007 timetable revision.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 2008. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
  2. 1 2 JR Timetable March 2012 issue. p.112
  3. 1 2 3 4 JR Timetable March 2012 issue. p.1006
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 JR電車編成表 2012夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2012] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. May 2012. p. 159. ISBN 978-4-330-28612-9.
  5. ↑ "JR-WEST Free Wi-Fi Service". West Japan Railway Company. Retrieved 2016-01-20.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.