On July 21, 2024, Hankyu Railway introduced its first paid seat reservation service, "PRIVACE," on the Kyoto Line. A departure ceremony was held at Osaka Umeda Station (Osaka City), and the first train headed to Kyoto Kawaramachi Station (Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City) carrying many railroad enthusiasts.
The service was introduced with the aim of capturing the "seating needs" of tourists and commuters. Some of the express trains will be coupled with 40 dedicated cars with reclining functions, and will operate about 80 trains per day. The usage fee is a flat rate of 500 yen in addition to the fare.
After a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the departure, the stationmaster of Osaka Umeda Station shouted "All aboard!" at 6:15 a.m. The first semi-express train blew its horn and started moving, and railroad enthusiasts eagerly took pictures of it.
The service was almost fully booked by the evening on that day.
