| Railroad Name: | Kintetsu Railway |
| Logo Alt: | Corporate mark of Kintetsu Railway Company, Limited |
| Image Alt: | Shimakaze Limited Express |
| Locale: | Kinki region/Tōkai region, Japan |
| End Year: | present |
| Length: | 501.2km (311.4miles) |
| Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd. | |
| Native Name: | 近畿日本鉄道株式会社 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Romanized Name: | Kinki-nippon Tetsudō Kabushiki gaisha |
| Former Name: | Kintetsu Split Preparatory Company, Ltd. |
| Type: | Private KK |
| Industry: | Ground Transport |
| Predecessor: | Kintetsu Corporation formerly Kinki-nippon Railway Company, Limited |
| Founded: | in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
| Founders: | --> |
| Brands: | KIPS ICOCA |
| Services: | Passenger Transport |
| Parent: | Kintetsu Group Holdings |
, referred to as, 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.[1] 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.
On September 16, 1910, was founded and renamed 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 in 1927, which consolidated on September 15, 1936.
In 1938, Daiki teamed up with its subsidiary 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 on August 1. Daiki consolidated its largest subsidiary Sankyū on March 15, 1941 and was renamed . Kankyū consolidated on February 1, 1943 and moved its headquarters from Uehommachi to Osaka Abenobashi.
Kankyū was renamed 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,, 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.[2]
Following lines belong to Kintetsu's and Business under the Railway Business Act. This means that Kintetsu is the owner and operator of the lines.
All lines operate with 1,500 V DC overhead catenary except for the Keihanna Line, which operates on 750 V DC third rail.
Following line belongs to Kintetsu's 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.
Following lines belong to Kintetsu's 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.
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.
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.
, 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).[3] 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 1300mm. The intermediate "Regular" cars will have 2+2 abreast seating and a seat pitch of 1160mm. Seating in both types of accommodation will consist of fixed-back shell seats.[4] [5]
In May 2022 Kintetsu announced that new commuter trainsets would be in service for October 2024.[6]
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.[7]