Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka by Shinkansen | Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama compared, where to board, travel time and fares
How to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka on the Tokaido Shinkansen, based on official information from JR Central, JR West and smartEX. Covers the differences between Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama, where to board and get off, changing trains at Shin-Osaka Station for Osaka Station, fares when you buy on smartEX, the trains you can ride with a JAPAN RAIL PASS, and the seats with a view of Mt. Fuji.
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Overview
From Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka, you can take JR Central's Tokaido Shinkansen. You board at Tokyo Station, Shinagawa Station or Shin-Yokohama Station, and get off at Kyoto Station or Shin-Osaka Station.
- Tokyo Station, Shinagawa Station and Shin-Yokohama Station: the stations where you board the Shinkansen. You can board Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama trains at any of these stations.
- Kyoto Station: get off here when you are going to Kyoto.
- Shin-Osaka Station: get off here when you are going to Osaka.
- Osaka Station (Umeda): change to a different JR line at Shin-Osaka Station to get here.
From Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station, the fastest trains take 2 hours 21 minutes (JR Central announcement, as of March 2026).
Your options
Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama: the differences
The Tokaido Shinkansen has three types of trains, which stop at different numbers of stations (JR Central information).
| Train | Stations it stops at between Tokyo Station and Shin-Osaka Station |
|---|---|
| Nozomi | Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto |
| Hikari | The stations where Nozomi stops, plus some other stations |
| Kodama | Every station |
All of these trains stop at Shinagawa Station, Shin-Yokohama Station and Kyoto Station. Nozomi is the fastest and also runs most often: at some times in the morning and evening, up to 13 Nozomi trains run per hour (from March 14, 2026). According to JR Central's announcement, morning and evening Nozomi trains take 2 hours 27 minutes or 2 hours 30 minutes from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station. Hikari and Kodama take longer because they stop at more stations.
With a JAPAN RAIL PASS, you cannot ride Nozomi trains. You can ride Hikari and Kodama trains. To ride a Nozomi train with the pass, buy the "[ONLY WITH JAPAN RAIL PASS] NOZOMI MIZUHO Ticket" for each ride. From Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station or Shin-Osaka Station, it costs ¥4,960 (tax included) (JAPAN RAIL PASS official website information). For details, see JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Pass): Prices, How to Buy and How to Use | Official Website vs. Overseas Agent Prices, and How to Ride Nozomi and Mizuho.
Costs
Fares (when you buy on smartEX)
The table below shows the amounts in the official fare table of smartEX, the online booking service. Each amount is the one-way price for one adult, combining the basic fare ticket and the limited express ticket, in the regular season (as of April 1, 2025). The price is the same whether you board at Tokyo Station or at Shinagawa Station.
| Section | Reserved seat (Nozomi) | Reserved seat (Hikari / Kodama) | Non-reserved seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo / Shinagawa – Kyoto | ¥13,970 | ¥13,650 | ¥13,320 |
| Tokyo / Shinagawa – Shin-Osaka | ¥14,520 | ¥14,200 | ¥13,870 |
| Shin-Yokohama – Kyoto | ¥13,300 | ¥12,980 | ¥12,650 |
| Shin-Yokohama – Shin-Osaka | ¥14,190 | ¥13,870 | ¥13,540 |
Reserved seats on Nozomi cost more than reserved seats on Hikari and Kodama. Non-reserved seats cost the same regardless of the type of train. Green Car prices are as follows.
| Section | Green Car (Nozomi) | Green Car (Hikari / Kodama) |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo / Shinagawa – Kyoto | ¥18,840 | ¥18,520 |
| Tokyo / Shinagawa – Shin-Osaka | ¥19,390 | ¥19,070 |
Prices for reserved seats and the Green Car change depending on when you travel. They are ¥200 cheaper in the off-peak season, ¥200 more expensive in the peak season, and ¥400 more expensive in the busiest peak season. Non-reserved seats cost the same all year round (JR Central and smartEX information).
Reserved seat tickets on smartEX are cheaper than those bought at a station, and non-reserved seat tickets cost the same as those bought at a station (smartEX information). Fares for conventional lines beyond Shin-Osaka Station are charged separately.
For children (aged 6 to 11), the price from Tokyo or Shinagawa to Kyoto is ¥6,980 for a reserved seat (Nozomi) and ¥6,660 for a non-reserved seat. To Shin-Osaka, it is ¥7,250 for a reserved seat (Nozomi) and ¥6,930 for a non-reserved seat. Children's tickets and the conditions under which infants can ride without a ticket are explained in How to buy Shinkansen tickets | Online booking such as smartEX, ticket machines and ticket offices, reserved and non-reserved seats, and the days when all Nozomi seats are reserved.
Step by step
How to ride, step by step
- Buy your ticket. You can buy it online (smartEX), at a reserved seat ticket machine in the station, or at the Midori-no-madoguchi (JR ticket office) in the station. How to buy is explained in How to buy Shinkansen tickets | Online booking such as smartEX, ticket machines and ticket offices, reserved and non-reserved seats, and the days when all Nozomi seats are reserved.
- Go through the Shinkansen ticket gate at Tokyo Station, Shinagawa Station or Shin-Yokohama Station, and board the train you booked. If you have a non-reserved seat ticket, board a non-reserved car on a train that stops at the station where you will get off (Kyoto Station or Shin-Osaka Station).
- Get off at Kyoto Station if you are going to Kyoto, or at Shin-Osaka Station if you are going to Osaka.
After getting off the Shinkansen at Shin-Osaka Station, change to a JR conventional line to go to Osaka Station. According to JR West, the guideline time for changing from the Shinkansen to a conventional line at Shin-Osaka Station is 10 minutes, and the guideline time for changing to the Osaka Metro (subway) is 11 minutes. Trains to Osaka Station leave from conventional line platforms 7 and 8. The platform signs show "大阪・三ノ宮方面" (for Osaka / Sannomiya).
Good to know
Seats with a view of Mt. Fuji, and other notes
- During set periods such as the year-end and New Year holidays, all seats on all Nozomi trains are reserved, and there are no non-reserved seats. The periods are listed in How to buy Shinkansen tickets | Online booking such as smartEX, ticket machines and ticket offices, reserved and non-reserved seats, and the days when all Nozomi seats are reserved.
- If you bring a large suitcase on board, you may need to reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area. For details, see How to Bring a Large Suitcase on the Shinkansen | Reserving a Seat with an Oversized Baggage Area and Where to Put Your Luggage.
- You can also send your luggage from one accommodation to the next. How to send it is explained in Send Your Suitcase by Courier | Airport to Accommodation, Accommodation to Airport (Yamato Transport).