Takamatsu Express Kyoto-go (bound for Kyoto) (高松エクスプレス京都号)
Takamatsu Express Kyoto-go (Takamatsu Express bound for Kyoto) is a daytime highway bus connecting Kyoto City, Oyamazaki-cho of Otokuni-gun, Takatsuki City, Naruto City, Higashi Kagawa City, Sanuki City, Miki-cho and Takamatsu City. All the services are in reserved-seat system, thus reservation must be made.
All the four companies, West JR Bus Company, JR Shikoku Bus, Keihan Bus and Shikoku Express Bus use the same name of Takamatsu Express Kyoto-go for this bus.
The service identification number is 390xx.
Operating companies/Major vehicle types
West Japan JR Bus Company, Kyoto Transportation Center operates two round-trip services.
Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Ace
Hino S'elega
JR Shikoku Bus Company, Takamatsu Branch operates two round-trip services.
Mitsubishi Fuso New Aero Bus
Keihan Bus Rakunan Eigyosho (Rakunan business office) operate one round-trip service.
Hino S'elega and S'elega R
Mitsubishi Fuso New Aero Bus
Shikoku Express Bus, Takamatsu Transportation Center operates one round-trip service.
Hino S'elega and second-generation S'elega
Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Ace
Like the Kobe-Takamatsu/Marugame route and Osaka-Takamatsu/Marugame route, tickets, coupon tickets, reservation and ticketing offices, and timetables are shared between private railway affiliates (Keihan Bus and Shikoku Express Bus) and JR affiliates (West JR Bus Company and JR Shikoku Bus Company). However, unlike these routes, joint operation of Takamatsu Express Kyoto-go has been conducted since the operation start in March 2001.
West JR Bus Company and JR Shikoku Bus Company are competing for passengers with the parental railway company as a result. It is a serious problem for Shikoku Passenger Rail Group that passengers tend to use buses that have lower margin than limited express trains.
(The same is true of the lines connecting between Keihanshin and Kochi or Matsuyama area.)
(This problem is more serious in the Kochi/Matsuyama directions, as more frequent Limited Express train services are provided in these directions.)
Operation routes
Bus stops are indicated in bold.
Kyoto Station - (general road) - Kyoto Minami Interchange - (Meishin Expressway) - Meishin-Oyamazaki Bus Stop - (Meishin Expressway) - Meishin-Takatsuki Bus Stop - (Meishin Expressway) - Suita Junction - (Chugoku Expressway) - Kobe Junction - (Sanyo Expressway) - Miki Junction - (Sanyo Expressway) - Kobenishi Interchange - (Kobe Awaji Naruto Jidoshado Expressway) - Naruto Interchange - (Takamatsu Expressway) - Narutonishi Bus Stop - (Takamatsu Expressway) - Kosoku-Hiketa Bus Stop - (Takamatsu Expressway) - Kosoku-Ouchi Bus Stop - (Takamatsu Expressway) - Tsudahigashi Interchange - (Takamatsu Expressway [East Takamatsu Road]) - Kosoku-Tsuda Bus Stop - (Takamatsu Expressway [East Takamatsu Road]) - Kosoku-Shido Bus Stop - (Takamatsu Expressway [East Takamatsu Road]) - Kosoku-Miki Bus Stop - (Takamatsu Expressway [East Takamatsu Road]) - Takamatsuhigashi Interchange (East Takamatsu Interchange) - (Takamatsu Expressway) - Takamatsuchuo Interchange (Central Takamatsu Interchange) - (general road) - Takamatsuchuo Interchange Bus Terminal - (general road and National Route 11) - Yume Town Takamatsu - (National Route 11) - Ritsurin Garden Mae - (National Route 11) - Kencho-dori (Prefectural office street) - (National Route 11 and 30) - JR Takamatsu Station
Bus stops
The triangle tip indicates the traveling direction. A circle stands for a terminal station.
Filled in black: Boarding only
Filled in white: Dropping off only
Interior facilities
Vehicle: Bus (West JR Bus Company mainly uses super high-decker buses)
Four rows of reclining seats
Toilet
Leg rest (It is provided for all of the buses of Shikoku Express Bus and some buses of JR Shikoku Bus eccept the airport limousines)
Armrests between seats (It is provided for most buses of Shikoku Express Bus and JR Shikoku Bus, and some buses for Seishun Dream of West JR Bus Company)
History
March 30, 2001
West JR Bus Company, Shikoku Railway Company (at that time), Keihan Bus and Shikoku Express Bus have started the operation of Takamatsu Express Kyoto-go.
The operation is from Kyoto Station to Takamatsu Station (Kagawa Prefecture) via Meishin Expressway, Chugoku Expressway, Sanyo Expressway, Kobe Awaji Naruto Jidoshado Expressway (Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge), Tokushima Prefectural Road 12 Naruto Ikeda Road and Takamatsu Expressway, using a High Decker or Super High Decker equipped with four-row seats.
July 22, 2002
The route has been changed with the opening of the section between Takamatsu Narutomon Interchange and Itano Interchange.
August 1, 2002
Narutonishi Parking Area Bus Stop has been newly established.
November 1, 2002
Minor change of the operation routes
Yume Town Takamatsu and Takamatsu-chuo Interchange Minami Bus Stops have been newly established, and Takamatsu-chuo Interchange Entrance Bus Stop has been abolished.
October 1, 2005
Meishin-Oyamazaki, Meishin-Takatsuki, Takamatsu-chuo Interchange (this stop is for loading only, and Takamatsu-chuo Interchange Minami Bus Stop was kept used at this time) and Ritsurin Garden Bus Stops have been newly established.
July 1, 2006
Takamatsu-chuo Interchange Bus Stop for Unloading has been newly established. Takamatsuchuo-inter-minami Bus Stop has been abolished.
February 26, 2007
Shishinosato Miki Bus Stop has been newly established.
April 1, 2009
The number of round-trip services per day has been increased to seven on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Fare
The bus ticket has to be purchased in advance at a ticket center, convenience store (Lawson, Familymart, etc.) or travel agency. Reservation can be made by telephone or via the Internet.
All the tickets can be purchased at JR Ticket Office. A clerk at a window other than those of JR-West in the Keihanshin area and of JR Shikoku may be inexperienced in issuing these tickets.