Kintetsu 21000 series Urban Liner Plus

Data (as of 12 Jan 2024)

History

21000 series, initially called Urban Liner, was introduced to "non-stop" limited express services between Namba and Nagoya. Kintetsu's intercity trains between Osaka and Nagoya sharply declined when Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail opened in 1964, but not a few passengers found that Kintetsu might be useful as they provided services far cheaper than Japanese National Railways in the mid-1970s. As JNR raised fares many times in spite of poor reliability caused by industrial action, the ridership of Kintetsu limited express soared. As a consequence, the company introduced the 21000 series.

The 21000 series looks completely different from any limited express trains at that time (e.g. 12200 series New Snack Car). Not a few railway enthusiasts reportedly insisted that the 21000 series resembled DB Class 403 in West Germany. Each unit is formed of six coaches, but can be eight when necessary.

However, the 22000 series quickly became out-of-date by the late-1990s. Thus, Kintetsu refurbished them by making accessible and with better seating, and importantly, replacing squat toilets with accessible toilets. The refurbished trains are called Urban Liner Plus

The series was initially used for "non-stop" limited express, which only called at Osaka-Uehommachi and Tsuruhashi only, meaning that the train was non-stop between Tsuruhashi in Osaka and Nagoya. The series also entered limited express services between Nagoya and Kashikojima in 1994 and those between Namba and Nara in 1997. As the time went by, the series shifted from non-stop to slower limited express services since the 2000s.

Current Operations & Future Prospects

The 21000 series is mostly used for following limited express services: those between Osaka-Namba and Kintetsu-Nagoya, between Osaka-Namba and Kashikojima and between Kintetsu-Nagoya and Kashikojima. They call at many stations as they are not the fastest services.