Taking the shinkansen from Kyoto to Osaka is a great way to travel between the two popular Japanese cities.

Kyoto with its temples and geisha Performances, Osaka with its delicious street food street, Kuromon Ichiba Market. Many travelers visit these two memorable destinations in Japan, but few take one of Japan’s finest and quickest mode of transport between Kyoto and Osaka – the shinkansen.

Taking the Kyoto to Osaka shinkansen (or Osaka to Kyoto) is my recommendation of travel between the two cities for a number of reasons, its quick, it’s fun and it’s the cheapest shinkansen route in Japan.

Let me dive into these three reasons why you should catch the shinkansen between Kyoto and Osaka!

 

The Kyoto to Osaka Shinkansen is the cheapest high-speed train route in Japan

If you’ve looked at shinkansen, or high-speed train, tickets in Japan, you know they are really on the cheap side. Even though riding the shinkansen was a bucket list item of Japan, my bank account hated the idea of a couple of hundred dollars for a one-way ticket.

Luckily for you, I used my powers of being cheap to find the shortest and cheapest shinkansen ticket at regular price.

So while others spend hundreds of dollars for a shinkansen experience in Japan, catching the high-speed train from Kyoto to Osaka is the cheapest ticket you can get, but it still gives you a full shinkansen experience.

 

Riding the shinkansen is a lot of fun

With a top speed of 320km/hr (around 200 miles), the shinkansen is a pretty damn fun way to get around Japan, even if only the short ride from Kyoto to Osaka.

While at top speed, you can feel every turn in the track. As the train curves left or right, you feel your center of gravity moving along with it.

The shinkansen is more like an amusement park ride, but also gets you to another part of Japan ridiculously fast.

 

There is no quicker way to get from Kyoto to Osaka

To cover the 56km from Kyoto to Osaka, the bullet train is by far the quickest means of getting between the two cities.

Driving from Kyoto to Osaka? You’re looking at a little under an hour, not including any delays on the road – this means taking a bus or driving between Kyoto and Osaka can be well over the hour mark.

Flights between Osaka and Kyoto don’t exist – it is only 56km between the two!

You can catch a regular JR train that takes around half an hour from station to station.

Any guesses how long it takes on the shinkansen between Kyoto and Osaka? Around 20 minutes. Yeah, ¼ of an hour to get between these two major cities in Japan – plus, it’s a pretty cool experience to have!

 

Where does the shinkansen from Kyoto to Osaka depart and arrive

The shinkansen makes its stop at Kyoto Station in Kyoto, and for Osaka, Shin-Osaka Station is the departure/arrival point.

Please note that Shin-Osaka and Osaka Train Stations are different stops and you will have to interchange at Shin-Osaka station to get to Osaka Station.

 

Booking your ticket on the Kyoto to Osaka shinkansen high-speed train

Please note: Some links below are affiliate links. I earn a small amount through certain purchases you make, this does not increase the cost for you and helps support this site.

There are a couple of ways you can book your shinkansen tickets around Japan (not only from Kyoto to Osaka). If you’re on a tight itinerary in Japan, it will be a great way to save some time and spend time in both Kyoto and Osaka.

You can book in person, at any shinkansen JR station. During 2017, I paid ¥1240 for my one-way ticket to Osaka from Kyoto.

Booking ahead is a great option to secure your seat, especially in peak season times. You can book your Kyoto to Osaka shinkansen ticket online – you’re looking around $45 USD for a standard seat booked in advance.

You can also book a JR 7 or 14 day tickets, which allows you to use the Shinkansen, as well as all JR Line trains.

Please note – if you book online, follow all directions on the ticket for pick up.

 

Video on taking the Shinkansen from Osaka to Kyoto (or reverse)

 

Summary on taking the Kyoto to Osaka Shinkansen

Taking only 20 to 30 minutes from Kyoto to Osaka, the bullet train is by far the fastest way to commute between the two. The next fastest method is by regular JR train, which takes roughly twice as long.

Sure, the 1420¥ is a pretty steep price tag for such a short trip on the bullet train, but not only are you getting from one city to another, but it is also a memorable experience in Japan – seeing the scenery flash by in an instant.

Building after building whizzing by, speeding passed the congestion on highways – it’s a fun thing to do in Japan.

If you’re booking your travels now, make sure you book the best travel accommodation for Kyoto and Osaka.

 

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Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown