Transport Cards & Passes

Preface

If it is your first time in Osaka, choosing the right pass among so many options can feel overwhelming.

One common mistake is to plan the itinerary first and then try to fit transport passes into it. This often forces you to rewrite your plan later, so it is much more efficient to understand each pass’s rules and coverage first, then build your itinerary around them.

For example, some travelers misunderstand the Osaka Amazing Pass as a “must-use万能 pass” and buy four 1-day passes for a 4-day, 3-night trip.

But in most cases, that leads to wasting money. When preparing for your trip, it is important to clearly understand what each pass includes and where it is valid.

Which transport IC cards can you buy in Kansai?

The basic idea of IC transport cards is explained in the “Common 2 - Transport Information” section. Here, we focus on ICOCA and KANSAI ONEPASS, which you can buy in Osaka/Kansai.

1) ICOCA

• You can buy it in the 1,000–5,000 yen range, including a 500 yen deposit
• Duck-raccoon character design
• Available not only at Kansai Airport, but also at most stations across Kansai
• Child version available (but not sold at ticket machines)
• At Universal City Station, there is no ticket office, so child cards cannot be issued
• Card is valid for 10 years
• Available for advance purchase

2) KANSAI ONEPASS

• A foreign visitors-only card; passport required
• Astro Boy character design
• Fixed price of 3,000 yen, including a 500 yen deposit
• Only available at Kansai Airport and a limited number of stations (See the link below for sales locations)
• No child version
• No expiry date
• Offers discounts and perks at some facilities (e.g., Umeda Sky Building Observatory)

Key passes you should know for Osaka travel

1) Kansai Railway Pass (formerly Kansai Thru Pass)

Kansai Railway Pass

The Kansai Thru Pass, long loved by Osaka travelers, was discontinued from April 2024, and a new product, the Kansai Railway Pass, was introduced as its successor.

The old Thru Pass had the advantage of covering most Kyoto buses and even the Randen tram, but the new Railway Pass does not allow those routes and the price also increased (3-day: 5,400 yen → 7,000 yen), so it has become less attractive overall.

So, the idea of “I’ll just buy the Kansai Thru Pass” is no longer a valid approach.

With the current Kansai Railway Pass, if it does not match your actual itinerary, it may cost you more than it saves, so choose carefully.

Still, it is useful to summarize it once to understand how it differs from other passes.

• Covers the wider Kansai area: Kansai Airport, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Himeji, and more
• JR lines are excluded
• Osaka Metro and major private railways (Hankyu, Kintetsu, Keihan, etc.)
• 2-day: 5,600 yen / 3-day: 7,000 yen
• Child (ages 6–11) 2-day: 2,800 yen / 3-day: 3,500 yen
• Can be used on non-consecutive days
  • Example: choose 12/1, 12/3, 12/5 within the validity period
• Each “day” is counted from first train to last train
• Even if you start at 3 pm, it still counts as one day until midnight
• Key differences vs. the old Kansai Thru Pass
  • No Kansai bus rides included
  • No Kyoto Randen (Keifuku) tram rides
  • No BRT Imazato Liner
• Kansai Airport ↔ Osaka (Namba): you can use Nankai Airport Express
  • However, for the Rapit limited express, you must buy an extra limited express ticket (520 yen)
• Discounts and perks at some sightseeing spots, restaurants, and souvenir shops

2) Kansai Joy Pass

Have Fun In Kansai 🎡

• This pass gives free or discounted entry to major attractions and facilities in Kansai. You choose either 3 spots or 6 spots to use.
• It is valid for 7 days from the first use, so you can use it flexibly during your trip.
• Examples of available attractions and tickets include:
  • Osaka: Umeda Sky Building Observatory (no time limit), Harukas 300 Observatory, Solaniwa Onsen admission (A/B pricing only), Tsutenkaku & Tower Slider
  • Kyoto: Kyoto Railway Museum, Toei Kyoto Studio Park
  • Transport: Keihan Pass (usable on the Keihan Line between Osaka and Kyoto)
• It does not include transport, so you should always use it together with an IC card (such as ICOCA).

