How to use JR Pass in downtown Osaka. Find how much you can use Japan Rail Pass in Osaka.

323series on Osaka Kanjo lineNetwork of JR trains
Dotonbori is one of most popular spots.

If you use JR Pass and visit Osaka, you should know how much you can use JR Pass in Osaka. I forcus on using JR Pass in downtown Osaka. If you use the following passes, you have same coverage.

I will show you JR train network in downtown Osaka in this post.

JR lines in downtown Osaka

Please see the map below:

Click to view large

The above map shows you all JR lines in downtown Osaka. I will explain you the line of JR one by one.

In this post, I explain you only JR trains. If you want to know whole part of train system in downtown Osaka, please see the link below:

I also explain this topic in YouTube movie too. Please watch it instead of reading the post:

Osaka Kanjo line (Osaka loop line)

323series on Osaka Kanjo line
Osaka Kanjo line train

This line encircles downtown Osaka. You will use this line often when you stay in Osaka. This line is started from Osaka station which is the biggest station in Osaka. It is located in Umeda area and JR Osaka station and other railway’s Umeda stations are same location.

This line go through Kyobashi, Tsuruhashi, Tennoji, Shin-Imamiya, Bentencho, Nishikujo and come back to Osaka again. All these stations are transfer points to other lines and railways.

  • Osaka (Umeda)
    1. Hankyu Railway (to Arashiyama, Gion, Kobe-Sannomiya, Takarazuka, Ikeda, Minoo),
    2. Hanshin Railway (to Kobe-Sannomiya)
    3. Osaka Metro (to almost everywhere in Osaka)
  • Kyobashi – Keihan Railway (to Gion, Kyoto)
  • Tsuruhashi – Kintetsu Railway (to Osaka-Namba, TennojiNara, Nagoya)
  • Tennoji
    1. JR Kansai Airport line (to Kansai airport)
    2. JR Yamatoji line (to Nara)
    3. JR Hanwa line (to Wakayama)
    4. Kintetsu Railway (to Yoshino)
    5. Osaka Metro (to Namba, Tanimachi)
  • Shin-Imamiya – Nankai Railway (to Namba, Kansai airport)
  • Bentencho – Osaka Metro Chuo line (to Osaka Kaiyukan aquarium)
  • Nishikujo
    1. Hanshin Railway (to Osaka-Namba, to Kobe-Sannomiya)
    2. JR Yumesaki line (to Universal city)

Tennoji is the biggest JR terminal station in south side of Osaka. All trains that go to Wakayama, Kansai airport and Nara stop at this station. But many train run on Osaka Kanjo line and then go through the line to Nara, Kansai airport and Wakayama.

Yamatoji line

This line connects JR Namba and Nara. Many rapid train go through Osaka Kanjo line and it connects Kyobashi, Osaka, Nishikujo, Bentencho, Tennoji and Nara. This rapoid train is called Yamatoji Rapid. Please see the link below to find more information about Yamatoji Rapid:

Many local train of Yamatoji line train depart from JR-Namba station. JR-Namba is only JR station in Namba. But this is a bit away from the center of Namba. Please see the link below to find the information about Namba stations:

You can access Namba by JR line. And also you can access from another huge downtown core, Umeda by JR only. But You need to take Osaka Kanjo line to Imamiya and transfer the train to JR Namba. It is not shortest way. Osaka subway Midosuji line (大阪地下鉄御堂筋線) is much faster and more convenient. I tell you about Osaka subway later.

Kansai airport line and Hanwa line

Many trains go through from Osaka Kanjo line to Kansai Airport and Wakayama. These trains are called Kansai Airport Rapid and Kishuji Rapid.

You can get Kansai airport and Wakayama from Osaka without a transfer.

The limited express Haruka connects Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and Kansai airport. The limited express Kuroshio connects Shin-Osaka and Wakayama, Shirahama, Shingu. You may take these trains between Shin-Osaka and Tennoji if you like.

Yumesaki line

This line starts from Nishikujo station on Osaka Kanjo line and goes to Sakurajima. Universal City station is located on this line and it is the gateway to Universal Studio Japan.

JR Tozai line

This line connects Amagasaki and Kyobashi. Kitashinchi station is 10 minutes away from Osaka station on foot.

Kobe/Kyoto line

If you go to Kobe or Kyoto, you take this line from Osaka station. Special Rapid run on this line and stop at major stations only. It is very fast train service. Please find more information about Special Rapid in the link below:

And also when you take the Shinkansen, you have to go to Shin-Osaka station by Kyoto line. It is 4 minutes away from Osaka by any trains.

The places where you can go by JR Pass

You may get these following places by JR Pass and other JR train passes without any extra charge:

  • Umeda, Umeda Sky Building (at JR Osaka station)
  • Osaka Castle (at Osakajokoen station)
  • Abeno Harukas (at Tennoji station)
  • Tennoji Zoo (at Tennoji station)
  • Shitenno-ji temple (at Tennoji station)
  • Shinsekai, Tsutenkaku (at Shin-Imamiya station)
  • Namba, Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori (at JR-Namba station)
  • USJ (at Universal City station)

The places where you can NOT go by JR Pass

You have to pay a regular fare to take subway or non JR trains to visit the following places:

Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium and Tenpozan Market Place

Click to view large.

