Hankyu Corporation will introduce its first PRiVACE seat reservation service in July. Users need to make reservations in advance on the website and pay a seat reservation fee (500 yen).
The new 2300 and 9300 series trains will be set in the fourth car near Osaka and will operate two to three times an hour as limited express trains (limited express/commuter limited express/semi-express) on the Kyoto Line.
The concept is to “turn everyday “travel time” into “me time” spent in a private space. Dedicated attendants will guide passengers to their seats.
Seats are arranged in three rows (two rows plus one row), with a wider seat width and more space in front and behind the feet than in standard cars. The seats are designed to provide a sense of privacy with interlocking seat recliners, side head shapes, partitions, and windows placed at each seat.
Other features include a storage table, drink holders, luggage hooks, a magazine rack, reading lights, electrical outlets, and free Wi-Fi. A shared luggage corner and wheelchair-priority seating are also available.
The interior features wood-grain wall materials and golden olive-colored seat fabrics characteristic of Hankyu trains, and carpeting for the floor.
The exterior of the train is the symbolic maroon color of the Hankyu Railway, with gold lines added, and the doors for boarding and exiting are designed to resemble stained glass windows, creating a special atmosphere that differs from that of ordinary trains.
© Source travel watch