Kansai Airport T1 to be renovated by 2025

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  • Scouring the depths of the web for aiport news, as I often do, I found this info dated December 12,2019 that reveals the plans for a complete renovation of the 1994 Renzo Piano-designed main terminal (T1) – (all in Japanese, very good visuals though)
    1. a slide deck presentation http://www.kansai-airports.co.jp/news/2019/2778/J_191212_PressRelease_T1renovation.pdf
    2. a video flythrough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81tDFjAlQFA

    Main takeaway: Vinci Airports, the managers of KIX, now managing LGW as well, are taking the labyrinthine ways of the latter to the former – you’ll be forced through a duty free store and then a shopping arcade.
    For sure it’s a departure from the Japanese way of designing airports (ie., lots and lots of dining and shops landside and free roof terraces w/ entertainment arcades for visitors…all but a duty-free store and adjoining boutiques after security / emigration), which design formula keeps getting Haneda, and also Nagoya, voted into the group of world’s best airports. But then, if Japan wants to attract millions of mostly Chinese and Asian tourists going forward, it has to entice them with endless shopping…
    Knowing well it doesn’t pay the rent, I still very much enjoyed the dearth of airside shopping in Japan; it seemed very Japanese to not shrilly shove shops into your path.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    maxgeorge
    Participant

    If you’re headed to Namba (Osaka) on the Nankai Railway train from KIX, pay the supplement and travel on the “Limited Express”.

    Not only does their “Express” make several stops, it becomes increasingly and at times severely crowded as it approaches Osaka, and has much less space for luggage.

    Both are cheaper than the JR alternatives, and Namba has good connections for the Osaka subway and trains to the rest of Kansai – Nara, Kyoto etc.

    Needless to say, all always run precisely to time.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    Vinci Airports, the managers of KIX, now managing LGW as well, are taking the labyrinthine ways of the latter to the former – you’ll be forced through a duty free store and then a shopping arcade.

    At LGW N you’re not forced to walk the plank. I won’t publish the ‘dodge’ here but it’s pretty easy to work it out.

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