Travel by train to Kyoto from Osaka

Hi - we are traveling to Osaka next week and I have read a lot about the cost of train travel; we are not planning on doing consecutive days of travel so a JR pass does not seem to be the right fit. How would you suggest we do Osaka to Kyoto? also is there a pass that will get us from Kansai airport into Osaka city & our hotel? With thanks in advance - Ann

Lots of options Osaka to Kyoto including 28 minute rapid services (Y560), limited express trains, (more expensive) and even shinkansen (if you want to spend nearly Y3000 for a reserved seat, but only Y1420 for non-reserved). Some of the local trains take more time (closer to an hour).

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

It depends on exactly where in Osaka you are coming from, and exactly where in Kyoto you want to go.

If coming from Osaka station to Kyoto station, you can take a JR express train; 560 yen fare and 29 min ride.

If coming from Umeda to Karasuma Shijo, you can take Hankyu express train; 400 yen fare and 40 min ride.

Etc.

Kyoto? Not Tokyo?

Your cost depends on which stations you go between,
but generally,
a one-way railway cost is several hundred yen
to get from/to Osaka City to/from Kyoto City.
Unless you travel repeatedly,
no rail pass sounds suitable for this leg only.

Where exactly in Osaka City is your hotel?
(What station does your hotel recommend you to get there?)

Will you also fly out from Kansai Airport [KIX]?

400-600 yen each way depending on which railway.

Hankyu offers access to western and central Kyoto.
Keihan offers access to eastern and north-eastern Kyoto.
JR offers a mixed bag of access depending on transfer from Kyoto station.

Hi. Have you researched about JR regional passes instead of JR pass? There are Kansai Area Passes that might suit your travel choices. You can see at japan rail pass website. They also connect Kansai Airport to Osaka. Enjoy.

Thanks so much for all your replies.
We do need to travel from Kansai airport to Shinsaibashi station as our hotel is in that area, we will then travel from that area to Kyoto city.

Hi!

It really depends on where in Kyoto you are trying to get to. As others have said there are 3 main train companies that go from Osaka to Kyoto, and where in Kyoto you are trying to reach helps decide which company makes the most sense. @Hakata14 did a really good job of laying out these options.

Assuming you are arriving in KIX, there are many ways to get from the airport to Shinsaibashi and which makes the most sense to you will depend on how much luggage you have and where in Shinsaibashi your hotel is.

You can take a direct bus from KIX to the Shinsaibashi Hotel Nikko, but the bus route is not all that frequent.

http://www.kate.co.jp/en/timetable/detail/UH

Nankai has trains that run direct from KIX to Namba Station where from there you will need to either subway, cab, or walk to your hotel. I find the walk between Namba and Shinsaibashi is short, but it's insanely crowded because it's a huge and extremely popular shopping district.

You can take JR to Namba (there might be a transfer) but the JR Namba Station is pretty separate from Nankai and the various subway Namba Stations, so if you arrive there I would probably walk above ground or use a taxi. You could also take JR to Tennoji and change there for a subway to Shinsaibashi.

You can take a limo bus to Namba or OCAT. (see using JR Namba)

Good luck!