I was in Kyoto station when I chanced upon a train with Hello Kitty livery. It was not the Hello Kitty Shinkansen and I wasn’t aware there was another train featuring the beloved character so I was very intrigued. A quick research showed that it is the Hello Kitty Haruka. Originally, the Haruka was an express train dedicated to serving the Kansai Airport. To welcome tourists, it was later decorated with the Sanrio character.
As a big fan of Hello Kitty, I was determined to work it into my itinerary. Due to its nature as an airport express, I correctly surmised that tickets will not sell out so I waited until the morning I were to depart for Osaka. What I failed to consider were incredibly long lines and I seriously believed I was going to miss the train.
The green car has a 2 + 1 layout. The interior is similar to the exterior with cute decals placed throughout. It was enough to remind passengers that it’s not a typical express train without it becoming overwhelming. I am sure JR West doesn’t want it to steal the thunder from the Shinkansen.
The ride from Kyoto station to Tennoji station took 45 minutes. The ride is covered by the JR Rail Pass.
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