3) Osaka Amazing Pass

Osaka Amazing Pass 🎫

• Usable across Osaka city
• Includes Osaka Metro, buses, and some private lines within Osaka city, excluding JR lines
• 1-day: 3,500 yen
• 2-day: 5,000 yen
• Osaka Monorail version (1-day): 4,300 yen
  • Includes the Osaka Monorail to reach Expo Commemoration Park
• Free entry or rides at about 40 attractions, including Osaka Castle Main Tower
• The Monorail version was released in line with Osaka Expo
• Free-entry rules vary by facility, so you must check in advance
• No child version. For family trips, calculate child admission and transport costs separately
• Each facility can be entered once per day, no re-entry
• The 2-day pass must be used on consecutive days

4) Osaka e-Pass

Osaka e-Pass 📱

• Usable at major attractions in Osaka city
• No transport function; use it together with an IC card
• 1-day: 2,400 yen / 2-day: 3,000 yen
• Free entry to about 20 facilities, such as Tsutenkaku
• Some facilities are excluded (e.g., Osaka Castle Main Tower, Tempozan Ferris Wheel)
• Free-entry rules vary by facility
• No child version
• Each facility can be entered once per day
• The 2-day pass must be used on two consecutive days

5) Subway passes

① Enjoy Eco Card

Enjoy Eco Card

• Osaka city area
• Valid on Osaka Metro and city buses (some routes excluded)
• Not valid on JR lines or private railways
• 1-day: 820 yen
• Sat/Sun/public holidays: 620 yen
• Child: 310 yen
• 🛒 Available at ticket machines inside subway stations
• 🎟️ Partner discounts
• 💡 Example: If Umeda–Namba is 240 yen one-way, you save money if you ride 4+ times on a weekday

② Osaka Metro Pass

Osaka Metro Pass

Coverage

• Osaka city area
• Valid on Osaka Metro and city buses (some excluded)
• Not valid on JR lines or private railways
• 1-day: 1,200 yen / 2-day: 1,800 yen
• Sold only at limited locations such as Kansai Airport Tourist Information Center
• Advance purchase only (physical exchange voucher or QR code)
• 2-day pass can be used on non-consecutive days
• Coverage and routes are the same as the Enjoy Eco Card

Osaka Amazing Pass, subway passes, or an IC card—which is best?

1) Osaka Amazing Pass vs. subway passes

If you are deciding between the Osaka Amazing Pass and a subway pass, first check the list of attractions that are free with the Amazing Pass, then count how many you will actually visit and add up their admission fees.

If the total admission fees are under 2,500 yen, it is usually better to skip the Amazing Pass, use a subway pass for transport, and pay admissions separately.

If the total is 2,500 yen or more, it is more efficient to buy the Amazing Pass and spend that day doing intensive sightseeing using only the Amazing Pass.

2) Transport passes vs. transport IC cards (ICOCA)

It depends on your itinerary, but buying a pass does not always mean saving money.
Passes are most useful only when you ride frequently or travel across a wide area.

For example, even on a 5-day, 4-night trip, if you mostly shop within Osaka city, you will ride less often. And if you only do a single day trip to Kyoto, you may be fully covered by a Keihan Pass + ICOCA, or even just ICOCA alone.

In this way, it is important to plan your overall itinerary first, then choose the best ticket option for it.

From March 31, 2024, the Kansai Thru Pass was discontinued and replaced by the Kansai Railway Pass, but its value dropped significantly.
As a result, in recent trips, ICOCA has effectively become more useful in many cases.

3) One-way fare reference for key routes

• Umeda → Kyoto Kawaramachi (Hankyu): 410 yen
• Osaka-Namba → Kobe Sannomiya (Hanshin): 420 yen
• Osaka-Namba → Kintetsu Nara (Kintetsu): 680 yen
• Yodoyabashi → Fushimi Inari (Keihan): 420 yen
• Umeda → Himeji (direct through-service on Hanshin & Sanyo Railway): 1,320 yen

How to use Hankyu Tourist, Hankyu Hanshin, Keihan, and Kintetsu passes

1) Hankyu Tourist Pass

The Hankyu Tourist Pass was discontinued on March 31, 2024, but it was later re-released as a digital ticket.

Previously, the 1-day pass was 700 yen, but after the digital relaunch, the price increased to 1,300 yen.

Since the one-way fare from Umeda to Hankyu Kawaramachi is 410 yen, you need at least 4 rides to break even.

