Kintetsu Railway is a private railway company in Japan which has the largest railway system excluding JR group. The length is 501.1 km, which is 5 times longer than Tokyu which operates in Tokyo metropolis and Kanagawa prefecture but the daily passenger carried is a half of Tokyu's.
Remarkable thing of Kintetsu is that its network includes four prefectural capitals; Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya and Nara. This means the network includes two separate metropolitan areas, Osaka and Nagoya. Then, includes three outstanding tourist destinations including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Kyoto, Nara and Ise-Shima. Therefore not only urban network, Kintetsu is also focusing on tourism.
Although there are other private railway companies connecting multiple cities more than 1 million population. Kintetsu is the only company excluding JR group which operates limited express trains between two metropolitan areas which are not next to each other. Limited express trains are connecting Osaka-Namba station in downtown Osaka and Nagoya station in each 30 minutes and the journey time of the fastest trains is 2 hours and 9 minutes. It is 1 hour and 19 minutes slower than by Shinkansen(Nozomi trains) but the fare 2/3 of Shinkansen.
Then, Kintetsu is the one of the few companies which operates limited express among more than three cities. Usually railway companies operate limited express between their terminals in Tokyo, Osaka or Nagoya and other stations outside of these cities but Kintetsu operates from its all terminals in Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya to other cities. For example, Ujiyamada station in Ise city, which is the gateway to Ise jingu shrine is connected by direct limited express trains from Osaka-Namba, Nagoya and Kyoto stations.
Therefore if you are traveling Japan between Osaka and Nagoya, may be using Kintetsu is better option than using Japan Rail Pass. Kintetsu also offers rail pass valid for its routes.
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