Getting around · Osaka · Japan
Getting around Osaka
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Momopy~commonswiki, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Osaka Metro's Midosuji line links Shin-Osaka, Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba and Tennoji, and the JR Osaka Loop Line circles the centre. Private railways — Hankyu, Hanshin, Keihan, Kintetsu and Nankai — run to Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Koyasan and Kansai Airport. An ICOCA card works on all of them. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- KIX, ITM, UKB
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- ICOCA card
Ways to get around
Metro
Osaka Metro's nine lines run from about 5am to around midnight, with the Midosuji line the main north–south spine.
Umeda and Namba stations are huge; follow the line colour and exit numbers on the signs.
Train
JR lines serve Osaka Station, the Loop Line, Universal City and Shin-Osaka for the shinkansen; private lines run from Umeda and Namba to Kyoto, Kobe and Nara.
Walking
Namba, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura are all within a 15-minute walk of each other, and covered arcades help in rain.
Taxi
Taxis are easy to hail and useful late at night when trains have stopped.
Cycling
Osaka is flat and many locals cycle; rental and share bikes are available, but ride carefully on crowded pavements.
Boat
Short sightseeing cruises run on the Dotonbori canal and the Okawa River, and harbour cruises leave from Tempozan.
Tickets and passes
ICOCA card
A rechargeable IC card for metro, JR, private railways and buses across Kansai, also accepted at convenience stores.
Osaka Amazing Pass
A one- or two-day pass for Osaka Metro and city buses that includes free entry to dozens of attractions; it pays off only on intensive sightseeing days.
JR Kansai Area Pass
Unlimited JR travel in Kansai for set days, including Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Himeji and the Haruka airport express.
From the airport
Kansai International Airport is on an island about 50 km south of the city. Nankai's Rapi:t express reaches Namba in about 35–40 minutes; JR Haruka runs to Tennoji and Shin-Osaka, and the JR Kansai Airport Rapid to Osaka Station in about 70 minutes. Itami Airport, for domestic flights, is about 25–30 minutes from Umeda by monorail or bus.
Do you need a car?
No. Trains cover the city and the region; driving in Osaka is slow and parking expensive.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | About 15–45 minutes by train | Shinkansen, JR special rapid, or Hankyu and Keihan lines |
| Nara | About 40 minutes by train | Kintetsu line from Osaka-Namba or JR Yamatoji line |
| Kobe | About 25 minutes by train | JR special rapid from Osaka Station to Sannomiya, or Hankyu and Hanshin lines |
| Himeji Castle | About 30–60 minutes by train | Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka or JR special rapid from Osaka |
| Koyasan | About 2 hours by train and cable car | Nankai Koya line from Namba, then cable car and bus |
| Arima Onsen | About 1 hour by bus | Highway bus from Osaka (Umeda) or train via Kobe |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Osaka?
No. Trains cover the city and the region; driving in Osaka is slow and parking expensive.
+How do you get from the airport to Osaka?
Kansai International Airport is on an island about 50 km south of the city. Nankai's Rapi:t express reaches Namba in about 35–40 minutes; JR Haruka runs to Tennoji and Shin-Osaka, and the JR Kansai Airport Rapid to Osaka Station in about 70 minutes. Itami Airport, for domestic flights, is about 25–30 minutes from Umeda by monorail or bus.
+What is the best way to get around Osaka?
Metro: Osaka Metro's nine lines run from about 5am to around midnight, with the Midosuji line the main north–south spine.