Shin Osaka station guide. How to change Shinkansen, Haruka, Thunderbird and local train access to Osaka, Umeda and Namba

Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara
Conventional lines platform (front), Shinkansen terminal (back) (C) Outside view of the Shin Osaka station/Ariake

Shin-Osaka station is the place where you change to/from Shinkansen. If you travel in Osaka, you may use this station at least once. All Shikansen trains stop at this station and many limited express trains on conventional lines stop or depart from this station, Shin-Osaka.

In this post, I would like to show you some images and explain about this station. You will get the information about transfer among trains.

Overview

Click to view large.

Shin-Osaka station is composed of four levels, Shinkansen tracks on 4th floor, fare gate and concourse on 3rd floor and conventional line’s tracks on ground floor. On 2nd floor, there are some shops and restaurants. But as long as you transfer the trains in this station, you don’t see 2nd floor.

Shin-Osaka station is one station and three minutes away from Osaka station (Umeda area). But the atmosphere in Shin-Osaka is totally different from Osaka station, Umeda area. Shin-Osaka station has lots of restaurants and shops but it is much fewer than Osaka and Umeda stations.

On the other hand, the average hotel rate is cheaper than Umeda area. It takes only 3 minutes by a local train. If your budget is tight, Shin-Osaka may suit your trip plan.

You can find everything you need about Shin-Osaka station in the movie below too:

Ticket gate/Exit

Shinkansen ticket window is located beside Shinkansen ticket gate. If you use non reserved seat by Japan Rail Pass, you don’t need anything. But if you want to book reserved seat in last minutes, you can do it here. (C) JR Shin-Osaka Station / Hyougushi

There are three ticket gates, East, South and Central on 3rd floor.

If you want to exit from conventional line’s platform, you can use East exit only. Other two exit, South and Central are located in Shinkansen concourse. You cannot access to these two exits without Shinkansen ticket. If you use Japan Rail Pass, you can go through Shinkansen concourse without any extra charge. You don’t need to exchange any Shinkansen ticket. All you have to do is showing your Japan Rail Pass at Shinkansen

There is Shinkansen ticket gate in the concourse. When you transfer to/from Shinkansen, you need to go through this gate. You must have Shinkansen ticket, Japan Rail Pass, JR West Sanyo Area Pass, JR West Sanyo-Shikoku-Kyushu Pass or JR West Kansai WIDE Area Pass to access to Shinkansen platform/concourse. JR West Kansai Area Pass do NOT cover Shinkansen trains.

Tracks and platforms

There are 10 tracks / 5 platforms for conventional lines on ground floor and 7 tracks / 4 platforms for Shinkansen on 4th floor.

Shinkansen on 4th floor

There are seven tracks, #20-#27.

Track#Name of line / Destination
20-22The Sanyo Shinkansen and the Kyushu Shinkansen for Okayama, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto, Kagoshima-Chuo
23-27The Tokaido Shinkansen for Kyoto, Nagoya, Tokyo

Conventional lines on Ground floor

Conventional lines platforms (C) JP Rail

You can get on a local commute train, a rapid service train and a limited express train on the conventional lines at track #1-10.

Track#Name of line / Destination
1,2■ Osaka Higashi line local train for Hanaten, Kuhoji
The limited express Haruka and The limited express Kuroshio for Kyoto
3The limited express Haruka for Kansai Airport
The limited express Kuroshio for Wakayama, Shirahama, Shingu
4The limited Express Thunderbird for Fukui, Kanazawa, Wakura-Onsen
The limited express Wide View Hida for Gero, Takayama
Special Rapid / Rapid train for Takatsuki, Kyoto (during peak hour only)
5,6■ Kyoto line local train, rapid and Special Rapid for Takatsuki, Kyoto, Maibara, Tsuruga
7,8■ Kobe line local train, rapid and Special Rapid for Sannomiya, Kobe, Himeji
■ Takarazuka line for Takarazuka, Shin-Sanda, Sasayamaguchi
9,10The limited express Konotori for Fukuchiyama, Kinosaki-Onsen
■ The limited express Super Hakuto for Himeji, Tottori, Kurayoshi
Special Rapid / Rapid train for Sannomiya, Kobe, Himeji (during peak hour only)

Access to/from Osaka station and minimum connecting time at Shin-Osaka station

If you access to/from Osaka station (Umeda area), you can take any trains on conventional lines, the limited express, special rapid, rapid or local. All trains stop at Shin-Osaka and takes only 3 minutes to get Osaka station. Special rapid, rapid and local trains run very frequently. You can hop on the train to get Osaka.

