Check in time for a KIX international flight?

Hi Fellow Forum Members,

I have a flight from KIX to Germany at 10:00 in December. .

Questions:
1. Is check in time 3 hours before flight time?
2. How long should I allow to get to KIX from Dotonbori?
3. Where can I find the link to train times from Namba?

Thanks for any replies.

Cheers

Ronzac

1. Is check in time 3 hours before flight time?

It varies by airline. I think check-in usually closes around 1 hour before departure, but most airlines recommend to be at the airport at least 2 hours early. Check-in is possible online typically at least 24 hours before departure. Baggage drop-off for some airlines does not open until 3 hours before departure, so arriving too early can be inconvenient, too. If your airline is part of an alliance with a large presence at the airport, bag drop-off may be possible earlier.

2. How long should I allow to get to KIX from Dotonbori?

90 minutes.

3. Where can I find the link to train times from Namba?

https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?sub_lang=nosub
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2323.html

My experience, april 2017.

Finnair flight departed around 11:00.

My hotel was Smile Hotel Namba near Sakuragawa station.

Day before departure i bought the train tickets for Nankai limited express.

Probably departed from Nankai Namba station around 7:00-7:30 so if i remember correctly i woke up around 5:45-6:00 to catch first the Hanshin train to travel 1 stop to Nankai Namba.

Nankai Namba is huge - the day before i tested how long it takes to walk to the right platform, but that was without luggage so i doubled the time - probably took around 20-30 minutes with luggage.
Managed just fine, arrived little bit before the check in start.

However, should my flight depart around 9:45-10:15 - i would probably spend the last night near the KIX. A la either in the airport or JR Hineno or Izumisano station.

BR,
Lauri

Thanks Uji and Lauri for your replies.

The link to jorudan is great. I've not seen it before. Been brought up on Google Maps. :-(
Also the link comparing J.T.P., Navitime and Google Maps is most useful.

I am making the Luggage situation easy by using TakQBin via Yamato or KDS (KIX delivery service - it's supposed to be 'same day delivery to KIX')

Yamato suggests send luggage 2 days in advance. Maybe I go with Yamato to be 100% sure of delivery.

My wife and I are staying in Dotonbori, a short walk to Namba station, so allowing 90 mins to get to KIX is now planned.

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers

Ronzac

Google Maps in Japan has gotten a lot better over the years, especially with regard to transit information, but it can still sometimes give wacky results. I never use it as the sole source of information for a routing. Occasionally Jorudan and Navitime will also fail to identify the best option for a trip, but for a very common standard route like Namba to KIX, they�fre pretty reliable.

For takuhaibin I usually go with whatever my hotel offers. Bear in mind that there is a cutoff time for pickup, so �gtwo days�h can sometimes actually be more than that. And these days, you should always check to make sure your hotel will in fact handle things for you. In the past, virtually any standard hotel would, but I�fm starting to see more of them (typically inexpensive business hotels) that have gone �gcashless�h or for whatever reason won�ft handle sending luggage anymore unless it�fs on a COD basis. If you�fre staying someplace other than a hotel, you�fll likely have to take the bags to a service counter or convenience store, but in Dotonbori/Namba you shouldn�ft have trouble finding a place. Allow time to collect it at the airport of course. Usually it only takes minutes, but if there�fs a line�c.

Thanks Kim for suggesting checking with my hotel.

I just checked with - Hotel Forza Osaka Namba Dotonbori - and they do both receiving and sending of luggage. So all is good.

Ta also for the tip of not relying on just one Route Planning option.

Cheers

Ronzac

I just checked with - Hotel Forza Osaka Namba Dotonbori

My wife and I are staying in Dotonbori, a short walk to Namba station

That�fs subway Namba Station.

Namba Station of Nankai is much further,
and the platforms are on the 3rd floor.

Allow at least 30 minutes to get there on foot.
Or, you might hope to take a taxi.

- Osaka Metro: Namba Station
https://subway.osakametro.co.jp/station_guide/M/m20/index.php

Exit 14 (near your hotel) ->
north-south walkway
(above the Midosuji Line) ->
Exit 4 ->
slope to go up
(leading to the Nankai station).

- Nankai Electric Railway: Map of Namba Station
https://www.nankai.co.jp/sites/default/files/imce/pdf/library/traffic/...

Thanks heaps omotenashi for pointing out that the - short walk - I mentioned is only to the Subway entrance. :-(

Your step by step directions are just what I need.

The first link of Map of Namba station is brilliant. I found exit 14 (Dotonbori) and following your N-S directions I found exit 4. :-)

From there it will be easy to go to KIX on the Nankai line.

Thanks again for taking the time to give links plus directions. The 2nd link is only in Japanese and my PC cannot translate it. No problem as it's not needed. It's an excellent 3 D map of the station.

Ta also for suggesting at least 30 mins to get to Nankai and the correct platform.

Cheers

Ronzac

limited express(36mins) runs twice in one hour, while regular express (45mins) runs 4 times in one hour. both are for the same destination and no transfer.

so that, if you just miss the limited express, the next regular express may arrive earlier than the next limited express.

Thanks ken for the difference between Limited and Regular express trains.

Missing one of them is therefore no problem. No transfers is a plus.

So I am well prepared for my 6 am start on 16.12. :-)

Cheers
Ronzac