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,
Japan Rail Pass holder can reserve seat on the Haruka, is it right?
Thanks
Hi Simon,
Yes, you can.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
hi, i will go japan 15 august, my flied will arrived kansai airport around 8.25am. After arrived at kansai international airport my first destination is Kyoto (my hotel is near Hankyu Omiya Train Station). Could you please let me know which train should i take and what is the time i will arrive there? thx !!! have a nice day!!
Hi Alice,
There is no direct access to your hotel or Shijo Omiya. So take Haruka to get Kyoto station. And then take taxi or bus. It takes around 15 to 20 minutes to get Shijo Omiya from Kyoto station. This is the easiest and fastest.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi!
I want to get back from Otsu to Kansai Airport on next Monday (16th of July). My way to Otsu was the Haruka (number 14?) and than a local train to Otsu. In the last days I recognized at Otsu train station that there’s also a train going to Kansai Airport directly from Otsu. Is this right? There was number 13 signed…
If so, at what time does the train leaves on monday? My departure is at 10.45 in the morning, so I should be there maybe at least until 9.00.
It would be great, if you could help me out!
Thanks a lot!!! Marcus.
Hi Murcus,
Haruka #13 stop at Otus. However it will arrive at Kix at 10:04. It it too late.
Take local train to Kyoto and take Haruka #7 at 7:15.
http://www.jr-odekake.net/en/jwrp/pdf/timetable_haruka.pdf
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
many thanks for your reply!!!
but what is about haruka #9 … hyperdia.com shows, that this train leaves otsu at 7:39 and arrives at KIX at 9:04…
is that right? would that work and we could take this train?
thanks again, marcus.
Hi Murcus,
My timetable shows Haruka #9 will arrive at KIX at 9:23.
http://www.jr-odekake.net/en/jwrp/pdf/timetable_haruka.pdf
This timetable do not show Otsu station. But it will show us only Kyoto-KIX. If you are okay with arrival at 9:23, you can take this train.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
but monday (16th july) is holiday in Japan…isn’t it? than #9 will arrive earlier…
You are right, Marcus!
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi, I’m Shirley i would like to know what is the best way to Kyoto (Hotel if possible) from kansai airport ? as we are travelling in kids and luggage. please advise
shirley
Hi Shirley,
Take Limited Express Haruka. This is only train go to Kyoto directly. There is bus service too. But bus goes to Kyoto station as well. Train is faster and arrive there at right time.
I don’t know where you will stay in Kyoto. But I think taking taxi from Kyoto station is the best way. You and your kids will be tired on arrival day. I don’t recommend you to use public transportation.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi, I will be going to Kyoto next month. I will be arriving at Kansai airport and since the cost of Haruka train to Kyoto from the airport is 2980 Y, does it means it is cheaper if i buy a one day JR West Pass?
Hi Adrian,
That’s right. We can use one day pass just going to even Shin-Osaka.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi,
We will be departing to Kansai Aiport. Is there’s a bus going to Namba Osaka? what will be the fair and the scheduled time?
Hi Ariel,
Have you seen Kansai Airport website?
http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/access/index.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Dear Sir / Madam
Our flight is Cx502 ,arrive at Kansai airport at 21:05, the last haruka train to Kyoto is 22:16 ,we only have 1 hour to go through , Do you think we can make the last Haruka train ?
Do we need any help ,or can we get any help ?
Thank you very very much !!
Best Regards
Joanna
Hi Joanna,
As long as your flight arrive on time, I think you can make it in one hour. But you need to go rush and try to get out from Immigration and custom.
If you miss the last Haruka, you still have Kansai Airport Rapid Service to Osaka and transfer to Special Rapid Service to Kyoto. The last train departs from Kansai Airport at 23:05. I think you can easily take this. See the link below about Rapid Service.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/how-to-get-kansai-airport-and-wakayama-kansai-airport-rapid-service-and-kishuji-rapid-service.html
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/special-rapid-service.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
Hi — I am arriving to KIX airport on June 13th, 2012 at 3:20pm. Is the train station right in the airport? (I need to get to the Kusatsu Boston Plaza hotel, which I am told is northeast of the airport). Is the airport/train station difficult to navigate? Just a little nervous–it’s my first time there. Thank you for any tips. Lynne
Hi Lynne,
The station is connected directly from the terminal. There are lots of sign. You cannot miss it.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
My flight arrive at Kansai Airport at 21:05 , can I still take Haruka to Kyoto??
Hi Joanna,
I think you can make it. Please see the following page to get the timetable.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail
HI,
My flight will be arrived at kansai airport @22.40 hrs.
Is there any train or bus to Namba osaka ?
Hi Carmen,
Yes. You can take Nankai line. The last Nankai train departs around 23:30. But after that, JR line still have a train to Namba until around 0:00. Check the timetable at Hyperdia.
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Cheers,
Takeshi / JP Rail