Sone Station (Osaka)

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Sone Station (Osaka) is a passenger railway station in Toyonaka city, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by Hankyu Railway and lies on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line, 8.7 km from Osaka-umeda, the line’s terminus.

Layout and facilities:
The station has two elevated island platforms with the concourse underneath. The platform length accommodates 10-car trains. The ticket gates and concourse are on the second floor, while the platforms are on the third floor. A storage track lies north of the platforms, connecting Tracks 2, 3, and 4.

Platforms:
- Platform 1: For trains toward Takarazuka, Kawanishi-Noseguchi, Ishibashi handai-mae, and Minoo.
- Platform 2: For trains toward Osaka-umeda.

History:
Sone Station opened on May 30, 1912. Since the 1970s there have been plans to build a line from Sone to Itami Airport to provide through service to Osaka-umeda. Hankyu shelved the plans in the 1980s due to capacity limits, but they were reportedly revived in 2017 and remained under consideration as of 2018. The Itami Airport terminal is about 4 km from Sone. Station numbering was introduced on December 21, 2013, with Sone designated HK-44.

Passenger usage:
In fiscal year 2019, the station was used by an average of 24,131 passengers daily.

Surrounding area:
Toyonaka City Cultural Arts Center (the former Toyonaka Civic Hall).

See also:
List of railway stations in Japan.