Transport · Airports · Be Smart KOBE
Kobe Airport (神戸空港).
The world's first airport
linking to a train in a single app.
Kobe Airport (UKB), operated by Kansai Airports Kobe (part of the Kansai Airports group alongside KIX and ITM), has been rolling out NaviLens across its terminal since 28 September 2023. Seven weeks later, on 15 November, it hosted the world's first «airport-to-rail» trial in which visually impaired people travelled 三ノ宮 → Port Liner → Kobe Airport with the same app, on tags from the municipal subway, Kobe New Transit and the airport itself.
§ Kobe Airport in pictures
From the platform to the plane — all in 42 languages.
NaviLens and NaviLens GO tags on the Departure Lobby sign, on the pillars leading to the Port Liner connection, on the escalator down to 1F, on the 保安検査場 security totems, the coin lockers, the BABY ROOM, the accessible toilets and the Konditorei Kobe shop.
28 Sep 2023
NaviLens pilot launched at Kobe Airport with Kansai Airports Kobe
15 Nov 2023
World's first «airport-to-rail» trial Sannomiya → UKB
T1 · 1F+2F
Coverage: Port Liner platform, departures, security, lockers, toilets and shop
30 m
NaviLens and NaviLens GO tags read without focusing the camera
The client
関西エアポート神戸
Kobe Airport (UKB) is the third Kansai terminal alongside Kansai International (KIX) and Osaka International (ITM), operated by Kansai Airports Kobe within the Kansai Airports group. It sits on an artificial island south of Port Island, 18 minutes by Port Liner from Sannomiya.
The rollout is run by NPO I Collaboration Kobe with NEXT VISION and is part of the municipal Be Smart KOBE programme — the same umbrella covering JR Sannomiya, the KMTB subway and Kobe New Transit's Port Liner.
§ The challenge
Make airport and train speak the same language.
- 01
A small terminal, a long trip
Kobe Airport (UKB) is the urban terminal closest to Sannomiya — just 18 minutes by Port Liner — and runs flights for Skymark, ANA, AirDo, Solaseed and FDA. Though compact, the chain «platform → check-in → security → gate» has critical decision points where a blind person is left clueless if there's only tactile paving.
- 02
Linking plane and train
The real challenge was the join between the airport's Port Liner station, the departures hall and public services: toilets, BABY ROOM, lockers and shop. For the first time in the world, the same system was to be used on plane and train, without the user having to switch app.
- 03
Layering with what already works
The airport already had tactile braille maps, yellow tactile paving, intercoms to call staff and the «KOBE wheelchair anywhere» service. NaviLens had to add to that layer, not replace it — reading information in 42 languages from several metres and from cane height.
§ The solution
Tags at every decision point.
NaviLens was added to the existing tactile layer — yellow paving, braille maps and intercoms — placing tags at every fork: the «Departure Lobby / PORTLINER transfer» sign, pillars with arrows to the Port Liner connection, the escalator down to 1F and the three security check totems.
Unlike a QR, the codes are read from cane height, from several metres, without focusing the camera, and return the information in the 42 languages of the airport's international passengers.
§ The milestone
«Airport to rail» world's first trial.
On 15 November 2023, a group of visually impaired people travelled Sannomiya → Port Liner → Kobe Airport using a single app — NaviLens — on tags from Kobe's municipal subway (KMTB), Kobe New Transit's Port Liner and the airport itself.
It was the first time in the world an accessible wayfinding system chained urban rail and airport terminal seamlessly. Covered by Kobe Keizai News, Sun-TV and ACI Asia-Pacific.
§ Timeline
From regional terminal to accessibility hub.
28 Sep 2023
Pilot launched at Kobe Airport
Kansai Airports Kobe announces the start of the NaviLens rollout in T1, with NPO I Collaboration Kobe, within Be Smart KOBE.
Oct–Nov 2023
Full terminal coverage
Tags on the «Departure Lobby / PORTLINER transfer» sign, orientation pillars, escalator to 1F, «Security Check» totems, coin lockers, accessible toilets, BABY ROOM and Konditorei Kobe shop.
15 Nov 2023
World's first «airport-to-rail» trial
Visually impaired people travel Sannomiya → Port Liner → Kobe Airport using a single app — NaviLens — on municipal (KMTB), Kobe New Transit (Port Liner) and airport tags.
2024 →
Airport hub of Be Smart KOBE
Kobe Airport becomes one of the four nodes of the Be Smart KOBE programme alongside JR Sannomiya, the KMTB subway and the Port Liner.
§ What they said
What Kansai Airports Kobe and the local press said.
“神戸空港の運営会社である関西エアポート神戸は27日、スペインで開発された視覚障害者を支援するスマートフォン（スマホ）向けアプリ「NaviLens（ナビレンズ）」を活用した実証実験を、空港ターミナルビルで始めた。”
“アイ・コラボレーション神戸（神戸市中央区）は15日、視覚障害者の移動支援アプリ「NaviLens（ナビレンズ）」を活用し、三宮〜神戸空港の移動で実証実験を実施した。空港ターミナルから鉄道（ポートライナー）まで連続して使う世界初の実験となった。”
“Kansai Airports Kobe is conducting a demonstration test of NaviLens, a visual assistance app developed in Spain, at Kobe Airport terminal building, to further improve customer service for passengers with visual impairments.”
§ Results
A terminal that walks with al pasajero.
Readable terminal
Port Liner platform, departures hall, security, lockers, toilets and BABY ROOM with NaviLens
One app, two modes
Train and plane chained without switching app — a world first
Replicable model
Validated with Kansai Airports Kobe and exportable to the rest of the group
§ And your network?
Your next station can also speak.
Tell us about your network, your pain points and the KPIs you want to move. We’ll show you how NaviLens would fit —with comparable cases.
