Aichi to Osaka?

I'm going to be in Aichi for 9 months, but I have friends who live near Umeda in Osaka. They want me to visit them but apparently Shinkasen will cost me roughly $160 return trip. Is there any other way to get there? Time isn't an issue. I would be prepared to take many trains, for example!

Where in Aichi?
Can you get to Nagoya pretty easily?
From Nagoya, you can take JR local/rapid trains to Osaka in about 2.5-3 hours, or Kintetsu trains to Osaka (Namba) then connect to Umeda.

There are also highway buses that take similar travel times.

I'm going to be in Nishio, but I'm pretty sure I could get to Nagoya somehow!
I've read a bit about the Kinsetsu trains, but by any chance would you have any idea how much it would cost? Or could direct me to a website with a train timetable??

Thanks otherwise!

Make your way to nagoya:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3302.html

Then change your to/from to Osaka.

Alternately go to hyperdia.com

However this is if you really know what route and train you want to take because the system is very picky. If you want cheap deselect 'SHINKANSEN' and 'LIMITED EXPRESS' however it might deselect kintetsu trains at the same time.

You'll see you'll get a slew of transfers required most of them through Nagoya/MeietsuNagoya/Kinetsu Nagoya.

Alternately, take a direct bus at Nagoya Station.

Kintetsufs limited express called Urban Liner departs twice every hour for Namba.
The first train departs at 6:30 in weekday (at 6:00 in weekend). Then, trains depart at 00 minute and 30 minute every hour. The last train departs at 21:30.

It takes two hours from Nagoya to Namba, costs 4,150 yen. Reservation is required.
This is Kintetsufs website.
http://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/index.html

Hi Emily,

If time,and comfort is no option, you can take the bus for 1500Y and takes 3 hours. The link is at:

http://www.123bus.net/route/nagoya/nagoya-osa.html

I have not taken the bus so I can not offer a personal recommendation.

Cheers,

George

Thanks everyone. I had looked at the 123 buses before, but it must have been a different one (Tokyo - Osaka,no stopovers in Aichi)
Since I have a month or so until I go to Aichi, I'll do a bit more reasearch. :)
Thank you so much!