How to transfer between Nagoya and Osaka/Kyoto by train

Chubu Area
Nagoya-Osaka transfer map (Click to view large)
2018.09.08
Which one is better, Shinkansen (left) or Kintetsu (right) ?

If you have to move between Nagoya and Osaka (or Kyoto), you have two choices, Shinkansen or Kintetsu railway. I would like to compare these two choices and tell you pros and cons of each choice.

Travel between Nagoya and Osaka

Please see the image below:

Nagoya-Osaka transfer map (Click to view large)

In the map above, I put three names of Nagoya station, Nagoya, Kintetsu Nagoya and Meitetsu Nagoya. These three stations are located at same place. You can move among these stations on foot. Please see the link below to find more information:

Nagoya station guide. How to transfer among Shinkansen, Kintetsu, Meitetsu, subway and JR local trains.
Nagoya station is one of the largest stations in Japan. There are JR lines, Shinkansen, Kintetsu, Meitetsu and subway lines. You can find lots of information about Nagoya station. You also can find how to change the trains in Nagoya station in this post.
jprail.com
2016.07.27

Shinkansen Nozomi

Pros
Fast. Trip time is less than one hour to get Shin-Osaka from Nagoya.
Direct transfer to Shin-Osaka. JR Osaka (Umeda) is only one statins away from Shin-Osaka by JR local train.

Cons
Pricey. Reserved seat fee and base fare are 6,560 yen in a regular season.
Need changing trains/subways for Namba and other areas. You have to take subway or other local train to get Namba and other places in southern part of downtown Osaka.

If you will have a round trip between Nagoya and Osaka, you may use Flex Rail Ticket Osaka to save a cost. This deal is slightly cheaper than the regular fare:

Flex Rail Ticket, The Tokaido Shinkansen round trip deal between Tokyo, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka for all of you
Flex Rail Ticket is the Shinkansen deal for the travel among Tokyo, Shin-Yokohama, Mishima, Odawara, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka. It is available for not only the tourist but also the resident. Please find the detailed information about this deal in this post.
jprail.com
2019.08.21

If you can purchase a ticket at least one day prior to travel day, you can purchase a deal called “Platt Kodama”. Kodama is one of the Shinkansen train but it is slower than Nozomi. But this deal is cheaper than a regular fare. This deal cannot be purchased on travel day. Please see the link below to find more information:

Platt Kodama, one way deal among Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka by the Shinkansen
This post explains you about Platt Kodama which is a sort of the Shinkansen deal. It offers one way trip between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka by the Shinkansen Kodama.
jprail.com
2016.11.05

Kintetsu Railway Nagoya-Osaka limited express train

Pros
Affordable. Reserved seat fee and base fare are 4,260 yen.
Direct to Namba. You can get the biggest downtown core of Osaka directly.

Cons
Slow. Trip time is more than two hours. It is much slower than Shinkansen and subway transfer via Shin-Osaka.
Need changing trains for Umeda and other areas. If you access to northern part of downtown Osaka, such as Umeda, you have to take subway.

If you intend to make more trips by Kintetsu Railway, such as trip to Nara, you may use Kintetsu Rail Pass. This may be the reason why you take Kintetsu railway between Nagoya and Osaka. Please see the link below to find more information about Kintetsu Rail Pass:

Kintetsu Rail Pass, Most affordable deal for Osaka/Kyoto-Nagoya and access to Ise.

Travel between Nagoya and Kyoto

Please see the image below:

Nagoya-Kyoto transfer map (Click to view large)

The situation is a bit different from Nagoya-Osaka transfer.

Shinkansen Nozomi

Pros
Very fast. Trip time is less than 40 minutes to get Kyoto from Nagoya.
Direct transfer to Kyoto.

Cons
Pricey. Reserved seat fee and base fare are 5,800 yen in a regular season.

If you will have a round trip between Nagoya and Kyoto, you may use Flex Rail Ticket Kyoto to save a cost. This deal is slightly cheaper than the regular fare:

Flex Rail Ticket, The Tokaido Shinkansen round trip deal between Tokyo, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka for all of you
Flex Rail Ticket is the Shinkansen deal for the travel among Tokyo, Shin-Yokohama, Mishima, Odawara, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka. It is available for not only the tourist but also the resident. Please find the detailed information about this deal in this post.
jprail.com
2019.08.21

If you can purchase a ticket at least one day prior to travel day, you can purchase a deal called “Platt Kodama” as well as transfer to Osaka. Please see the link below to find more information:

Platt Kodama, one way deal among Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka by the Shinkansen
This post explains you about Platt Kodama which is a sort of the Shinkansen deal. It offers one way trip between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka by the Shinkansen Kodama.
jprail.com
2016.11.05

Kintetsu Railway Nagoya-Osaka limited express train

Pros
Affordable. Reserved seat fee and base fare are 4,490 yen.

Cons
Slow. Trip time is more than two hours.
Need changing trains at Yamato-Yagi. There is no direct Kintetsu Railway trains between Nagoya and Kyoto.

