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.
2011.03.06
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. Yai says:
    November 16, 2015 at 7:52 am

    Hello,

    I have plan to take Haruka express from KIX to kyoto station
    My flight arrive KIX at 6.00am so I guess that I can take a train around 7.00-8.00am

    I wonder that is there any food to buy for breakfast before taking train or can I have breakfast while I’m in the train?

    Thank you for your further response

  2. Chelsea says:
    November 11, 2015 at 10:06 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    We are arriving Kansai Airport on 13 December and using the ICOCA and Haruka straight to Kyoto Station for 3 days, After 3 days, we will head to Osaka, Kitahama area and stay there for 5 days before leaving to Kansai Airport. I understand my hotel is near to subway Kitahama station.

    Appreciate your kind comments on the following concerns:
    1) The best trains from Kyoto Station to Kitahama subway since we have 3 mid size luggages ?

    2) Best options from subway Kitahama to Kansai Airport?
    a) Buy the Haruka return tickets (we get to save more if we buy return tickets than 1 way) and depart from Shin Osaka? How to go to Shin Osaka station from subway Kitahama
    or
    b) Buy the Nankai airport train tickets
    Which one would you recommend in terms of cheaper tickets price and convenience?

    Many thanks

  3. asan chua says:
    November 10, 2015 at 3:39 am

    My family and i will be arriving at kansai airport on march 2016, our plane will arrive there at 9pm, we will staying at shin osaka station hotel, we were planning to take the jr haruka limited express, but i dont think i will think able to catch the last train 10:15pm, could you suggest another route we could take, much oblige!
    Asan Chua

  4. Bong Fonte says:
    November 7, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    Hi,

    We are arriving Kansai airport 7pm tonight and may checkout airport 8pm more or less. We are going to Kyoto at Hotel New Hankyu Kyoto. What is the best transport for us? If we take Haruka, where do i buy tickets after we arrive? Do I need to reserve or buy online? Do we have space for luggages? Anything else that you can advise. Thank you very much.

    Bong

  5. Dennis says:
    November 7, 2015 at 3:40 am

    Hello Takeshisan

    I am puzzled that when I use Hyperdia to find timetable from Maibara or Kyoto to Kansai Airport. I am not offered Haruka services.

    Has something changed or is this an anomaly in the Hyperdia system?

    Do all trains originate in Maibara or is service from there less frequent than from Kyoto to airport.

    I am looking at April 2016.

    Any advice will be appreciated.

    best wishes

    Dennis

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      November 7, 2015 at 9:33 am

      Hi Dennis san,

      Only one round trip of Haruka runs between Maibara and Kansai airport. It runs in peak hours only, Maibara to KIX in the morning and KIX to Maibara in the afternoon only. Most of Haruka runs between Kyoto and Kansai airport only.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  6. Tin says:
    November 6, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Hi! Just wondering if there is any way to know how many cars will be in a Haruka train. I read somewhere that there is a 6 or 9-car formation. How will I know if I can reserve in cars 7 to 9 for the trip I’m taking?

    Thank you.

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      November 6, 2015 at 10:15 pm

      Hi Tin,

      As far as I know, there are a few trips of Haruka operating by 9 cars formation. When you book your seat, you can ask car #7 – 9. If it’s available, you can book it. I believe there are reserved seat cars only.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  7. Janice says:
    November 3, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I’ll be going to Japan next year (2016) with my nephew. He is age 12 this year and will turn 13 next year November. I’m not sure if Japan consider the age changing by 1st January each year or until their birthday. I’ve seen your comment above that age 14 will be using Adult price, am wondering what is the age limit for child ticket? Is it child (12 and below) and adult (13 and above)?
    Thank you very much in advance.

    Best regard,
    Janice

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      November 3, 2015 at 11:35 pm

      Hi Janice san,

      In Japan, basically child rate applies to 11 years old or below. But school year starts on Apr 1st. So child rate apply to 12 year old child (elementary school student) until Mar 31.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  8. Lyn says:
    October 31, 2015 at 9:21 am

    Hi,

    I need advice which tickets should I purchase for the following route?
    KIX – Kyoto (spend 3 nights in Kyoto)
    Kyoto – Osaka (spend 1 night)
    Osaka – KIX

    Thanks

  9. Pete says:
    October 15, 2015 at 8:04 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,

    We are a family of 5 arriving Kansai on the morning of 27th November. We will be staying nearby Kyoto Station for 3 nights before moving to Shin Osaka for another 4 nights before departure at Kansai
    I have read through many of your advice and found them very informative and useful.
    My question is OK if we purchase the Haruka Express to Kyoto and at the same time a return fro Shin Osaka to Kansai. Is this the best for getting us to and fro from Kansai at cheapest cost? The reason we choose Kyoto Station and Shin Osaka for our accommodation is the convenience of getting from and to Kansai airport.
    Thanks in advance

  10. Kong Choong, Tang says:
    October 3, 2015 at 1:52 am

    Hi Takeshi San,
    I will be bringing my family (2 adults and 3 children aged 14, 9 and 7) for 10-day holiday in Japan.We will arrive in KIX and go to Osaka for 6 days before going to Kyoto for 4 days. Does the 2-way ICOCA-HARUKA Limited Express allow me to go to Osaka from KIX and then back to KIX from Kyoto?
    I also read that the ICOCA-HARUKA Express is meant for adults and not children. So should I just buy one way HARUKA Express for my 2 children?

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