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. Luca says:

    Hi Takeshi!
    An information please. The next August I’ll move from Kinosaki to Shinagawa via Shin-Osaka Station.
    Hyperdia show that my train will arrive from Kinosaki at 14.29 (track 12) and shinkansen departure at 14.40 (track 25).
    We’ll travel with japan rail pass with all ticket already did. Do you think that 11 minutes are enough?
    thank you so much and best regards

    • Hi Luca,

      It’s busy but feasible. I can do it in 5 minutes.
      Track number may be different. Please check the sign board to confirm the track number before on board.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. Ana María Fernández says:

    Hello Takeshi will travel to Osaka on June 6, 2016 from Kansai airport, arrived at the express Haruka Station Shin Osaka our hotel is the Remm Shin-Osaka, please which way to reach the hotel , thank you very much, Ana

    • Hi Ana,

      This hotel is located just in front of Shin-Osaka station. I think central gate is the closest but please make sure which gate is the closet with your hotel.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  3. Taufiq says:

    Hello there, my family and I (4 person) will be travelling from Kyoto to Osaka on 09 Jan 2016 where our stay will be near Nankai – Namba Station.

    I understand the best way is to travel is from Kyoto Station to Shin Osaka first.
    From there, how do I go to Nankai-Namba from Shin Osaka Station, can i use an ICOCA card for trip?

  4. Nguyen Phuc says:

    Hi Takeshi,
    On next February, my family (4 people) will visit Osaka from Tokyo. We intend to get SHINKANSEN NOZOMI 213 (9g30 – 12g26 ) , or SHINKANSEN NOZOMI 21 (9g40 – 12g28). We arrive at 4 floor os Shin-Osaka Station. Then we go to the central Shinkansen gate on the 3rd floor. Which floor can we get Osaka City Subway Midosuji Line ?
    We have booked MyStays Sakaisuji-Honmachi Hotel (Osaka) – 1- 4-8, Awajimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka. How can we go there by subway? Is that right for this direction?
    1. Take the Osaka City Subway Midosuji Line for NAKAMOZU to Honmmachi station.
    2. Transfer to Osaka City Subway Chuo Line for GAKKENNARATOMIGAOKA to Sakaisuji Honmachi station.
    3. Walk about 7 minutes from exit 12 of Sakaisuji-Hommachi Station on the Sakaisuji Subway Line. It’s the hotel.
    Thanks a lot.

    • Hi Nguyen,

      It’s located on second level. As you see the photos in the post above, there are lots of signage. You cannot miss it.
      Your route is right to get Sakaisuji-Honmachi.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. LP says:

    Hi Takeshi san,
    we r 4 adults touch down Kansai Aiport @ 21.35 , we wanted from airport to our hotel near Shin-Imamiya station so which access way would you recommend to us ? Thanks !

  6. EK Yeoh says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will arrive at Kansai Airport on 25th March 10:00am.
    How can I get to Takayama with Takayama Hokuriku Pass?
    What time will reach Takayama with this pass?

  7. Jtok says:

    Dear Takeshi San
    I am planning a trip for 4pax in June 2016. We arrive Tokyo on 3/6 and leave for Osaka 8-11/6 and back to Tokyo.

    Please advise should we get the 14days JR pass or the 7days and does the JR pass covers Narita to Shinjuku on the express train?
    There is an offer on the JR pass to Osaka but only on non-reserve train. How can i use this offer and upgrade – is it possible?

    Thank you in advance

    regards
    Jt

    • Hi Jtok,

      7 days pass is your choice because even round trip between Osaka and Tokyo by Shinkansen is slightly cheaper than 7 days pass price. You may use JR train when you stay in Osaka and Tokyo and JR pass will be cheaper than single fare. But 14 days is too expensive. It’s not obviously your choice.

      JR Pass includes reserved seat. You can book it without any extra. You also may take Narita Express by JR pass. But if you use 7 days pass, try to make a trip to Osaka in the beginning of your trip or at the last part of your trip. You may include one way Narita-Tokyo and trip to Osaka in 7 days.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  8. regulat says:

    Hi…Mr. Takeshi,
    We’re 3 Thai people planning to visit Takayama on 21 Dec,2015 by using LTD.Exp (Wide View) Hida25 departure from Shin-Osaka station (time: 08.03).
    Please, 1. How can we online booking the front row 2+1
    seats of green car #10 as limitations we’ve found are
    – JR Cyber Station is providing 0nly in japanese
    – we can’t check the availability for more than one
    month
    2. Is LTD.Exp (Wide View) Hida25 a train named or
    a so-called conventional train in order,for us, to
    fill in JR Cyber Station (in case of no alternative
    available)?
    3. Can we pay the reserved fee tickets on-line by
    Visa Cards ? The information form is available
    in english or not ?

  9. maria says:

    Hi Takeshi San,

    I have a question. How can I go to Shin Osaka from Universal Studio Japan? Thank you so much.

  10. Karen says:

    Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo, am I carrying my big luggage with me at my seat or I have to leave it at a specific area?

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