Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka route and timetable. Direct access to Shin Osaka, Tennoji and Kyoto from Kansai airport

Kansai (KIX)
Limited Express Haruka from KIX is covered by this pass.
Limited Express Haruka connects Kansai airport and Kyoto via Tennoji and Shin-Osaka.
Limited Express Haruka connects Kansai airport and Kyoto via Tennoji and Shin-Osaka.

Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka may be your first train if you arrive in Kansai airport. It is operated between Kansai (Osaka) airport, Tennoji, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, Kusatsu and Maibara. But please be careful that Haruka does not stop at Osaka station. It stop at Tennoji and Shin-Osaka. If you want to go to Osaka station, you have to transfer to the local train at Shin-Osaka. This express train has 30 round trips a day and are operated mostly every 30 minutes.

After you arrive Kansai airport, you can exchange your JR Pass and take this train to Osaka. JR Pass cover fully this train. Haruka takes you to Shin-Osaka station for about 1 hour. It is fast and convenient. But this train does not take you to Osaka station and does not drop you off at the door of Hotel either. We have an Airport limousine bus to many place in Greater Osaka and Hi-speed ferry service to Kobe. So if you go to Greater Osaka area, I recommend you to take other transportation.

And also if you stay several days in downtown Osaka, please think about saving your rail pass days. Please refer this tips.

Route and stations

Haruka runs between Kansai airport and Kyoto, Kusatsu, Maibara. But most of trips run between Kansai airport and Kyoto. Train to/from Kusatsu and Maibara run in early morning and late evening only as a commute express train.

Please see the operation route in the map below:

Limited Express Haruka operation map (Click to view large)

If you are looking for the timetable of Haruka, you can find it in my PDF timetable in the link below:

Due to COVID-19, it may be operated on a schedule different from the normal timetable. Check the train schedule on Hyperdia.
Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine

Special tickets and passes to cover Haruka

There are some deals available to cover this train.

JR West Kansai Area Pass

This pass is designed for unlimited JR train ride in Kansai area. But you can use one day pass to get on Haruka. This pass covers non reserved seat on Haruka. The online price of one day pass is 2,200 yen. You can purchase this online or Kansai airport station on the spot. The online price is slightly cheaper than a regular ticket (basic fare + non reserved seat fee = 2,330 yen) from Kansai airport to Shin-Osaka. If you go to Shin-Osaka or Kyoto and make some trips on JR lines, this pass gives you a great deal. Please see the link below to find the details:

how to use JR Kansai Area Pass. Compare this pass and regular fare

ICOCA and Haruka, Kansai One Pass and Haruka, Haruka discount ticket

If you take some local trains after arrival by Haruka, this special combination deal offers you a good deal and convenience. This is a discount price ticket to take non reserved seat on Haruka and IC card which covers most transportation. Please see the post below to find more information:

ICOCA and Haruka, Kansai One Pass and Haruka, aruka discount ticket. Very flexible and good deal for a tourist who stay in Kansai

Other rail passes to cover Haruka

The following deals cover this train, Haruka:

Accommodation

Find your hotels in 218 cities throughout Japan!!!

Hotels in Kansai International Airport
Hotels in Kyoto
Hotels in Nara
Hotels in Kobe
Hotels in Osaka

JR West 281 series and 271 series are used for Haruka. 281 series was introduced at the same time of Kansai airport opened in 1994. 271 series was introduced in July, 2019 because of increasing demand. But both series look almost same.

*Sonic Rail Garden has copyright for all images of accommodations below.

Green seat

The seat configuration is 2+1. It is a big seat, but the headrest is quite small.

Ordinary seat

The seat configuration is 2+2. The table is so small and the size is not enough for eat and using a laptop.

Washroom and other facilities

Baggage storage area

This storage does not have any lock and security.

Haruka train formation

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Some trains are operated by 9 cars formation.

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*G=Green seat R=Reserved seat NR=Non reserved seat

Comments

  1. Ho CP says:

    Takeshi-san, ogenki! I will be arriving at KIX on 13 Nov and staying next to Suminoekoen subway station. I will meet my group at either KIX or Sanomiya station the next day to go on a weeklong tour. On 21 Nov I will return to KIX to go to Kyoto for 2 days to tour in and around Kyoto. Then I will return to Osaka, stay for 1 night and fly off from KIX on 24Nov. Will the Haruka+ICOCA return pass be the best option? Would appreciate your advice and suggestions if there are better alternatives.
    CP

  2. Rob says:

    Is the 5 day Kansai-hiroshima area pass valid for this ?

