how to get from shisaibashi to arashiyama?

what is the fastest and most direct way to get from shisaibashi osaka to arashiyama and how long will it take? thanks

1) Take the Midosuji Subway Line from Shinsaibashi to Umeda
2) Take the Hankyu Kyoto Line from Osaka-Umeda to Katsura
3) Take the Hankyu Arashiyama Line from Katsura to Arashiyama

A little over an hour:
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?sub_lang=nosub
(make sure you select the Hankyu Arashiyama Station)

I suggest the following route.

(1) Shinsaibashi (N15) -> (N16) Nagahoribashi by Osaka Metro.
At Nagahoribashi, Car No. 4 should be convenient for your transfer.
(2) Nagahoribashi (K16) -> (HK63) Awaji
by Metro - Hankyu through service.
At Awaji, you make a transfer via the same platform.
(3) Awaji (HK63) -> (Hk81) Katsura by Hankyu.
(4) Katsura (Hk81) -> (HK98) Arashiyama by Hankyu.
https://subway.osakametro.co.jp/img/osakametro_rosenzu_20250404.pdf

I think you can make the first two transfers
more quickly and more easily
than the one transfer at Umeda (shown below).

The Hankyu platform at Osaka-umeda is on the 3rd floor,
vertically away from the Osaka Metro platform on the basement.

At the subway Midosuji Line platform,
Car No. 8 should be close to the elevator.
You go up to the pathway,
exit Osaka Metro through the north gate,
turn to the right,
go into Hankyu Osaka-umeda Station,
go up to the concourse,
enter Hankyu through the gate,
check the departure track number of your train,
go up to the platform,
and catch the train.

Based on vast experience, I recommend the first suggestion (the Midosuji Line to Umeda and then the Hankyu Line to Katsura and then Arashiyama) rather than the second one for the following reasons:

1) There are 2 transfers instead of 3;

2) You are more likely to be able to get a seat if you start at the terminal station Osaka-Umeda than in Awaji (recently the trains have been much more crowded and it is harder to get a seat due to the rise in the number of tourists as well as the introduction of the reserved seat Privace car which means there's one less unreserved car);

3) It's less complicated; and

4) Sometimes you have to wait to transfer to a train at Awaji (which is an outdoor transfer as opposed to the indoor one in Umeda Station) and various types of trains will pass along the same track.

You can usually easily get from the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line to the Hankyu Kyoto line tokkyu platform within a few minutes.

To give more details to Omotenashi's directions:

Exit the north exit of the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line and turn right.

Walk a couple of minutes until you see the escalator on your left.

Go up that escalator and then walk straight ahead and go up the next escalator in front of you.

That will take you to in front of the 2nd floor entrance to the Hankyu trains.

Go through the ticket wickets and turn right and take the escalator up to Track 1 or 2 (the one which indicates from which platform the next Limited Express (tokkyu) train to Kyoto-Kawaramachi will depart).

All Limited Express (tokkyu) trains going to Kyoto-Kawaramachi will stop at Katsura Station, where you can transfer to the Arashiyama line.


For future reference to other readers, I do recommend Omotenashi's idea of transferring at Awaji if you're going from Kyoto to certain places in Osaka, including Tennoji, as it does save time and there's usually no seat issue.

thank you all for your time and input and suggestions to my questions, you have been very helpful. much appreciated.