In regards to transfer, the minimum transfer time is 10 minutes according to JR West. But if you will plan to purchase the Shinkansen ticket on the spot, you may spend another 10 minutes. If you really worry to miss the train, expect to spend another 5 minutes, total 15 minutes. However you can purchase the Shinkansen ticket at any major JR stations in advance.

Access to/from Namba station by Osaka Subway Midosuji line

Midousuji line can be seen from Shinkansen platform. It is subway line but it does not run underground in Shin-Osaka. Midousuji line station is located just under Shinkansen platforms.
Midosuji line can be seen from Shinkansen platform. It is subway line but it does not run underground in Shin-Osaka. Midosuji line station is located just under Shinkansen platforms.

If you go to another downtown core, Namba, Osaka Subway Midosuji line is the best way to get there. You can access to Namba by JR lines. But it is a detour and JR Namba station is not located at the center of Namba area. Midosuji line Shin-Osaka station is located at 2nd level. Shinkansen Central ticket gate is the closest to subway station. I show you how to transfer between Shinkansen and subway Midosuji line below.

If you transfer to subway from Shinkansen train, minimum transfer time is 10 minutes. But if you transfer from the conventional line trains, you might spend another 5 minutes to transfer. T

How to transfer to/from Subway Midosuji line

Use Central exit.

2015 spring Japan trip 1280
2015 spring Japan trip 1281

Once you get out from Central exit, you will find the sign of subway on your left hand.

2015 spring Japan trip 1282

Follow the signage and go down.

2015 spring Japan trip 1285

There are many signage and just follow.

2015 spring Japan trip 1286
2015 spring Japan trip 1287

You will find subway ticket gate soon.

2015 spring Japan trip 1289

It takes 5 minutes to transfer from ticket gate to ticket gate. It is quite easy.

Comments

  1. Arjun Vakharia says:

    Hello!
    I am travelling to Osaka in December. I will be putting up at Hotel Nikko at Shinsaibashi. How do I get from Osaka station to Shinsaibashi Station?
    please guide.

  2. Joyce says:

    Hi!
    I Will be travelling to Osaka for few days in Dec. After that I want to go to Tokyo with Shinkansen. I Will stay in Hilton Hotel Osaka. What is the best way to go to the shinkansen station/shin Osaka from my hotel order tahan by taxi? Any bus transfer from hotel to shin Osaka? Imam travelling with kids with suit cases.

    Many Tuhanku

  3. Agnes says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I am planning to buy the 4 days Sanyo JR pass. Could you advise is it better to buy the pass in advance and exchange or it better to buy in Japan which could be cheaper due to exchange rate. And if I buy in Japan, could I buy from the JR west counter at shin osaka station and what their opening hours as I can’t find on their website.

    Thanks
    Agnes

  4. Mark Taguinod says:

    Hi Takeshi/JP Rail,

    On October 24, I will be arriving from Takayama at Shin Osaka Station at 22:06. I am staying at Toyoko Inn Osaka Senba Higashi which is a 5 minutes walk from the No.8 exit of Tani-machi Yon-chome Station on the Chuo and Tani-machi Subway Lines or a 5 minutes walk from the No.3 exit of Sakaisuji Honmachi Station on the Chuo and Sakaisuji Lines.

    Can you guide me which will be the most direct and fastest (less walking if possible) way to go toToyoko Inn Osaka Senba Higashi.

    Arigato Gozaimasu!

  5. Glenda Sy says:

    Hi .I will be staying at cross hotel Osaka.how will I go to hotel Osaka granvia at umeda?

  6. Lance says:

    Thanks for the guide, I have a question about transferring between two shinkansen. On my next trip I’m making a dash straight from Narita to Hiroshima and will have to transfer at Shin-Osaka (per hyperdia’s suggestions). Though it shows only giving me about 5 minutes to transfer.