  3. Scott says:

    Hello,

    I will be staying at a hotel near Kansai Airport and will then take a train the next morning to Kyoto.

    1) Do I need to purchase this ticket in advance? Or can I simply go to the airport train station the next morning and buy a train ticket to Kyoto?

    2) Which train will I need to get on at Kansai Airport Station?

    Thanks in advance!
    Scott

  4. Alfred says:

    Hi there,

    My family of will be traveling from KIX to Kyoto (Hostel Haruya) for 3 nites and travel back to Osaka (Hana Hostel) for 2 nites, then heading to KIX.

    1. How much is the regular fare if I purchase Haruka Limited Express for one way to Kyoto from KIX?
    2. Can you help to suggest what kind of pass or routes I should take in Osaka/Kyoto area?

    Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
    Alfred

  5. Thomas Tan says:

    Dear Sir
    My family of 3 will be staying at Washington airport hotel and will be taking the Haruku train to Kyoto.
    Do we need to change station or will it be the same station to board the train Haruku to Kyoto at Washington airport Hotel?

    • Hi Thomas,

      I think your hotel is near Rinku town station. Haruka does not stop at this station, so you need to go back to Kansai airport station to get on Haruka. I think hotel has a shuttle service to airport.

      Haruka takes you to Kyoto directly without transfer from Kansai airport station.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  6. Kathy says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will be traveling from KIX to Kyoto for 3 nites and travel back to Tennoji Station for 2 nites, then heading to KIX.
    1. How much is the regular fare if I purchase Haruka Limited Express for one way to Kyoto from KIX?
    2. Is it worth to purchase Kansi Area Pass for the las 3 days, so I can travel from Kyoto JR station to Tennoji JR Station, use the pass when traveling inside Osaka for one day, and from Tennoji JR Station to KIX Station?
    3. Do you have better suggestion what kind of pass or routes I should take in Osaka/Kyoto area?
    This is the first time traveling to Japan, your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
    Kathy

  7. Vivien says:

    Hello,
    I will first arrived at KIX airport. My hotel is at Osaka Station. I will be at Osaka for 3days, before I go to Kyoto Station. From Kyoto Station to Itami Osaka Airport back to Singapore.

    I intend to go Rinku Outlet when I first arrive at KIX before heading to Osaka Station since I arrived early.

    Do you suggest Haruku + ICoca package 1 way only deal is good?
    As for airport to Rinku, I will take the round trip sky shuttle?

    Your advise is highly appreciated.

  8. Faibenya says:

    Hi Takeshi -san
    I will buy icoca&haruka card for go to Kyoto.
    I want to know about the seat that I buy,
    because it’s have green seat and ordinary seat right? What type of seat that I can set?
    And how different about green seat and ordinary seat?

    • Hi Faibenya san,

      This deal gives you non reserved ordinary seat only. Green seat is like a business class seat. It’s not covered by this deal. And also there are non reserved ordinary and reserved ordinary. The seat is completely same but your seat is not secured. The seat is first come first served. But usually it’s easy to get a seat. I have taken this train a few time. I have never seen all seats are full.

      You can see the images of seat in the post above.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  9. Jijee says:

    Hello,

    My family and I are planning to go to Japan. I will arrive at Kansai Airport on 3rd of August, 22:40. We’re booking a hostel in Tennnoji. Could you please recommend us how to get there from the airport at that time.

    Thank you.

  10. Al says:

    Hi Takeshi -san,

    I will be going to Osaka on 21 Aug 2015.

    Can I buy the 1-Day Kansai Area Pass (JPY2,300), and take the Haruka Express from Kansai Airport to Shin-Osaka, and then Ltd Exp Thunderbird from Shin-Osaka to Tsuruga. Then I purchase the JR Hokuriku Area Pass 4-day (JPY 5,000) for Tsuruga to Kanazawa by Ltd Exp Thunderbird.

    Please advise. Thank you.

    Al

    • Hi Al san,

      Unfortunately Kansai Area Pass does not cover Thunderbird. It covers only Haruka and other NON express trains, such as Special Rapid, Rapid and local trains. If you use these passes, you have to take Special Rapid to get Tsuruga instead of Thunderbird. Once you get Tsuruga, you can take Thunderbird.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

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