Transportation by rail

1. I need to go to Kyoto station from Kansai airport and is planning to purchase JR west pass for JR Haruka limited express from airport on day of arrival. Where should I purchase ticket? Are tickets always available?

2. How do I move from Kyoto station (with luggages) to Osaka? My hotel is near Tanimachi 4-chome stn, Chuo line. P/s advise estimated cost and time with minumin transfer due to luggages.

1. I need to go to Kyoto station from Kansai airport and is planning to purchase JR west pass for JR Haruka limited express from airport on day of arrival. Where should I purchase ticket? Are tickets always available?

You buy it at the JR station at Kansai Airport. I don't think they ever sell out.


2. How do I move from Kyoto station (with luggages) to Osaka? My hotel is near Tanimachi 4-chome stn, Chuo line. P/s advise estimated cost and time with minumin transfer due to luggages.

The Station name in english is Tanimachi Yonchome Station and you have to be careful because it is on the OSAKA Subway Chuo Line (not the JR Chuo Line).

There are many routes possible
from Kyoto.

Some possible routes include:

Taking a JR Special Rapid train from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka Station. At Shin-Osaka Station change to the Osaka City Subway Midousuji Line, take that train to Honmachi Station at Honmachi Station change to the Osaka Subway Chuo Line to your final stop Tanimachi Yonchome Station

Alternately:
From Kyoto you take the JR Rapid Service train to OSAKA Station. Exit Osaka Station and find Higashi Umeda Station and take Tanimachi Line the to your final stop Tanimachi Yonchome Station. Even though this option is one transfer, I think its a bit of a walk to transfer from Osaka Station to Higashi Umeda Station, especially if you don't know the area well.

I assume you know you have to buy your JR pass (voucher) before you get to Japan. You can get your tickets when you are exchanging the voucher for your pass.

The best thing to do with your luggage is to have it sent to the hotel from the airport. Most Japanese do not travel with luggage other than a carryon. It will cost you between 1500 and 2000 yen per bag to do that. The trains don't hold much luggage and depending on the terrorism threat they sometimes rope the luggage compartments off so you can't use them. There is sometimes room behind the last seats on each train car for luggage.

There are usually several luggage forwarding companies vying for business in the airport. I would definitely use one of them.

I assume you know you have to buy your JR pass (voucher) before you get to Japan.

No. Unlike the nationwide Japan Rail Pass, the JR West Passes can be purchased inside Japan:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_03.html