JR Special Rapid Service, most useful train among Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Himeji.

Kobe, Himeji
2011.04.24
Many passengers are waiting for Special Rapid Service in Osaka station. Special Rapid is very popular for both commuters and the travelers.

Special Rapid Service is the fastest local train that is operated between Tsuruga (=敦賀) and Kamigori (=上郡) via Kyoto (=京都), Shin-Osaka (=新大阪), Osaka (=大阪), Sannomiya (=三ノ宮), Kobe (=神戸) and Himeji (=姫路). Especially JR West compete with Hankyu (=阪急) and Keihan (=京阪) between Kyoto and Osaka, with Hankyu and Hanshin (=阪神) between Osaka and Kobe. So JR West have to offer fast and good quality of services. As a result, the time required by this train is faster than Shinkansen between Osaka and Kyoto. Since Shinkansen do not have a station in downtown Kobe, this trains is faster than Shinkansen between Osaka and Kobe too. Of course this train is fully covered by Japan Rail Pass. Let’s see the details.

Route, schedule and travel time

Special Rapid Service runs the route and stop at these stations in the map below:

Operation route map (Click to view large)

In day time, Special Rapid Service train runs every 15 minutes between Yasu and Himeji. Some of this train services are extended service to Mabara, Nagahama, Tsuruga to east, and Banshu-Ako, Aboshi and Kamigori to west.

Find your hotels in 218 cities throughout Japan!!!

Hotels in Kobe
Hotels in Himeji

When you move between Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Himeji, this train service is a primary choice. If you take Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka, it takes only 13 minutes. It seems to be much faster than Shin-Osaka. But you have to change trains at Shin-Osaka if you go to somewhere in Osaka. You have to spend 10 more minutes to transfer at Shin-Osaka. Unless your destination is Shin-Osaka, Special Rapid is more convenient.

If you go to Kobe, it takes 15 minutes by Shinkansen. But Shin-Kobe station on Shinkansen is not located in downtown. You need to take subway to Sannomiya.

Shin-Kobe station guide. How to change the Shinkansen and Kobe city subway.
If you access to Kobe or leave from Kobe by the Shinkansen, this post shows you everything you need. You can find how to change the Shinkansen and subway with lots of photos.
jprail.com
2017.08.12

Even in case of going to Himeji, it may be very close. It takes 30 minutes by Shinkansen and takes 1 hour by Special Rapid. But if you take Shinkansen, you must get Shin-Osaka first. And Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Himeji does not run very frequently. It depends on your schedule in this case. If Shinkansen’s timetable fits in your schedule, take Shinkansen. Otherwise take Special Rapid Service.

Accommodation

Special Rapid Service is operated by 223 or 225 series. 225 is newer but the seat layout and the interior are same.

Images

Interior
Seat layout
The washroom is equipped in this train set.
Information screen is equipped and it is shown in a few languages.

In these above photos, the train is empty. But please see the photo below. This is the real shot. This is not the morning and evening peak times. It is a daytime scene. But this train is very busy even other than the peak hours.

Comments

  1. Bryant says:
    September 6, 2015 at 6:02 am

    Hi,

    I will like to travel from Namba to Kyoto Station. My hotel selected is Fraser Residence Nankai Osaka.
    May I ask for the best route to take and last train timing?
    Plan to depart from hotel around 7 a.m.

  2. Vincent says:
    September 6, 2015 at 3:11 am

    Hi Takashi,

    I am planning to visit Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and back to Osaka again in a span of 13 days.

    I will be landing in Kansai Intl first stay a few days in Osaka ( bad timing hence stay in Osaka first) then the rest of the place and then back to Osaka maybe 2 days and then fly off again.

    I understand that travelling between Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe would be the Special Rapid Service but how do I tie this in with my transfer from Airport ?

    Thanks in advance!

  3. Serene says:
    September 4, 2015 at 2:05 am

    Hi Takeshi

    I plan to go to Kyoto from Osaka Station.
    My accommodation is at Kessei Guest House
    25-17, Imagumanohiyoshicho, Kyoto, Japan.

