JR Kansai Hiroshima pass: Hiroshima to Kyoto

Hello. My girlfriend and I are excited to be travelling to Japan for 14 days at the beginning of November.

We fly to Kansai and then travel to Hiroshima/Miyajima for a couple of days and then need to get a train to Kyoto.

We have purchased the JR West Kansai Hiroshima 5 days passes because it worked out cheaper than buying separate tickets.

I know it says in the conditions that the shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto cannot be used, but a rapid/ltd express train is covered.

It does say "Unlimited use of non-reserved seats on the Sanyo Shinkansen (including Nozomi and Mizuho) ".

When I look for a train from Hiroshima to Kyoto on hyperdia, there is a direct SHINKANSEN NOZOMI 36 train. Can we stay on this train for the extra stop at Kyoto or do we have to get off at Shin-Osaka and get a JR Special Rapid Service to Kyoto?

I would suspect you have to get off the shinkansen at Shin-Osaka.

You cannot use any shinkansen trains between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.

When I look for a train from Hiroshima to Kyoto on hyperdia, there is a direct SHINKANSEN NOZOMI 36 train. Can we stay on this train for the extra stop at Kyoto

No. The Tokaido Shinkansen is not covered. You cannot ride the shinkanen between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.

or do we have to get off at Shin-Osaka and get a JR Special Rapid Service to Kyoto?

You should get off at Shin-Osaka and can take any JR train to Kyoto, be it a special rapid, limited express, rapid or local.

The use of Shinkansen is unlimited, meaning you can take it as many times as you want, but only within the validity area, of course.

If you want to remain on the Shinkansen until Kyoto, you have yo purchase a ticket from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto.

Thanks everyone for your quick feedback even though it's not the response I hoped for.

It's a shame JR don't have an agreement to allow pass holders to stay on for one more stop :(

Goldilox, the two stations are in two separate JR companies' area of responsibility and the Kansai pass is not part of Tokai region. Be happy there are passes like yours where you can save even more money than the national JR Pass. I'm going to fully take advantage of the Sanyo-San'In pass that's 10K yen cheaper than the JRP and allows unlimited reserved seats on Nozomi and Mizuho. Be grateful for what you're offered.... :-)

one transfer and an extra 15 minutes of your life wont kill you.

It is still not unreasonable to imagine that JR West and JR Central could have an agreement to make the JR West passes valit on the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Maybe if enough people ask...

I agree, no it isn't unreasonable. While it would be good to have that part of the shinkansen section of line added. There must be a financial reason why it is not.

But arrogant JR Central being arrogant JR Central would have asked for a large part of the pie, which would have increased that pass prices from 13,500 to something a lot higher.

Pay extra 1000s of yen just to use the shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto. When JR West can offer local and rapids instead for no increased value.

Of course we'll make the change. It shouldn't be too difficult. We fly to Kansai on Sunday. Very excited now!

I have read about JR west and central being separate entities operating different parts of the line but I don't claim to know anything about the working relationship between the two. It's just my view as a visitor that it doesn't make much sense to make passengers change trains when the one they are already on is going to the destination one stop later... but anyway it's nothing much to worry about.

Thank you again to those that answered my question. We just wanted to be clear to avoid getting in any trouble with the train police :)

Kind regards