Hi everyone! My family and I (8 people) will be going on a trip to Osaka, Kyoto, + a one day trip to Kobe in early January for 10 days, 9 nights.
I’ve already finalized our itinerary but I haven’t booked any train passes yet since I’m a bit confused as to which to get. I consulted Google Maps for each instance of train/subway travel and it matches up with the railways under the Osaka Metro Passes on Klook. However, I’m still unsure about whether it’s the best option as we won’t be traveling by train on consecutive days, and we will be needing to use the Shinkansen traveling from Osaka to Kyoto and back again. I can’t find a way to construct train schedules using only JR trains since Google has been just giving me railway lines that are most fitting from one destination to another, I think.
I also know about the ICOCA card, but I’m still not sure about whether or not it’s worth getting.
I’ll be attaching the train travel-relevant days of our itinerary below, where train transfer schedules were made through consulting Google. The train transfer details are the ones in bullet points. I plan to book 1-day Osaka Metro Passes for us on Days 5 and 9, though I’m not sure still about that decision so I was hoping to get input here about which passes I should get for us. Thank you!
**Day 2**
Hotel 1 to Nishi Umeda Park
* Hotel -> Namba Station (Platform 2) (walking)
* Namba Station -> Nishi-Umeda Station (via Yotsubashi Line Local towards Nishi-Umeda)
* Nishi-Umeda Station -> Nishi Umeda Park (walking)
Meet up for Bus pickup to Nabana No Sato
Return to Nishi Umeda park from Nabana no Sato
Dinner and return to hotel 1 by train (see above)
Bus pickup and transportation above are accounted for from a tour.
**Day 4**
Universal Studios Japan
* Hotel -> Osaka-Namba Station (Platform 3) (walking)
* Osaka-Namba Station -> Nishikujo Station (via Hanshin-Namba Line Local towards Amagasaki)
* Nishikujo Station -> Universal-City Station (via JR Yumesaki Line towards Sakurajima)
**Day 5 (PLANNING TO BOOK OSAKA METRO PASS)**
Hotel 1 to Kaiyukan Aquarium
* Hotel -> Namba Station (Platform 2) (walking)
* Namba Station -> Hommachi Station (via Yotsubashi Line Local towards Nishi-Umeda)
* Hommachi Station -> Osakako Station (via Chuo Line Local towards Cosmo Square)
* Osakako Station -> Kaiyukan Aquarium (walking distance)
Tempozan Harbor Village for Lunch/Shopping
Tempozan Harbor Village to Shin-Osaka Station
* Tempozan Harbor Village -> Osakako Station (Platform 1) (walking)
* Osakako Station -> Hommachi Station (Platform 2) (via Chuo Line Local towards Cosmo Square)
* Hommachi Station -> Shin-Osaka Station (via Midosuji Line Local towards Esaka)
Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station via Shinkansen
Dinner/Shopping at Kyoto StationHotel 2 (Walking distance)
**Day 6**
Hotel 2 to Karasuma Gojo (Subway Gojo Sta.) (walking)
Karasuma Gojo to Kiyomizu-dera
* Karasuma Gojo to Gojozaka (via Keihan Bus 四条山科醍醐線３１１：大宅 towards Oyake)
* Gojozaka to Kiyomizu-dera (11 minute walk)
Kiyomizu-dera Temple (approx. 3 hours)
Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka for approx. 2 hours (walking distance)
Gion District for approx. 3+ hours (walking distance)
Return to hotel 2 (24 minute walk)
**Day 8**
Shinkyogoku Shopping District for approx. 3 hours duration (18 minute walk)Shinkyogoku to Kyoto Station
* Shinkyogoku to Kawaramachi Sanjo Kita (5 minute walk)
* Kawaramachi Sanjo Kita to Shiokoji Takakura (via bus 市営２０５乙 towards Shiei 205 (Kyoto Eki/Kujo Shako Yuki)
* Shiokoji Takakura to Kyoto Station (4 minute walk)
Kyoto Station to Shin-Osaka Station via Shinkansen
Shin-Osaka Station to Hotel 3
* Shin-Osaka Station to Namba Station (via Midosuji Line Local towards Nakamozu)
* Namba Station to hotel (10 minute walk)
