I recently had the chance to spend some time back in Japan and one of the first things I did was experience the Haruka Express Green Car. This time around my flight brought me to Osaka Kansai Airport and since my destination was in Kyoto, riding this train was a no-brainer.
Want to know more about my experience?
Well, make sure to read on further!
Getting a ticket for the Haruka Express Green Car was relatively easy. After boarding off from the plane I went directly to the JR Airport Line (also known as Kansai Airport Line), looked for the Green vending machines (in the image above), and ordered through there. I’ve read that you can also reserve online and claim the ticket from these machines which could be cheaper/more affordable.
What to Expect on the Haruka Express Green Car from Kansai Airport to Kyoto
Now, it’s important that you get to the right train line if you want to ride the Limited Express Haruka Green Car. As far as I know, this is only available for the JR Airport Line and it’s mainly for those who wish to go to Tennoji, Kyoto, Osaka, and Shin-Osaka. There’s another train line here called the Nankai Line and it connects the airport directly to Namba (which is also in Osaka).
Here’s what the Green Car ticket looks like. As you can see, it shows how much this particular ride costs. At 4360 JPY, I think it’s actually quite affordable considering these tickets can typically go as high as 6000 JPY or more.
Here’s what the Limited Express Haruka train looks like. It had just arrived at this point and I was actually quite excited that I’d get to ride it. The first train of the day usually leaves at around 6:30AM and 10:16PM for the last train.
This is what the train’s logo looks like though you won’t really need to bother remembering this. You only really need to look for Platform 4 and you’re going to find a Haruka train there. I’ve read that this might not always be the case as the slower Kansai Airport Rapid Service also uses this platform sometimes.
Now I said earlier that I was excited to get inside but the thing with Japanese trains is that they typically have to go through cleaning before and after they complete a trip. Thanks to this, I had to wait a little while before I was able to get inside. That said, the wait is typically short with the cleaning only taking around 7 to 15 minutes.
From here you can see just how spacious the Green Car seats are. Not only that, the car itself has really good lighting. Now, you’re probably thinking that that’s bad if you want to sleep during the ride.
I personally don’t think so as the travel time is actually quite short.
It actually just takes an hour and thirty minutes (give or take) to get from Kansai Airport to Kyoto on the Limited Express Haruka.
I’m not sure about you but I don’t think that’s enough time to get some shut-eye. Instead of sleeping, I actually just decided to enjoy the views and review my itinerary for this Japan trip.
I finally got inside the Green Car! I said earlier that this looked spacious from outside and it feels even more so when viewing it from the inside. That said, it actually is a lot smaller compared to the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
If you saw my write-up about my experience on that rail line then you’d notice that each aisle on that bullet train had a pair of seats.
Limited Express Haruka has two pairs on the left side (facing the control car) and only one on the right. I will say though that the seats are absolutely worth it just for how wide and spacious they are. Moreover, there’s also plenty of leg room here for even taller passengers to be able to sit without their knees touching the seats in front.
This is the right side of the aisle that only has one chair per row. It’s actually the same size as the pair of chairs on the left side with the leg room also being the same. From what I understand, this setup is because the Limited Express Haruka trains are actually not as wide as Shinkansens.
Here’s another look at the Green Car’s interior this time with a clearer look at the overhead luggage compartment. It’s actually quite spacious and I think if you’re backpacking then a 50 or 70 Liter bag would definitely fit here. That said, if you are lugging around heavy luggage then there’s actually a much better option for you.
There’s a luggage rack in the hallway going to the restroom where you can deposit your large and/or heavy luggage. This is a much safer place to store larger luggage as they might inadvertently fall if stored at the car’s overhead compartment. For added protection, there are rails here that also prevent the luggage from moving around while the train is on the move.
Now you might be wondering why there are so few passengers’ luggages here? One thing you’ll have to remember is that the first week or so of December is typically a transition to the off-peak season for tourists in Kyoto.
This actually worked in my favor as there were fewer crowds and as you can see, there weren’t that many people riding the Limited Express Haruka.
Admittedly, the off-peak window for tourists in December is a little short. You can expect things to be a little crowded especially around Christmas and the most especially in the New Year. If you arrive here in the first week or so though then you should still have a good week or two where you can enjoy Kyoto with fewer people in the crowds.
Just a short walk from the luggage area are the male and female rest rooms. Admittedly these were quite small and cramped though their size is understandable since you’re not going to be spending a lot of time in them anyway. If their size is a concern though then just make sure that you use the ones in the Kansai Airport terminal before you board.
Speaking of restrooms, here’s a sign that points to where you can find them in the station. Beside the sign is a larger one showing the routes for both the Limited Express Haruka and the Kansai Airport Rapid Service trains. So one reason why I didn’t go for the Rapid Service was that its last stop was in Osaka (either Tennoji or Kyobashi).
Here’s what the inside of the standard car looks like. It’s not that visible but there are two seats on each side of the aisle here. This is possible because the seats aren’t as wide as the ones in the Green Car.
In terms of comfort, I tried sitting on one and they were actually not that bad. That said, leg room could be an issue and if you’re a larger passenger then the smaller seat might also cause some problems. At a reasonably lower price than a Green Car seat though, I think this could also be worth it especially if you’re looking to use the savings on other experiences.
What I particularly like about Japan in general is how friendly it is for English-speaking visitors. A lot of the signs (at least in the major cities and tourist hotspots) typically have English translations on them. Moreover, companies like Japan Railways offer plenty of tourist information that also have translations in English and are accessible via QR codes (like in the image above).
Here you’ll find another sign with instructions that’s perfectly translated in English. As for the instructions itself, it’s something that you should do well to take note of. Losing your ticket could prove problematic as you might end up having to pay the full fare again or possibly a penalty just so you can go through the ticket gate at Kyoto station.
After making sure my tickets were secure, I decided to relax at my seat. The train was already moving and I couldn’t help but to check out the views outside my window. I don’t know but there’s just something to the views here in Japan.
Whether it’s the view of the cities or idyllic rural landscapes like the one in the image, I always find myself getting mesmerized. Anyway, I was so excited that I was wide awake for the whole duration of the trip. And like I said earlier, it wasn’t really hard to not fall asleep since the ride from Kansai Airport to Kyoto is just around an hour and thirty minutes long.
With this image I finally reached Kyoto Station and my time with the Limited Express Haruka Green Car came to an end.
The experience was really nice as the seats were comfortable. In addition to being comfy to sit in, the seating area was also quite spacious.
Make no mistake, the Green Car experience is not a must and I wouldn’t say that it’s needed for your Kyoto trip. If you have the budget for it though then I highly recommend experiencing it once. Will you be trying the Limited Express Haruka Green Car on your Japan visit?
Sound off on the comments section about your thoughts on this train line and why you’d want to give it a try!
