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
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
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 |
| 20-22 | The Sanyo Shinkansen and the Kyushu Shinkansen for Okayama, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto, Kagoshima-Chuo |
| 23-27 | The Tokaido Shinkansen for Kyoto, Nagoya, Tokyo |
Conventional lines on Ground floor
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 |
| 3 | ■ The limited express Haruka for Kansai Airport ■ The limited express Kuroshio for Wakayama, Shirahama, Shingu |
| 4 | ■ The 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 |
| 9,10 | ■ The 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
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.
Once you get out from Central exit, you will find the sign of subway on your left hand.
Follow the signage and go down.
There are many signage and just follow.
You will find subway ticket gate soon.
It takes 5 minutes to transfer from ticket gate to ticket gate. It is quite easy.
Comments
Hi Takeshi,
We have a Shinkansen ticket for Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka. However we need to further go to Osaka Station. Do we need to buy a ticket for Shin-Osaka to Osaka station or just transfer.
Hi Maple106,
If you have regular tickets (Shinkansen seat ticket and base fare ticket), you can proceed by base fare ticket to Osaka.
When you arrive in Shin-Osaka, you can slot two tickets in the gate machine. You will receive one ticket only that is base fare ticket. And you can slot base fare ticket at Osaka station to exit.
But there are many kinds of tickets. If you have a sort of special discount ticket, you may need to get off at Shin-Osaka and need to buy. Just try to slot the tickets at Shinkansen transfer gate at Shin-Osaka. Don’t slot your ticket at other than Shinkansen transfer gate. If you slot your tickets in the machine at other than Shinkansen transfer gate, you have to exit at Shin-Osaka.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi, I will be arriving from Kyoto via Shinkansen to my accomodation located around 5 minutes walk from Nankai Line Namba Station (according to the information from the site).
Is the arrival point to Namba Station via Nankai Line and the Midousuji Line the same? If so, should I just take the guide above about the Midousuji Line?
Thank you very much for the help.
Cheerio.
Jimmy.
Hi Jimmy,
Nankai and Midousuji line Namba stations are almost same location. You can take Midousuji line from Shin-Osaka to Namba.
Please see the link below to find the info about Namba stations.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/basic-informations/station-information/namba-stations-guide-how-to-change-the-trains-among-nankai-kintetsu-hanshin-subway-and-jr.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
I am arriving by cruise ship on 5th July 2017 into Tempozan cruise terminal. I would like to experience the Shinkansen from Osaka to Kyoto. Could you please advise how to get from cruise terminal to correct station to catch this train, and is it possible to know the cost. Many thanks
Kerri-Ann
Hi Kerri-Ann,
You may take subway Chuo line from Osakako to Honmachi, and take subway Midousuji line from Honmachi to Shin-Osaka.
http://www.kotsu.city.osaka.lg.jp/library/english/img/guide_english2.pdf
One way cost is around 3,000 yen altogether. If you want the exact fare, please use hyperdia to find it.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/basic-informations/timetable-and-reservation/hyperdia-perfect-guide-train-timetable-and-route-search-engine.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
I’ll be travelling to Tottori from Kansai Airport. I’ll be using Limited Express Haruka from Kansai Airport to Shin-Osaka and Limited Express Super Hakuto from Shin-Osaka to Tottori. The arrival track at Shin-Osaka is No 11 and the departure track is No 17. The transfer time is 10 minutes, is it enough to catch the Super Hakuto train to Tottori? Do I need to exit any gates to get to departure track no 17?
*will be travelling with my family, 6 of us in total.
Cheeers,
Mel
Hi Mel,
10 minutes is okay. It’s not way enough but not impossible. You don’t need to exit. You just go up the walkway from platform #11 and go down from the walkway to platform #17. There are escalators, elevators and stairs.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
This will be my 1st time traveling to JP with my husband. We will visit Osaka after Tokyo and then go to Hakone after Osaka. During the stay in Osaka, we are planning to visit Kyoto and Nara. Since we are not familiar with the area and which transportation we need, I am wondering if you would be able to give us some suggestions (such as we should stay in a place closer to Shin-Osaka Station or Umeda). Thanks!!
Hi Vickie H,
Both Umeda (JR Osaka) and Shin-Osaka are very convenient place. Especially you can access to Nara and Kyoto from Umeda directly. I recommend you to see the link below:
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/tips-for-japan-rail-pass/how-to-transfer-among-kyoto-osaka-and-kobe-compare-japan-railway-and-private-lines.html
I think you will use JR pass. It covers all JR trains in Kansai area. You can access to Kyoto and Nara from both Umeda and Shin-Osaka without any extra charge. You also can find some more info at the links below:
https://jprail.com/destinations/kansai-area/guide-to-take-trains-in-kyoto-how-to-choose-the-best-route-by-train-to-get-the-major-spots.html
https://jprail.com/destinations/kansai-area/guide-to-take-trains-in-osaka-how-to-choose-the-best-route-by-train-to-get-the-major-spots.html
https://jprail.com/destinations/kansai-area/how-to-access-to-nara-by-japan-rail-pass-if-you-dont-use-jr-pass-kintetsu-railway-is-more-convenient.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
I need to go from Kansai Airport to Shin Osaka to Okayama. I have reserved online the ICOCA & Haruka from Kansai Airport, which I will use for Kansai Airport to Shin Osaka. For Shin Osaka to Okayama, I need to change to the Shinkansen. As I have very short transfer time, is it possible to pre-purchase the Shinkansen ticket for Shin Osaka to Okayama?
Thank you very much!
Regards,
Henrietta
Hi Henrietta,
You can purchase Shinkansen ticket at Kansai airport station when you get ICOCA and Haruka there.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takashi,
From Shin-Osaka, how do I get to Minoo Falls?
Hi Tony,
Shin-Osaka (JR) Osaka (walk) Hankyu Umeda (Hankyu railway) Ishibashi (Hankyu Railway) Minoo (walk) Minoo falls
In fall foliage season, sometimes direct train runs from Umeda to Minoo.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Hi Takeshi,
Is there a possibility to leave our luggage for 2 or 3 days at the Shin Osaka station?
Thanks for yiur helps.
Cheers
Aline
Hi Aline,
Mostly you can leave your luggage at the lockers in 72 hours. But sometimes 24 hours is maximum. Please check it before using the locker.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
hi takeshi,
if i buy kansai thru pass how to take subway from
shin osaka to nara
shin osaka to kyoto
shin osaka to kobe
can i use kansai thru pass to take haruka to kansai airport?
Hi Tan,
You may use Kansai thry pass for these three trips. But Haruka is not covered by Kansai thru pass. This pass does not cover any JR trains. ICOCA and Haruka or Haruka discount ticket is available.
https://jprail.com/travel-informations/other-rail-passes/rail-pass-for-visitors/icoca-and-haruka-ticket-very-flexible-and-good-deal-for-tourist-who-stay-in-kansai.html
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com
Dear Takeshi,
Is it possible to do Day Trip to the Tokushima Prefecture including the Oboke Gorge and Iya Valley from Osaka?
I am using JR pass.
Hi Isaac,
It’s possible. It takes 2.5-3 hours to get Oboke from Osaka by Shinkansen and Limited Express Nanpu. Oboke gorge is 10 minutes away from the station by taxi. It takes 40 minutes to get Iya valley from Oboke by taxi.
Cheers,
Takeshi / JPRail.com