is a private railway

Private railway

A private railroad is a railroad run by a private corporation, as opposed to a railroad run by a public sector.-Japan:In Japan, refers to a railway line owned and operated by private sector. Although Japan Railways Group companies are private entities, they are not considered private railways...

 in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. IC cards (PiTaPa

PiTaPa

is a contactless smart card ticketing and electronic money system used in the Kansai region of Japan. The name PiTaPa is an acronym of "Postpay IC for Touch and Pay"...

 and ICOCA

ICOCA

The card is a rechargeable contactless smart card used on JR West rail network in Japan. The card was launched on November 1, 2003 for usage on the Urban Network, which encompasses the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe...

) are accepted.

Nankai Railway Company (first) was founded on June 16, 1884, then became one of the companies that merge to form Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. (Kin-nichi, present Kintetsu Corp.)

Kintetsu

, named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...

 in 1944. However Kin-nichi transferred the former Nankai Railway Company Lines to present Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (formerly named Koyasan Electric Railway Co., Ltd. from March 28, 1925 until March 14, 1947) on June 1, 1947. Nankai predates all electric railways in the Tokyo region.

The Nankai network branches out in a generally southern direction from Namba Station

Namba Station

-Layout:Midōsuji Line*an island platform and a side platform with 2 tracksSennichimae Line*an island platform with 2 tracksYotsubashi Line*an island platform with 2 tracks-Adjacent stations:-Surroundings:*Takashimaya*Namba City...

 in Osaka

Osaka

is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

. The Nankai Main Line connects Osaka to Wakayama, with an important spur branching to Kansai International Airport

Kansai International Airport

is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an...

. The rapi:t

Rapi:t

is a rapid train service between Kansai International Airport and Namba Station in Osaka, Japan. It is operated by Nankai Electric Railway, and the train service uses on the Nankai Main Line and the Airport Line....

 α express connects Kansai International Airport

Kansai International Airport

is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an...

 to Namba in 34 minutes, with the rapi:t

Rapi:t

is a rapid train service between Kansai International Airport and Namba Station in Osaka, Japan. It is operated by Nankai Electric Railway, and the train service uses on the Nankai Main Line and the Airport Line....

 β taking 39 minutes with two additional stops. The Koya Line connects Osaka to Mt. Koya, headquarters of the Buddhist Shingon sect and a popular pilgrimage site.

The name Nankai (lit. South Sea) comes from the company's routes along the Nankaidō

Nankaido

The , literally meaning "southern sea road," is a Japanese term denoting both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it. The road connected provincial capitals in this region...

, the old highway that ran south from the capital along the seacoast.

Current lines

• Nankai Line (南海線)
  • Nankai Main Line (南海本線): Namba - Wakayamashi
  • Takashinohama Line
    Nankai Takashinohama Line
    is a railway line in Osaka Prefecture owned by Nankai Electric Railway. This line joins the Nankai Main Line.-Stations:...
    
     (高師浜線): Hagoromo - Takashinohama
  • Airport Line
    Nankai Airport Line
    The is a railroad route of the Nankai Electric Railway which connects Izumisano and Kansai International Airport and owned by Kansai International Airport Co., Ltd. between Rinkū Town and Kansai Airport. It opened on June 15, 1994....
    
     (空港線): Izumisano - Kansai Airport
  • Tanagawa Line
    Nankai Tanagawa Line
    is a railway line in Osaka Prefecture owned by Nankai Electric Railway. This line joins the Nankai Main Line.-Stations:...
    
     (多奈川線): Misaki koen - Tanagawa
  • Kada Line
    Nankai Kada Line
    is a railway line in Wakayama Prefecture owned by Nankai Electric Railway. This line joins the Nankai Main Line.-Stations:...
    
