Photo= "Crosta Kyoto" reception counter for delivering tourists' baggage to JR Kansai-airport Station on the same day (Kyoto Station Building, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto)

JR West Japan Marunix Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of JR-West and headquartered in Osaka City, has started a new, same-day baggage delivery service between Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Kyoto City from April 22 for domestic and overseas tourists visiting the city.  Although it is arranged as a demonstration experiment until September, transitioning it to a standard service will be considered based on its usage.

Baggage will be delivered by truck utilizing a network that links "Crosta Kanku," a reception counter opened inside the ticket gate of JR Kansai-airport Station, "Crosta Kyoto," which was set up last December at JR Kyoto Station, and 65 hotels in Kyoto City.

The fee is 2,000 yen per bag. When visitors arriving at KIX drop their baggage off at the counter by 2:00 p.m., it will arrive at their accommodations in Kyoto City after 8:00 p.m. When departing, visitors drop their baggage off at the counter or a hotel in Kyoto City by 10:00 a.m., and can pick it up at KIX after 4:00 p.m.

The company's business department said, "We expect to handle about 60 bags per day. We want to continue this service and will discuss this with the KIX operating company, even after the experimental period is complete."

According to the Kyoto City Tourism MICE Promotion Division, baggage delivery service between Kyoto Station and accommodations in Kyoto City is handled by multiple businesses, however, there has been no same-day delivery service between Kyoto and KIX. The division expectantly said, "This will enhance the convenience for visitors and they can enjoy traveling with their hands free, which also leads to relief of congestion on public transportation." The division will support popularization of the service through publicizing it on their website.