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. xiaomin says:

    Hi, I will be travelling to Tokyo from Osaka (Kansai Airport).
    Based on travel route suggestion by Hyperdia, I will be taking Haruka express to Shin-Osaka and transfer to Shinkansen bound for Tokyo.

    However, there will only be 10 minutes of transfer time.
    By carrying heavy luggages, do you think 10 mins is sufficient for us to make the transfer?

    Thank you.

    • Hi Xiaomin,

      It’s tight but you can make it. You can book or purchase a ticket at Kansai airport. All you have to do is change the train. If I were you, I can make it in even 5 minutes with heavy luggage.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. Angela says:

    Hi!
    Is there a shop for Shinkansen fan articles in Shin-Osaka? And if yes – how can I find it?
    Angela

    • Hi Angela,

      There are many shops in Shin-Osaka station. And I believe some of shops have that kind of stuff. But I’m not sure which one has it. I remember one of shops inside Shinkansen ticket gate has a big Shinkansen shape signage. It’s easy to find it and I think it has some products.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  3. […] How to change trains at SHIN OSAKA station by jprail.com […]

  4. shimei z says:

    Can I buy Pltt Kodama ticket from Osaka to Nagoya one day roundtrip at Shin Osaka station? Is there JR from Kansai to Kitahama station?

    • Hi Shimei z,

      You have to buy this at least one day before. You cannot purchase it on the day when you take Kodama. And this ticket is sold at JR Tokai Tours that is located beside Central exit of Shin-Osaka station. It’s not a ticket office.

      You cannot get Shin-Osaka from Kitahama by JR train. You have to take subawy.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. Ching says:

    Can shinkansen tickets from shin osaka to tokyo be bought in the namba station

  6. Ching says:

    My parents are 87 and 83 yrs old. They are staying in namba area and will take taxi to shin osaka. They will have luggage. Is there assistaance for the elderly – wheel chair assistance to go to ghe gate and the platform . They will take shinkasen fr osaka to tokyo.

  7. […] something even greater, like a 新幹線 (shinkansen) or “bullet train.” 新大阪 (Shin-Osaka) serves as a latter example, but as far as the former […]

  8. Mimi says:

    Hi,

    Can I know the size of the locker in shin osaka station and where is it located?

  9. Widyawati says:

    is there any rent locker in Shin Osaka Station?
    is it possible to keep big travel luggage

    • Hi Widyawati,

      There are lots of lockers in Shin-Osaka station but large size is very limited. This situation is not only at Shin-Osaka but also all stations. It’s easy to find lockers but hard to find large size.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  10. Annie seah says:

    I am travelling from osaka to kyoto with my family 3pax duringdecember
    so i like to know the time ofdeparture ncoming back to osaka 3 days later nif there is speci
    al roomfor 4 people nthe fare of4 pax npayment to bemake online or injapan

Copied title and URL