The , known colloquially as the , , or simply , is a major Japanese private railway operator in Osaka, Kyoto, and Shiga Prefectures. The transit network includes seven lines; four main lines with heavy rolling stock, two interurban lines, and a funicular railway.
It is a subsidiary of Keihan Holdings, Ltd. ().
Keihan started its operation between Osaka and Kyoto in 1910. It was the first electric railway to connect these two cities, and the first line on the left bank of Yodo River. Keihan later purchased the lines in the à Âtsu area (à Âtsu Lines).
In the 1920s, Keihan built another Osaka-Kyoto line through its subsidiary , which merged into Keihan in 1930. This line is now known as the Hankyu Kyoto Line.
In 1943, with the power given by the (Act No. 71 of 1938), the wartime government of Japan forced Keihan to merge with Hanshin Kyà «kà  Railway to form . In 1949, the pre-war Keihan operations, except for Shinkeihan lines, were restored to independence under the original corporate name. Keihanshin Kyà «kà  Railway later changed their name to the present Hankyu Railway.
The lines operated by Keihan are grouped into Keihan Lines and à Âtsu Lines. The Keihan Lines consist of the Keihan Main Line and four branch lines that operate between Kyoto and Osaka; these use long formations of heavy rolling stock. The two à Âtsu Lines are interurbans, featuring street running sections and tram-like rolling stock; these operate between Kyoto and à Âtsu and are otherwise disconnected from the Keihan lines. The entire network is built in double track.
Additionally, Keihan Electric Railway operates a funicular railway in Yawata which provides access to Iwashimizu Shrine.
, Keihan owns a fleet of 693 vehicles (including two funicular cars), as follows.
As standard for railways in Japan, fares are distance-based. Fares have been repeatedly raised over time, most recently on October 1, 2025.
Fares can be paid with IC cards, such as ICOCA and PiTaPa, on all lines.
300 yen each way.
The name Keihan, which is also used for the KyotoâÂÂOsaka region, is derived from the words Kyoto and Osaka in Japanese, and is a clipped compound of the names, with the reading of the characters changed: and are combined to , replacing the go-on reading and kun'yomi with the kan-on readings and . This is commonly done in names for regions or train lines, with kan-on readings (the most common readings in kanji compounds) being used for the compounds, while place names use other readings. The larger region, including , is similarly called , the go-on reading replacing the kun'yomi , and the corresponding Kyoto-Kobe line is the line.
Keihan also operates (through its subsidiaries) other businesses such as bus, taxi, water bus, hotel, department store and amusement park, mainly in the area along its railway system.