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Getting Around

by Air
There are two airports serving Osaka. International flights arrive at Kansai International Airport [Kansai Kokusai Kuukou], generally known as Kankuu. From the airport there are several trains into the city, such as the Nankai Express to Namba Station [40 min, ¥890], JR Kuukou Line to Osaka Station [65 min, ¥1160] and the Nankai Limited Express Rapid to Namba [30 min, ¥1400]. Airport buses take about an hour and cost ¥1300. Domestic flights arrive at both Kankuu and Osaka International Airport, generally known as Itami. There are direct bus services from Itami to Umeda and Namba [30 min, ¥620], and Umeda is 22 minutes away using the Osaka Monorail and Hankyu Takarazuka Line [change at Hotarugaike].

by Train
Osaka is three hours from Tokyo by bullet train [shinkansen]. Note that the shinkansen does not stop at JR Osaka Station: passengers will arrive at Shin-Osaka Station, the area around which has few hotels or attractions. However, Osaka Station is one stop away on the JR Kyoto Line.

Travelers coming from Kyoto can choose between the JR, Hankyu and Keihan lines. Osaka Station is just 40 minutes from Kyoto on the Hankyu Line [use the Shijo-Kawaramachi terminal, which is more convenient for sightseers than JR Kyoto]. Limited Express [tokkyu] trains are the fastest. JR Kyoto Station is 30 minutes away from Osaka by regular JR trains. Some travelers prefer not to use the shinkansen [15 min] for travel from Kyoto and Kobe because arriving in Osaka Station is more convenient than in Shin-Osaka.
There are three train lines running from Kobe. Take the JR Kobe Line [the shinkaisoku is the fastest type of train] if you are coming by JR [20 min] and the Limited Express [tokkyu] if you are taking the Hankyu Line [30 min]. Hankyu is slightly cheaper.

For travel within the city, the JR Kanjo [Loop] Line encircles the city's central districts, and is crisscrossed by various other JR and private train lines.
If you have a tourist visa, you are eligible for the Kansai Passport, a special rail ticket that offers substantial discounts on JR trains in Kyoto, Osaka and the surrounding region. There are multiple pricing schemes based on the cities and the duration of the pass. It can only be purchased at Kansai Airport.

by Bus
For budget travelers, there are buses to Tokyo and other regions. Orion Tours [Tel. 06-6377-3100] buses cost just ¥5000 one-way. JR [Tel. 0088-24-5489], Kintetsu [Tel. 06-6772-1631] and Hankyu [Tel. 06-6866-3147] also have services to Tokyo, but are generally more expensive. Osaka municipal buses cost ¥200 to ride; however, even some of Osaka's more experienced residents find the system confusing to use, and prefer to take the subway.

by Subway
Osaka has a clean and efficient subway system. Fares start at ¥200, rising 20 yen every three stations or so. For travel between the city's two main hubs, Umeda and Namba, use the Midosuji [red] Line. Buy a Rainbow Card [prepaid pass] for ¥500~5000, or a one-day pass, ¥850 for adults, ¥430 for kids.

by Car
The Tomei / Meihan Expressway takes you to Kyoto, Nagoya and Tokyo, and the Chugoku and Sanyo Expressways to Hiroshima and Okayama. The Hanshin Expressway, a network of highways, offers access to Kobe and Kansai International Airport, as well as other areas in the region.