You have to take Osaka Metro Chuo line to get Osakako station. You may take subway from Namba or Umeda.

Cup Noodle Museum and Minoo Falls

Click to view large

These are located outside downtown Osaka. You must take Hankyu Railway.

Osaka Metro

As you have been reading this post, JR Pass covers many places. But you still may need to take subway. Please see the link below to find all train system in Osaka.

I hope you have got an idea to build your trip by this post.

Comments

  1. Joyce says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will be travelling to Osaka tomorrow night arriving at Kansai Airport on 15th Jan 2014 morning. I would like to know how to get to Osaka, Minamimorimachi subway station from Kansai airport as I will be staying at Toko City Hotel Umeda. Is there a round trip train pass from Kansai airport to Osaka? Also, during my 6-day stay in Osaka, I plan to visit Kyoto on a day trip, thus, would like to know which train to take and from which station in Osaka to Kyoto Station. Will the JR Pass for Kansai area able to cover most of the attraction places in Osaka plus my day trip to Kyoto? Pls advise.

  2. abigael says:

    Hi, We will be taking a trip to Osaka next april 2014. We will arrive at Kansai airport and going straight to shinjuku, shibuya and ginza for 4 days. After that back to osaka and kyoto for 4 days which one is the better train to shinjuku directly, should we get JR pass ?

  3. Gerald Tan says:

    Hi. I am planning to visit Osaka for 6 days next year (arriving 9am Monday, departing Sunday 11am, both thru Kansai). While there, I plan to also visit Kyoto (2 days) and Kobe (1 day). I will be staying in the Namban area throughout my visit. What rail passes would you recommend for me to use?

  4. Yas says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    We will be taking a trip to Osaka next March. We will arrive at Kansai airport and going straight to Kyoto where we will stay for 4 days and then going back to Osaka to stay for 4 days. We will go to Nara during one day.
    Should we get a JR West pass or the Haruka/ICOCA or other better train options?
    Appreciate your advise. Thank you.

  5. Marie says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I’m going to spend 9 days in Japan. I will arrive at Itami Airport and will spend my first 5 days in Shin-Osaka. I will try to visit Kyoto for a day during my stay in Osaka. I will head to Shibuya, Tokyo and stay there for 4 days. I will depart from Narita Airport.

    Is it worth it to buy JR pass? Do you have other recommendations for transportation?

    Thank you so much.
    Marie

  6. Ken Low says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will spend 8 days in Osaka and Kyoto. From 3 to 6 November in Osaka, from 6 to 9 November in Kyoto and then from 9 to 10 November in Osaka.

    Can you please let me know what is the most cost efficient way to travel? What train passes should I get?

    Thanks much.

    Warm regards,

    Ken

  7. Jacqueline says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will be traveling to Japan on 25th Oct till 4th Nov. Will reach Narita Airport around 2pm and back on 4th Nov, 6pm at Narita Airport.

    I’ll spending most of my trip in Tokyo area and one of the day, I’ve a full day tour to Mt.Fuji-Hakone (means my transportation in this trip is covered by the tour) But will be heading to Osaka after for 3 days in the mid week and back to Tokyo.

    Is my trip worth buying the JR pass? I checked there’s a regional pass, is that worth buying?

    Thank you. Hope to hear from you soon.

    Regards,
    Jacqueline

  8. Nicky says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will be traveling to Japan on 22th Nov till 29th Nov. Will reach Kansai Airport on 22th, around 7am; fly back to my country on 29th Nov, 10am at Narita Airport.

    I will stay in Osaka for 3 days, in Tokyo for 4 days. Then as one day trips, I will travel from Osaka to Kyoto; Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchi. Due to last night stay in Narita Airport, I am considering whether I should buy JR pass for 7 days or not. And I probably only access Shinkansen once (Osaka-Tokyo) this trip.

    Is my trip worth buying the JR pass?

    Thank you.

    Regards,
    Nicky

  9. Vivien says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    We’re going to Japan for 9 days this September and will be staying in Tokyo for the first 4 days then Staying in Kyoto for 3 days and finishing in Osaka for the remaining 2 days.

    We’re trying to find out if it’s worth it for us to buy JR Rail Pass fir 7 days ( thinking to start use it the 3rd day as the first 2 days we already have the other transportation arrangement done) or to buy only Shinkansen Ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto and then Kyoto to Osaka only. In this case, should we buy the Tokaido Shinkansen Tickets then? How this Tokaido Shinkasen Tickets works? And where we can buy this Tokaido Shinkansen.

    Are we going to use JR Pass a lot in downtown Kyoto and Osaka ?

    Thank you.

    Regards,
    Vivien

  10. Kok Leong says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will arrive at Tokyo Haneda on 22 August, spend 2 days at Tokyo, 1 day at Yokohama, 1 day at Hiroshima, 1 day at Kumamoto and then 4 days at Kobe/Kyoto/Nara/Osaka and leave on 31 August night.

    I know 7 days JR pass will be worth to buy as I have 9 days of travel (23-31 Aug), but would like to know if I should start activating it on 23 August or 25 August?

    Also, on my last 4 days should I stay at each city or should I stay at Osaka and travel to Kobe, kyoto and Nara?

    Thank you.

    regards,
    Kok Leong

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