From Kansai International Airport to Osaka and Kyoto | Choosing between the Kansai-Airport Express HARUKA, Nankai Rapi:t and the Limousine Bus
Three ways to get from Kansai International Airport to Osaka and Kyoto, compared by fare, travel time and where you get off. The comparison is based on official information about JR West's Kansai-Airport Express HARUKA, Nankai's Limited Express Rapi:t and Airport Express, and the Kansai Airport Limousine Bus run by Kansai Airport Transportation Enterprise.
Overview
From Kansai International Airport you can reach Osaka and Kyoto with two railway companies or by bus. Which one to choose comes down to two things: the station closest to where you are staying and how much luggage you have. This article compares three routes whose fares are officially published.
- JR West's Kansai-Airport Express HARUKA: goes to Tennoji, Osaka, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto with no transfers. If you are going to Kyoto by rail, this is the train to take.
- Nankai (Limited Express Rapi:t and Airport Express): goes to Namba in Osaka with no transfers.
- Limousine bus: goes to Osaka Station (Umeda), Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit and other stops with no transfers. You can check large luggage into the bus's luggage compartment.
Your options
| Route | One-way fare | Travel time (approx.) | Where you get off |
|---|---|---|---|
| HARUKA (to Kyoto) | Adult ¥2,200 / Child ¥1,100 | About 78 min | Kyoto |
| HARUKA (to Osaka / Shin-Osaka) | Adult ¥1,800 / Child ¥900 | About 45 min to Osaka | Osaka / Shin-Osaka |
| Nankai Limited Express Rapi:t | Adult ¥970 + limited express ticket ¥700 | 34 min at the fastest | Namba |
| Nankai Airport Express | Adult ¥970 | About 45 min | Namba |
| Limousine bus (for Osaka Station) | Adult ¥1,800 / Child ¥900 | About 60 min | Osaka Station (Umeda) |
| Limousine bus (for Kyoto Station) | Adult ¥2,800 / Child ¥1,400 | About 85–90 min | Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit |
The HARUKA travel times are examples taken from the timetable of daytime trains. The limousine bus travel times are the official estimates for boarding at Terminal 1.
The HARUKA fares are the prices of a discount ticket for visitors
The HARUKA fares in the table are the prices of JR West's HARUKA One-way Ticket. It can only be used by people who hold a passport issued by a foreign government and entered Japan with the status of residence Temporary Visitor. Japanese nationals cannot use it.
This ticket cannot be bought in Japan. Before you come to Japan, reserve it on JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION, or buy an Exchange Order (E-TICKET) from a travel agency outside Japan. Reservations open one month before the day you travel.
If you cannot use this ticket, or have not bought one, buy a basic fare ticket and a limited express ticket separately at the station and ride with those. In that case you pay the undiscounted fare.
Ages for child fares
- HARUKA (HARUKA One-way Ticket): adults are 12 and over, and children are 6 to 11. Age is counted at the time of reservation (for an Exchange Order, at the time it was issued).
- Limousine bus: the child fare applies to elementary school students aged 6 to 12. Even at age 12, a child who attends elementary school pays the child fare. Children not yet in elementary school ride free, up to one for each adult or child passenger who pays a fare. A second or further such child pays the child fare. A child not yet in elementary school also pays the child fare if they use a seat of their own.
- Nankai: the child limited express ticket for the Limited Express Rapi:t is ¥350. Check the child basic fare (the price of the basic fare ticket) on the fare chart at the station or on Nankai's official website.
Step by step
Getting to the station or bus stop
Floors are numbered the Japanese way, the same as on the airport signs (1F is the ground floor).
- Rail (JR and Nankai): Kansai-Airport Station is connected to the 2nd floor (2F) of Terminal 1 and to the 2nd floor of AEROPLAZA.
- Limousine bus: the bus stops are on the 1st floor (1F) of Terminal 1. Terminal 2 also has bus stops.
If your flight arrives at Terminal 2 and you are taking the train, take the free shuttle bus to AEROPLAZA, then walk to the station.
Riding the HARUKA
- After you arrive in Japan, collect your reserved ticket at a ticket machine or ticket office at Kansai-Airport Station. Have ready your reservation number, the 4-digit number you chose when you reserved, the credit card you used to reserve, and your passport.
- To collect it at a ticket machine, you need a passport with an IC chip. If your passport does not have an IC chip, collect it at the ticket office.
- You can reserve a seat at a reserved seat ticket machine or the ticket office. If you reserved your ticket online, you can also reserve your seat online.
Riding Nankai
- The Limited Express Rapi:t has reserved seats only. You need a limited express ticket in addition to the basic fare ticket. You can buy limited express tickets at the limited express ticket counters or ticket machines in the station.
- If you buy online through the Nankai Limited Express Ticketless Service, the limited express ticket is ¥150 cheaper. If you buy the limited express ticket on the train, it costs ¥300 more than buying it at the station.
- The Airport Express can be ridden with a basic fare ticket only. You do not need a limited express ticket.
Riding the limousine bus
- Buy your ticket before you board the bus, at a ticket machine or ticket counter near the bus stop. The airport's ticket machines and ticket counters accept credit cards.
- On buses for Osaka Station and for Kyoto Station, you can also pay on board with a contactless card or a smartphone.
- Buses for Osaka Station and for Kyoto Station do not need a reservation when you board at the airport. Passengers board in the order they lined up at the stop.
- You can put suitcases and similar items in the luggage compartment, up to 2 per person. You are given a claim ticket when you hand them over, so do not lose it before you get off.
Costs
If you are staying near Namba, the cheapest option is Nankai's Airport Express. It costs ¥970 for adults, and you do not need a limited express ticket. If you are in a hurry, you can take the Limited Express Rapi:t. That adds a limited express ticket of ¥700.
To Osaka Station (Umeda), the HARUKA (with the discount ticket described above) and the limousine bus (for Osaka Station) have the same adult fare: ¥1,800. Neither requires a transfer. The limousine bus lets you check large luggage into the luggage compartment, so it suits you if you have a lot of luggage or are traveling with children.
To Kyoto, the HARUKA costs ¥2,200 for adults, and the limousine bus (for Kyoto Station) costs ¥2,800 for adults. The HARUKA is cheaper and also faster. However, this HARUKA fare, too, is only for people who can use the discount ticket described above.
Good to know
- The travel times in the table are estimates. They vary with the train, the time of day and road conditions.
- How far IC cards such as Suica can be used in the Kansai region is summarized in Where in Japan can you use Suica and ICOCA? | IC card areas and what to know when riding between areas.
- Fares and travel times may change. This article is based on official information as of the date it was retrieved, so check each company's official page for the latest conditions before you set off.