The outline of the new Osaka Station has already been reported, but this report introduces the “Osaka Station Umekita Underground Exit,” a new ticket gate in the Umekita area, as well as the new platform.
JR West Japan has opened to the press the new Osaka Station Umekita area platform, which will open on March 18, as well as the new ticket gates.
The entrance and exit of the Umekita Underground Exit is located in the Umekita area undergoing redevelopment.
The entrance and exit of the Osaka Station Umekita Underground Exit, which will open on March 18, is located within the Umekita area, which is still undergoing redevelopment work. Eventually, a three-story building will be constructed at the Umekita North Exit, and an approach connecting to the Osaka Station North Gate Building direction will also be built, but currently only the entrance and exit are available.
Access to the Umekita Underground Exit is via a passageway provided across the pedestrian crossing at the end of the North Gate Building and bus terminal of Osaka Station. This passageway is surrounded by fences, partly because it passes through a construction site, but the fences are covered with sheets designed to resemble waves, so it does not give a bleak impression.
After proceeding along this passageway, one arrives at the entrance to the Umekita Underground Exit. At the time of the interview, the station and entrance names were hidden by a curtain, but the curtain will be removed on March 18, when the station opens.
The entrance and exit of the Umekita Underground Exit is equipped with stairs, escalators, and elevators. Going down the stairs, which were open at the time of this interview, leads to the concourse outside the ticket gates of the Umekita Underground Exit. This entrance is called “Umekita Underground Exit Exit 1.
The concourse outside the ticket gates is spacious and clean, as it was not yet opened. The ceiling light with its unique design catches the eye.
The concourse has a ticket office on the left, and the Umekita Underground Exit ticket gates are located beyond it. There are four automatic ticket gates, one manned (wheelchair) lane, and a unique face recognition ticket gate. The information board above the ticket gate is a digital information board.
Passing through the ticket gate and proceeding to the concourse inside the ticket gate, you will see a digital information board installed on the ceiling here as well. This digital information board displays information on platforms, locations of various facilities, train information, etc. The main feature of this digital information board is that it can display variable information according to the situation at the time. The digital information boards can also display information in real time when the train schedule is disrupted.
Platforms 21 and 22 are on the left through the ticket gates, and platforms 23 and 24 are on the right. Each can be approached by stairs, escalators, or elevators. On the platform 23 and 24 side, there is a “Restroom DX” system that allows users to check the usage status of private rooms on the information board above the entrance or via an app. At the rear of the platform 21 and 22 side, there is an underground passageway inside the ticket gates that leads to the West Exit and the existing platforms for conventional lines.
The new platform in the Umekita area has a two-sided, four-line configuration, with island-type platforms for Lines 21 and 22 and Lines 23 and 24. Of these, Lines 21 and 24 will be the platforms for the limited express trains Haruka and Kuroshio, and Lines 22 and 23 will be the platforms for the Osaka East Line. The platforms curve gently.
The departure marker above the platform features a rounded design with chamfered corners. The vertical station name markers on the walls are decorated in red, the color of the Osaka Loop Line.
One of the main features of the Umekita Underground Exit is the “Full Screen Home Door,” the world’s first platform door that can freely accommodate the door positions of different trains, which is installed on Track 21. Although the opening and closing of the platform doors could not be seen at the time of this interview, visitors should be able to see the doors open and close like sliding doors after the opening.
We have recorded a video of the walkway leading to the entrance/exit of the Umekita underground exit, through the Umekita underground exit ticket gates, and up to platforms 21 and 22, so please check that out as well.
© Source travel watch
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