The price difference is much smaller than Nagoya-Osaka because Kintetsu Railway fare for Nagoya to Kyoto is more expensive than Nagoya to Namba. Shinkansen fare to Kyoto is cheaper than trip to Shin-Osaka. And also there is no direct trains to Kyoto from Nagoya by Kintetsu. It is very hard to find the reason to take Kintetsu for Nagoya to Kyoto.

However if you intend to make more trips by Kintetsu Railway, such as trip to Nara, you may use Kintetsu Rail Pass. This may be the reason why you take Kintetsu railway between Nagoya and Osaka. Please see the link below to find more information about Kintetsu Rail Pass:

Kintetsu Rail Pass, Most affordable deal for Osaka/Kyoto-Nagoya and access to Ise.

Hope this post helps you to build your trip plan.

Comments

  1. Xuannon says:
    December 26, 2019 at 5:57 am

    Hi Takeshi San,

    I will be travelling with my family of 8 (2 adults, 4 senior citizens and 2 toddlers) next year from 3 May 2020 to 12 May 2020.

    Below is my itinerary, i have trouble finding the easiest way to travel between the cities with 5 luggages. Can help me please?

    3rd May to 5th May : Osaka (airport) to Nagoya
    (is there luggage delivery service from the airport to nagoya hotel? how much does it cost?)

    5th May to 8th May : Nagoya to Kyoto
    In kyoto we will be visiting the kiyomizu shrine and gion geisha.
    Nara deer park? toyota car museum?
    any other places of interest to visit?

    8th May to 12th May : Kyoto to Osaka
    umeda, namba,
    where else to visit?
    Is there kansai airport limo?

    Hope to hear from you soon!
    Thank you 🙂

    Regards,
    Xuan

  2. Lucy Yeo says:
    June 2, 2019 at 8:38 am

    Thanks Takeshi-san for your reply.

    Hope you can help clarify the following questions:
    1. The Takayama Hokuriku Pass is valid for 5 consecutive days, does it mean that if we use the pass on 26 Dec, it also covers our journey from Kyoto to Osaka on 29 Dec? ( we plan to stay 26 Dec night in Kanazawa and 2 nights which is the 27 and 28 in Kyoto)

    2. To sightsee in Kyoto and Osaka, what pass do you recommend?

    3. Also just to confirm, on 26 Dec we take Limited Wide View Hida from Nagoya to Takayama? Then take Nohi bus from Takayama to Shirikawago and Kanazawa. How early do we have to call to make resevations?

    4. On 27 Dec, we take Limited Express Thunderbird from Kanazawa to Kyoto?

    5. 29 Dec, Limited Express Thunderbird from Kyoto to Osaka?

    6. 30 Dec, we travel on the Kansai Wide Area pass from Osaka to Takamatsu and the rest of the places?

    7. Since it is the year end, with all the holidays will it be difficult getting reserve seats etc. Also will places be close on 30 and 31 Dec in Takamatsu, Naoshima and Kurashiki?

    7. With all these traveling, would you recommend that we stay near Shin Osaka or Osaka station?

    8. Will it be difficult to buy the Platt Kodama as we need to return to Nagoya on 2 Jan?
    Appreciate your response and advice. Thanks very much.

    lucy

  3. Lucy Yeo says:
    June 1, 2019 at 8:43 am

    Hi Takeshi San
    My family of 3 adults plan to visit Japan this December. The following is our itinerary.
    24 Dec Arrive in Nagoya
    25 Dec Day trip from Nagoya to Magome or Tsumago
    (not sure which is more accessible?)
    26 Dec Nagoya to Takayama, Shirakawago, Kanazawa
    (How do we forward luggage to Kanazawa?)
    27 Dec Kanazawa to Kyoto
    28 Dec Kyoto
    29 Dec Kyoto to Osaka
    30 Dec Osaka to Naoshima and Takamatsu
    31 Dec Takamatsu to Okayama, Kurashiki
    1st Jan Kurashiki to Osaka
    2nd Jan Osaka to Nagoya
    3rd Jan Nagoya
    Appreciate your advice. Thank you

  4. Rodolfo Li says:
    February 27, 2019 at 2:48 am

    Hi Takeshi,

    Good day.
    Can I buy a Shinkansen Ticket from Tokyo to Osaka and do overnight at Hakone and 2 nights at Nagoya before going to Osaka?

    Thanks,

    Rudy

  5. Chingyi says:
    October 13, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    Dear Takeshi-san,

    Many thanks for providing all these wonderful information in this website!
    I will be travelling with my family (3 Adults & 1 Child) next week and may I seek your kind advice on which pass should I purchase to save cost?
    Should I consider Kintetsu Rail Pass (5 Days) and for the remaining travel within Kyoto & Osaka, will be ICOCA card?

    Day 1
    Kansai Airport – Nagoya (via Kintetsu)
    * Rent car from Nagoya to Takayama

    Day 2
    Takayama

    Day 3
    Nagoya – Kyoto (via Kintetsu)

    Day 4
    Kyoto & Nara Park

    Rest of the remaining days will be within Kyoto & Osaka
    Many thanks!

  6. Sandra says:
    October 13, 2018 at 9:23 am

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I will be going to Japan next month, I would like to know which pass you recommend. Firstly, I will need to travel from Osaka to Tokyo (which train to take?). Thereafter, spending 5 days in Tokyo before flying back home.

    Thank you.

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