2) Hanshin Tourist Pass

• Discontinued on March 31, 2024

3) Hankyu Hanshin 1-Day Pass

• All Hankyu lines
• All Hanshin lines
• All Kobe Rapid Transit lines (including Nishidai and Minatogawa)
• 1-day: 1,600 yen (no child fare)
• A newly issued pass after the old Hankyu/Hanshin Tourist Passes ended
• At 1,600 yen for one day, the value is not strong
• Could be useful if you stay in Osaka and do a single-day route covering Kyoto Arashiyama + Nishiki Market + Kobe Sannomiya
• But for most typical itineraries, you are likely to lose money 🥲

4) Keihan Pass

• Unlimited rides on all Keihan lines

• The Kyoto + Osaka Metro Pass also includes Osaka Metro rides

• Kyoto–Osaka Keihan 1-day / 24-hour pass: 1,650 yen and 1,850 yen

• Kyoto 1-day sightseeing pass: 1,100 yen (not valid on Keihan lines in Osaka)

• Kyoto + Osaka Metro: 1-day 2,160 yen

• Kyoto/Osaka + Kurama & Kibune expanded version: 1-day 2,100 yen

• Hirakata Park expanded version: 1-day 2,200 yen

  • Includes Keihan rides + Hirakata Park admission
  • Be sure to check Hirakata Park closed days in advance ⚠️
  • Entry is included, but attractions require separate tickets or an additional free pass

• You can depart from Yodoyabashi Station and go to Kyoto via the Keihan Line

• Example: Yodoyabashi ↔ Fushimi Inari round trip is 420 yen × 2 = 840 yen → for a simple round trip, the pass is not worth it

• Only if you use the Keihan Line 5+ times in a day do you usually get real savings 🚆

5) Kintetsu Rail Pass

Kintetsu Rail Pass

• Full Kintetsu network connecting Osaka–Nara/Kyoto–Nagoya/Mie
• Ikoma Cable Car (Ikoma–Ikoma Sanjo)
• Nara Kotsu buses
• Mie Kotsu and Toba City Kamome buses
• Coverage varies by pass type, so you must check before purchasing
• 1-day: Osaka–Nara/Kyoto + some Nara Kotsu buses
• 2-day: Osaka–Nara/Kyoto + Yoshino area + Nara Kotsu buses
• 5-day: Full area including Osaka–Nara/Kyoto–Nagoya/Mie
• 5-day Plus: Full 5-day area + Nara/Mie buses
• For a day trip to Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park (※watch for winter closure), the 1-day pass is very cost-effective
• Only the 5-day and Plus versions cover the full Osaka–Nagoya route
  • Limited express trains (e.g., Hinotori) require a separate limited express ticket
• If your itinerary spans a wide area (Osaka–Nara–Kyoto–Nagoya–Mie), the 5-day pass is efficient

Kyoto & Arima Onsen area passes

1) Kyoto Subway 1-Day Pass

• Kyoto Municipal Subway: 2 lines (Karasuma Line, Tozai Line)
• 1-day: 800 yen, child: 400 yen
• Kyoto’s public transport relies more on buses than subways, so this subway-only pass is not very useful.

2) Kyoto Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass

• Kyoto Municipal Subway: 2 lines (Karasuma Line, Tozai Line) + major Kyoto city buses
• 1-day: 1,100 yen, child: 550 yen
• Kyoto city buses have a flat fare of 230 yen, so the pass is worth it if you ride 5+ times (bus/subway combined).
• In outer Kyoto areas, fares can be distance-based, so be careful.
• In general, if you use public transport 6+ times in a day, this pass is often worth it; otherwise, ICOCA can be more efficient.
• If you plan to use the Kyoto Tourist Express Bus (EX100, EX101), which operates only on weekends and public holidays, you should strongly consider this pass.

3) Kyoto Tourist Express Bus 🚌

Starting operations on June 1, 2024, the Kyoto Tourist Express Bus stops at fewer bus stops and connects major sightseeing spots faster. Currently, two routes operate:

• EX100: Kyoto Station (Stop D1) → Gion → Ginkakuji-mae → Ginkakuji-michi → Heian-jingu-mae → Gion → Kiyomizu-michi → Kyoto Station
• EX101: Kyoto Station (Stop D1) → Gojozaka → Kyoto Station

This bus costs 500 yen per ride, so if you plan to follow the EX100 route to visit Kiyomizu-dera, Ginkaku-ji, and Heian Shrine, the Kyoto Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass is the most efficient option.