    When I land in Narita I’ll be exchanging my JR Rail Pass (and from prior experience, I’ll be able to pre-reserve all of the tickets for the exchanges before I leave the airport). The tickets will most likely be reserved green car tickets.

    Do I have to leave the ticket area and re-enter or do I just move between platforms? Does 5 minutes sound like enough time to transfer? I would assume that hyperdia wouldn’t have suggested the exchange if it thought it wasn’t enough time, but better to be safe than sorry.

    • Hi Lance,

      Usually 5 minutes is okay to transfer because you just need to change the platform. The trains might arrive and depart at same platform.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  7. Janice says:

    Dear Takeshi san, just want to share my experience about Shin Osaka station.

    Shinkansen transfers are easy in this station and there are escalators/elevators. To be safe twenty minutes w suitcase luggage for platform inter change.

    To reach Osaka avoid using JR Loop train. First it’s a walk, then there is a need to transfer before you get on correct connection to get to city centre, in my case, Namba.
    Your suggestion to use Midosuji subway directly from Shin Osaka station is best choice.

    To return to Kansai airport, Tennoji station is nearest to get on Haruka express. But Tennoji station is old and elevator access is a long walk from entrance gates.

    Cheers
    Janice

    • Hi Janice san,

      Thanks again for sharing your experience.
      Especially I haven’t got off Tennoji station for a long time. The info you gave me is very detailed.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  8. Nancy says:

    Hi Takeshi.

    We are booked at Hotel Granvia Osaka in Umeda. What train ride will we take from Umeda going to Shin-osaka. Also, we plan to take the Nozomo train going to Tokyo. Would you know what floor is the Nozomo office and at what platform does the train go?

    Many thanks.

    Nancy

    • Hi Nancy,

      Take one of those trains, Local, Rapid or Special Rapid from JR Osaka station to Shin-Osaka. It’s just one station away.
      At Shin-Osaka, go upstairs and go through Shinkansen transfer gate. Nozomi to Tokyo will be one of the tracks, from #23 to #26. There are lots of signage. You can’t miss it.

      And also you can purchase the ticket for Nozomi at Osaka station. You will get one base fare ticket from Osaka to Tokyo via Shin-Osaka and Shinkansen ticket. All you have to do at Shin-Osaka is just go through Shinkansen transfer gate and find the track/platform.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  9. Janice says:

    Dear Takeshi san

    I have read your comments and checked the links for the station map. We will be traveling from Hiroshima to Osaka and when i looked at the station layout, im a bit confused. We need to take a train to Namba as our hotel is located there. Can you pls help to clarify:

    1. Train arrival from Hiroshima is at platform 25. According to your table, the shinkansen platform will be at level 3?

    2. we have baggage. is there elevator access from platform 25 to 2nd level where Midousuji station is located? The station layout shows the elevator access, but im not sure whether it is only for level 4.

    3. i read information that easiest access to Midousuji station is via central gate exit. is that gate exit at level 3?

    4. the hotel information showed that Yotsubasshi subway access is nearest but i have decided to take Midousuji subway even though it requires more walking becos i dont see Yotsubashi subway at Shin Osaka.

    Thank you in advance for your reply.

    Cheers
    janice

    • Hi Janice,

      1. Shinkansen platform is located at level 4. After you get off Shinkansen train, take elevator or escalator to get level 3. You will find ticket gate.

      2. Elevator and escalator are available from level 4 (platform) to level 3 (ticket gate). But I don’t see any elevator from level 3 to level 2 (subway ticket gate).

      3. Shinaksen gate is level 3 and subway is level 2. Get off at central ticket gate. You will see escalator just in front of the gate. Go downstairs and you will find subway ticket gate.

      4. Yotusbashi subway line start from Nishi-Umeda. It can be accessed by walk from Midousuji subway Umeda station. But you have to walk in underground path. It is very very crowded in Umeda underground. I don’t recommend to walk with luggage there. Just keep taking Midousuji line to Namba.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  10. tonie says:

    Hi, nice website!
    .
    I will be travelling to Japan this April with my 4 other friends. How do we get to Guesthouse Kanwado (Sakyo Ward, Sakyo-ku Tanaka Minami Okubo-cho 8
    606-8214) Kyoto from Hotel Claiton Shin-Osaka? Please send me step-by-step guidelines as we are all first timers.
    Thank you so much!

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