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:
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:
Other rail passes to cover Haruka
The following deals cover this train, Haruka:
- Japan Rail Pass, a,k,a, JR Pass
- Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass (Non reserved seat only)
- Kansai Kanazawa Area Pass (Non reserved seat only)
- Kansai Wide Area Pass (Non reserved seat only)
- Sanyo Sanin Area Pass
- Sanyo-Sanin Northern Kyushu Pass
- Setouchi Area Pass (Non reserved seat only)
- Hokuriku Arch Pass (Non reserved seat only)
- Takayama Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass (Non reserved seat only)
- Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass (Non reserved seat only)
Accommodation
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
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| G | R | R | R | NR | NR |
Some trains are operated by 9 cars formation.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| G | R | R | R | NR | NR | R | R | R |
*G=Green seat R=Reserved seat NR=Non reserved seat
Comments
Hi Takeshi,
I have JR Kansai Area Pass for 3 days and I would like to ride on Hello Kitty Haruka on any 3 days. My question is , can I take Hello Kitty Haruka from Tennoji Station to Kyoto ? If yes, how do I know which Haruka will we take on a scepfied day? Thank you
Hi Ruzelind,
You can take Hello Kitty Haruka. But the schedule is varied by the day unfortunately. You may find some more info at the official site:
https://www.jr-hellokittyharuka.jp/en/
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
Thank you for your quick reply. Is there any other way other than the website, I would know at what time does Hello Kitty Haruka operates on the day? Perhaps from Google Maps or do I have to ask the train operator at the counter on that day?
Thank you.
Hi Ruzelind,
You may ask the station staff to find it. But I don’t think they can answer it I googled and I found that even Japanese crazy train fan cannot find it. They stick around the station and keep waiting when it comes.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi
Ohh okay, so hopefully I could ride on the Hello Kitty Haruka on one day..Really appreciate your help. Thank you so much!!
No worries, Ruzelind.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hai Takeshi,
I am Jemi. I have JR Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass, can I use this pass from Shin-Osaka to Airport ?
And how to go to Nara using this Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass ? I mean, what kind of train ? is there any limited express train go to Nara from Osaka or Shin-Osaka.?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Jemi,
You can get Kansai airport by the limited express Haruka by Kansai Hokuriku area pass.
When you go to Nara, there is no limited express trains. Please take Yamatoji Rapid train from Osaka:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/how-to-get-nara-from-osaka-yamatoji-rapid-service.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com