The Keihan Limited Express is so much fun for 0 yen, I became a Keihan fan in one day [Real Travel Diary 0]
There are three railway companies that connect Kyoto and Osaka: Hankyu, JR, and Keihan.
Among them, the Keihan Limited Express is said to be rideable with just a regular ticket (0 yen limited express fee) for all seats except for the special reserved seats, even though it uses dedicated train cars.
When a person in their late 40s rode Keihan for the first time... to put it simply,
Keihan is the best!
The third route between Osaka and Kyoto?
Although Keihan is a major private railway in the Kansai region, I think it is a somewhat minor route even for people in Kansai (I'm sorry to those living along the Keihan line, I don't mean to insult it).
This is because most people traveling between Osaka and Kyoto mainly use either Hankyu, which is cheap and goes to the center of Kyoto (Osaka-Umeda to Kyoto-Kawaramachi, fastest about 45 minutes, 410 yen), or JR, which is fast regardless (Osaka to Kyoto, fastest about 30 minutes, 580 yen).
People without a commuter pass will choose based on speed, price, and destination.
Keihan connects Sanjo Keihan to Yodoyabashi in about 50 minutes at the fastest for 430 yen, but it is neither the cheapest nor the fastest.
Also, Yodoyabashi is one subway stop away from Umeda, and while Keihan Sanjo's access isn't bad, it's hard to say it's right in the middle of everything.
The fact that both are slightly off from the centers of Osaka and Kyoto is also a drawback.
Free except for reserved seats
When I looked up access from the Keihan line toward Osaka, I found that the limited express fee is free. I'm not a train enthusiast, but I decided to ride it since I had the chance.
As stated on the official website, it seems that only the Premium Car, where all seats in the 6th car are reserved, requires a fee (400 or 500 yen).
I rode the Keihan Limited Express this time between Kuzuha and Yodoyabashi. By the way, I think most people who aren't from Kansai can't read Kuzuha, but it is read as "Kuzuha".
No, I'm really not insulting it.
Experiencing the Elegant Saloon
The limited express trains include the Comfort Saloon (3000 series) and the Elegant Saloon (8000 series).
This time, I let the 3000 series pass and waited for the next one to ride the 8000 series, which has a double-decker car.
The fourth car of the 8000 series train is a double-decker.
Needless to say, both the upper and lower levels are free.
“I always wanted to ride a double-decker limited express train on the Kintetsu Vista Car back in the day,” I thought, feeling nostalgic as I boarded.
The double-decker has stairs going up and down, and this time I rode on the upper level. When I went up the stairs...
Oh wow, it's cool! It's not called the Elegant Saloon for nothing.
The seats are plush, and the ride comfort is clearly different from a regular commuter train. It also looks very luxurious.
Rest assured, it's free.
I also liked the attention to detail, with the words "Elegant Saloon" on the handrails. The red-based color scheme is also cool.
The doors of the train car are also very dignified, and it's hard to believe this is free. It's at a level where you might feel anxious if you boarded without knowing.
By the way, when I looked at the Premium Car, the headrests were even more luxurious.
However,“If I'm going to pay 500 yen for this, isn't the 0 yen double-decker good enough?” I thought, or maybe I didn't. Apparently, there's also Wi-Fi.
When I got off, I took a look at the other cars as well. Like a regular commuter train, there are side-facing seats, but these are also high-grade seats. Such priority seats are wonderful.
The scenery is quite ordinary, but...
While the scenery is ordinary, the one thing that isn't is the announcement when passing by "Hirakata Park" (commonly known as Hira-Pa), which is operated by Keihan along the line.
A special announcement by "Super Hira-Pa Brother," the image character of Hira-Pa,former V6 member Junichi Okada (who is from Hirakata City), plays!
It was impossible~
I definitely want you to ride the Keihan Limited Express to hear the content for yourself (until 6/29, excluding park holidays), but it seems there is also a video on the official website.
Keihan playing this as an in-train announcement is just too funky.
430 yen from Osaka to Kyoto is cheap!
In conclusion, traveling by Keihan was the best. I can personally state that with certainty. Regular passengers probably don't think anything of it, but it was such a fun time that it qualifies as entertainment.
Whether you are from Kansai or not, I want you to try using Keihan at least once for travel between Kyoto and Osaka.
Oh, and just for the record, I'm not a Keihan shill...
#ShisaTaro