Kuromon Market for approx. 1 hour (20 minute walk)
Tsutenkaku, Shinsekai (20 minute walk)
Shinsekai to Hotel 3
* Shinsekai to Shin-Imamiya Station (7 minute walk)
* Shin Imamiya Station (Platform 3) to JR Namba Station (via Yamatoji line Rapid towards JR Namba)
* JR Namba Station to Hotel 3 (5 minute walk)
**Day 9 (PLANNING TO BOOK OSAKA METRO PASS)**
FAIRFIELD BY MARRIOTT OSAKA NAMBA to Sannomiya Station
* Hotel to Namba Station (7 minute walk)
* Namba Station (Platform 2) to Nishi-Umeda Station (via Yotsubashi Line Local towards Nishi-Umeda)
* Nishi-Umeda Station to Osaka Station (5 minute walk)
* Osaka Station (Platform 5) to Sannomiya Station (via Tokaido-Sanyo Line Rapid towards Aboshi)
Sannomiya Center Street (approx. 2 hours)
Kobe harborland umie
* Sannomiya Station to Kobe Station (via Tokaido-Sanyo line towards Nishi-Akashi)
* Kobe Station to Kobe harborland umie (5 minute walk)
umie to hotel 3
* Umie to Kobe Station (5 minute walk)
* Kobe Station to Osaka Station (via Tokaido-Sanyo Line Special Rapid towards Nagahama)
* Osaka Station to Nishi-Umeda Station (6 minute walk)
* Nishi-Umeda Station to Namba Station (via Yotsubashi Line Local towards Suminoekoen)
* Namba Station to Hotel 3 (10 minute walk)
TLDR; I’m confused whether or not I should get the JR pass if I’m only going to travel between Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe and will use the railway lines in the itinerary above, leaning instead to getting the Osaka Metro passes on certain days only. Also not sure if I should get ICOCA for everyone in our family of 8.
Any and all advice would be very very much appreciated! Whether it be on the topic of this, or on the topic of train travel/navigation in Japan, regarding the itinerary or going to Japan in general. Thank you so much and have a great day!
4 comments
https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
You would probably want to get the ICOCA card regardless, for the convenience (rides not included in your passes like subways/metros, tap to pay at konbini’s, supermarkets, certain restaurants/shops/vending machines, etc.)
Shinkansen rides between Kobe <-> Osaka and Kyoto <-> Osaka are quite cheap due to the short distance. I think JR pass would be overkill even with your other JR commutes. (Off the top of my head)
Also there’s a standard train that goes between Kyoto station and Shin-Osaka station in 23mins, only about 8-9mins longer than shinkansen but it’s a lot cheaper. Though not sure if you will get seats…
You don’t need a JR pass for this itinerary. Just use the ICOCA. You don’t even need to use the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Osaka. You can take the JR express limited trains, the JR special rapid trains, or the slower trains for cheaper travel. Or you can use the Kintetsu or Hankyu lines that goes to Osaka. You can even do that to get to Kobe. Only use the JR pass if you’re traveling far afield and often. Especially to places like Tokyo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kanazawa, etc… Also there’s regional passes you can look into like the Kansai thru pass, JR Sanyo/ Sanyo-Sanin pass, JR Kansai pass, or the JR west pass. Definitely use Japan-guide.com
You do not need to take the Shinkansen to Kyoto or Kobe, using local train will often get you to use a more simple route. Just use Google Maps between your hotel and the attractions you want to see.
Using the Icoca will not save you any money, it will just manoir easier to pay for the transit.
You can actually check to get the Kansai one pass. It is a tourist version of the Icoca and it offer rebates in different attractions, otherwise it works exactly as a normal Icoca (and can be used across Japan as a normal Icoca, despite the website focusing on use in Kansai).