Shansan Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 My family are planning a trip to Osaka, Kyoto & Nara in May. We are confused if where we should go first. If there is time, we plan to go to Kobe within the 7 day trip. Which is the best place to leave for the Kansai airport - Osaka or Kyoto? With this we can plan the whole trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japan Station Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Both Osaka and Kyoto are connected to Kansai Airport by a direct train: Osaka (Namba Area) via Nankai Railway and Osaka Station via JR: https://www.osakastation.com/traveling-between-osaka-and-kansai-international-airport/ Kyoto via JR Limited Express Haruka: https://www.kyotostation.com/traveling-between-kyoto-and-kansai-international-airport/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shansan Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 Thanks for your reply. There are few cards for travelling and we are confused on which would be the best for us. Should we buy the ICOCA card? Can this card be used to travel from the airport to Namba station? And is the Kansai Thru Pass good for use in the airport and also other travel in Osaka, Kyoto and Nara? Appreciate your advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japan Station Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 ICOCA card can be used on practically all transportation systems, including subways, JR and private railways. You need to add funds to the card first and every fare is deducted from the preloaded balance. https://www.japanstation.com/japans-prepaid-transportation-cards-ic-cards/ Kansai Thru Pass offers unlimited travel on non-JR lines, including Nankai Airport line to Namba, Osaka and Kyoto subways, and other lines between Osaka and Kyoto. It is a great value if you are spending a few days in the region. http://www.surutto.com/tickets/kansai_thru_english.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nara_lover Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) I know I'm much too late on this, but for anyone going to Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, then you should also consider Nara. It's also very easily accessible from Osaka, and has much more ancient history than Kyoto. You can take a guided tour of tombs, temples, or just nature there (free) using the app provided by the Nara Kofun and Heritage Foundation (link below) https://www.naraiseki.org/en/smartphone-application-en/ Edited March 18, 2020 by nara_lover improve readability Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