     (加太線): Kinokawa - Kada
  • Wakayamako Line (和歌山港線): Wakayamashi -Wakayamako
• Koya Line (高野線)
  • Koya Line (高野線): Shiomibashi - Kishinosato-Tamade - Gokurakubashi
    • In operation: Namba - Gokurakubashi
    • Shiomibashi Line (汐見橋線, commonly called): Shiomibashi - Kishinosato-Tamade
  • Cable Line
    Nankai Cable Line
    The , officially the , is a Japanese funicular line in Kōya, Wakayama, operated by Nankai Electric Railway. The line opened in 1930 as a route to Mount Kōya, a famous Buddhist spot.-Basic data:*Distance: 0.8 km / 0.5 mi*System: Single track with two cars...
    
     (鋼索線): Gokurakubashi - Koyasan

Past lines

• Nankai Line (南海線)
  • Tennoji Branch Line (天王寺支線): Tengachaya - Tennoji (abandoned)
  • Kitajima Branch Line (北島支線): Wakayamashi - Kitajima - Higashi-Matsue (abandoned)
  • Wakayamako Line (和歌山港線): Wakayamako - Suiken (abandoned)
• Kishigawa Line (貴志川線, dealt with Wakayama Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (和歌山電鐵株式会社)): Wakayama - Kishi
• Osaka Tram Line (大阪軌道線)
  • Hankai Line
    Hankai Line
    The is a tramway in the cities of Osaka and Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Hankai Tramway Co., Ltd. owns and operates the line.The line's name comes from and ....
    
     (阪堺線): Ebisucho - Hamadera-eki-mae (dealt with Hankai Tramway Co., Ltd.)
  • Uemachi Line
    Hankai Uemachi Line
    The is a tramway line of Hankai Tramway Co., Ltd. in Osaka, Japan.-History:*September 20, 1900 - Osaka Horse Rail Co. from Tennoji-nishimon-mae to Higashi-Tengachaya was opened....
    
     (上町線): Tennoji-eki-mae - Sumiyoshikoen (dealt with Hankai Tramway Co., Ltd.)
  • Hirano Line (平野線): Imaike - Hirano (abandoned)
  • Ohama Branch Line (大浜支線): Shukuin - Ohama-kaigan (abandoned)
• Wakayama Tram Line (和歌山軌道線): Wakayamashi-eki, Wakayama-eki - Kainan, Shin-Wakaura (abandoned)

Limited express

• 50000 series — used on rapi:t
  Rapi:t
  is a rapid train service between Kansai International Airport and Namba Station in Osaka, Japan. It is operated by Nankai Electric Railway, and the train service uses on the Nankai Main Line and the Airport Line....
  
   service between Namba and Kansai airport
• 31000 series — used on Kōya service between Namba and Gokurakubashi
• 30000 series — used on Kōya service between Namba and Gokurakubashi
• 12000 series
  Nankai 12000 series
  The is an electric multiple unit train type operated by the Nankai Electric Railway in Japan on Southern Premium limited express services between and since 1 September 2011...
  
   — used on Southern service reserved car between Namba and Wakayamakō
• 11000 series — used on Rinkan service between Namba and Hashimoto
• 10000 series — used on Southern service reserved car between Namba and Wakayamakō

Main Line, Airport Line

• 9000 series
• 8000 series — used on Southern service non-reserved car between Namba and Wakayamakō
• 7100 series — used on Southern service non-reserved car between Namba and Wakayamakō
• 7000 series — used on Southern service non-reserved car between Namba and Wakayamakō
• 2000 series
• 1000 series

Kōya Line Commuter car (Namba-Hashimoto)

• 8200 series
• 6300 series
• 6200 series
• 6000 series
• 1000 series

Kōya Line Zoom car (Namba-Gokurakubashi)

• 2300 series
• 2200 series — used on Tenkū service
• 2000 series

Takashinohama Line, Tanagawa Line, Kada Line, Shiomibashi Line

• 7100 series
• 2220 series
• 2200 series

External links

• Official website in English