cheapest train from Nagoya to Nara and Kyoto

hi! I'll be in Japan for 5 days arriving in Nagoya. Will be meeting some friends in Nara and Kyoto. What will be the best and cheapest way to travel there by train?

Will it be best to purchase Kintetsu rail pass for those trips?

For Nagoya - Kyoto, you could look into the Platt Kodama.

JR Nagoya sta - JR Ogaki sta(by Tokaido line to Ogaki sta)
JR Ogaki sta - JR Maibara sta(by Tokaido line to Maibara sta)
JR Maibara sta - JR Kyoto sta(by Biwako line to Himeji sta)
fare:2590 yen, 135 mins

Meitesu bus center(JR Nagoya sta) - JR Nara sta(by meitesu bus)
fare:2550 yen(single), 3900(until Dec 25)-4100 yen(return), 160 mins

Meitesu bus center(JR Nagoya sta) - JR Kyoto sta(by JR-Tokai bus)
fare:1400 yen(pre-booking) - 2550 yen(single), 4100 yen(return), 180 mins

If you will be here on a tourist visa then I would definitely get the Kintetsu pass. That would be an excellent option for you.

Yes, Kintetsu pass at 3600 for 5 days is by far the cheapest. However, the fastest route on that line will take just under 3 hours transferring once through Yamatoyagi. If you just paid for Shinkansen, it is 5100 yen each way (unreserved), but it only takes 35 minutes! So you will be spending nearly 2.5 hours extra each way to save that money. With a trip of only 5 days, I don't think I would waste that much time to save that money, myself. But it just depends on your goals, schedule and budget.

The trip between Kyoto and Nara is pretty cheap on either JR or Kintetsu (600-700 yen) if you don't get the pass.

I'll be in Japan for 10 days. Kintetsu rail pass seems to be the cheapest option. Is this the best way to travel from Nagoya to Kyoto and Nara using that pass:

Nagoya – Ise Nakagawa – Yamato Yagi – Yamato Saidaiji – Kyoto
Nagoya – Ise Nakagawa – Yamato Yagi – Yamato Saidaiji – Nara

Do you have any other suggestions on which stations to transfer to get to Kyoto and Nara?

Please help guys! Any suggestions?

Do you have any other suggestions on which stations to transfer to get to Kyoto and Nara?

Check hyperdia for the route. It depends on the specific date and time of the day and whether you use Limited Express (require reserved seat fee, 1900-2700 yen one way for each person).

As already mentioned, Shinkansen to Kyoto is much faster (35 min to Kyoto). If you take Kintetsu Limited express it will take about 160-170 min and cost additional 1900 yen with one transfer at Yamatoyagi (Route2 of the following link).

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KINTETSUNAGOYA&...

If you don't use Limited express it will take 240 min with 2 or 3 transfers.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KINTETSUNAGOYA&...

As for Nara, change destination to Nara and do it yourself.