  4. Kwang says:
    September 1, 2015 at 11:51 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    I plan to take a train from
    1. Shin Osaka to Shin Kobe and,
    2. Shin Kobe to Himeji

    I found there are Shinkansen trains operate on these routes. However, I wonder if I have Kansai Wide Area Pass, can I use it on Nozomi or Mizuho, or it is just limited on Shinkansen Kodama, Sakura and Hikari only.

    Thank you 🙂

  5. Evonne says:
    July 23, 2015 at 12:55 am

    Hi Takeshi!,

    I going to take JR Special Rapid Service from Kyoto to Osaka. But I’m abit confuse, did the rapid svc stop at Osaka station coz some ppl write that its stop at Shin-Osaka station.

    Kindly help..

    Thank you

  6. Gaston says:
    July 8, 2015 at 7:18 am

    Hello Takeshi,

    We plan to do a day trip from Osaka to Kyoto in September, is this possible? We have booking in Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier, can you please assist us with the transport— what train to take?

    We are also considering an Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo trip? Do you recommend this travel? We are planning to stay in JR Blossom Shinjuku hotel.

    We would appreciate your suggestions.

    Gaston

  7. Enzo says:
    June 1, 2015 at 9:32 pm

    Hi Takeshi!

    Is it possible to go from osaka to nagoya to hiroshima all in one day using JR national pass? Which would be a better starting point to get to Hirsohima faster – Kyoto, Kobe, or Nagoya (from Osaka)? As we are presssed for time, Universal and Kobe would be all in the same day. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

    • Takeshi / JPRail says:
      June 2, 2015 at 6:45 am

      Hi Enzo,

      It’s not impossible but not recommended. Please see the link below:
      https://jprail.com/sample-itineraries/1-day/day-trip-to-hiroshima-and-miyajima-from-osakakyoto.html
      As you see the link above, it take almost one day to see Hiroshima and Miyajima. If you add Nagoya, you have to add two hours for trip time between Osaka and Nagoya. And you need to get a few hours to see Nagoya. Not impossible but you don’t have enough time to see each points.

      USJ and Kobe in one day is not recommended either. If you are okay with seeing night view of Kobe, it’s not impossible. But I don’t think you can get KObe after USJ in daytime. In these days, USJ is very busy. I recommend you to stay there whole day.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  8. Simone says:
    May 17, 2015 at 11:42 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    I’ll be in Osaka in Jun15. Osaka will be the base through out my stay. I would like to make a day trip to Kyoto. You mentioned that the recommended option is travel by Special Rapid Service. Can you assist to enlighten me on how to take the service if I’m staying at Namba area? In addition, I may consider Himeji and Kinosaki as well. Can you assist to adv whether the Pass or per trip ticket is a better option. If is pass, what is the recommended Pass please?

    Tks n BRgds

  9. Christine says:
    April 21, 2015 at 11:51 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    I plan to visit both Kobe and Himeji this coming May. As I’m staying at Business Hotel Nissei, Osaka, how to I take the Special Rapid Service to Himeji?

    Also, should I take the same train to Kobe and Osaka from Himeji?

    Thanks for your prompt reply so far.

  10. Bryna says:
    April 10, 2015 at 7:58 am

    Hi Keith,

    It’s better and cheaper to go to Kyoto from Osaka, from the Osaka station under the Special Rapid Service than from ShinOsaka?

    Also…can we buy the tickets for the Special Rapid Service to Kyoto from Osaka at Osaka station on the day itself? Example, 19th April, want to leave around 10am from Osaka to Kyoto, can we be there at 9:15AM to try and get tickets or is it hard…

    Sincerely,
    Bryna

    • Takeshi / JPRail says:
      April 10, 2015 at 12:55 pm

      Hi Bryna,

      Special Rapid train is a sort of commute train. You can purchase a ticket at vending machine just before you taking a train. You don’t need to show up in advance. It takes one minute to purchase and hop on the train. You can purchase it anytime on the day when you take a train.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

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