4) Arima Onsen Taikono-yu package ticket

• Hankyu or Hanshin + Kobe Electric Railway + Arima Onsen Taikono-yu admission
• Hankyu + Taikono-yu admission: 3,150 yen
• Hanshin + Taikono-yu admission: 2,950 yen
• A Taikono-yu ticket alone costs 2,750 yen on weekdays / 2,970 yen on weekends, so this package offers strong value, even after including transport.

When you should use JR lines

Even if it is your first trip to Japan, you have probably heard the term JR lines at least once.
However, the passes introduced so far mostly apply only to subways and private railways, excluding JR lines.

So, does that mean you cannot use JR in Osaka?

For example, if you try to go from Umeda Station to Namba Station using JR, you would need to board at Osaka Station (connected to Umeda), take the JR Loop Line to JR Imamiya Station, and then transfer to JR Namba Station.

Osaka Metro Midosuji Line takes about 10 minutes, but JR takes about 22–25 minutes including transfers.

For this reason, you almost never use JR for sightseeing within Osaka city.
One exception is when going to JR Universal City Station for Universal Studios Japan. 🎢

1) When heading to Kyoto, Kobe, or Nara

Umeda is served by subways and private railways, and you can use JR from Osaka Station (connected to Umeda).

• Umeda - (Hankyu Kyoto Line) - Kyoto Kawaramachi: about 43 minutes
• Osaka - (JR Special Rapid) - Kyoto Station: about 29 minutes

JR is often faster and more convenient.
It is especially useful for places that are only on JR lines, such as Saga-Arashiyama Station and JR Inari Station.

2) Kansai Airport to Kyoto

If you avoid JR and use only private railways and subways, it takes about 2 hours 10 minutes with at least two transfers. But with the Haruka limited express, you can arrive in 1 hour 23 minutes with no transfers.

If you use JR smartly based on your destination, you can build a more efficient itinerary.

• For Nara, JR (from Tennoji) can be inconvenient because JR Nara Station is about 1 km farther from Nara Park than Kintetsu Nara Station.

3) Major JR lines in Kansai

• JR Osaka Loop Line
• Yamatoji Line
• JR Yumesaki Line

When checking routes in Google Maps, it can be confusing whether a line is JR or not, so before buying a JR-related pass, you should always confirm whether your routes are included.

How to use JR Kansai / Wide / Mini Passes

1) JR Kansai Pass

JR KANSAI PASS

• JR lines within Kansai (airport, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Himeji, Wakayama, and more)
• Can ride the Haruka limited express from Kansai Airport
  • Reserved seats: up to 2 times, advance reservation required
  • Non-reserved seats: unlimited rides within the validity period
• JR buses in the JR West area (※ express buses are not included)
• Except for Haruka, no other limited express trains or Shinkansen are included
• 1-day: Adult 2,800 yen / Child 1,400 yen
• 2-day: Adult 4,800 yen / Child 2,400 yen
• 3-day: Adult 5,800 yen / Child 2,900 yen
• 4-day: Adult 7,000 yen / Child 3,500 yen
• Must be used on consecutive days (e.g., Mon–Tue–Wed)
• For limited express trains other than Haruka, you need a separate limited express ticket
• Includes the following exchange vouchers (usable within the Kansai Pass validity period)
  • Kyoto Municipal Subway 1-day ticket
  • Keihan Kyoto 1-day sightseeing ticket
  • Hankyu Kyoto Line 1-day free pass
• Bike rental with Ekirin-kun at key areas such as Kyoto Station, Umeda, and Shinsaibashi 🚲
  • See Ekirin-kun
• If you only travel within Osaka city, you rarely use JR, so the pass is less useful.
• However, the 1-day pass can be useful if your itinerary includes:
  • Day 1: Arrive at Kansai Airport and go straight to Kyoto
  • Day 2: Include JR-heavy trips such as Himeji Castle

2) JR Kansai Wide Pass

JR KANSAI WIDE PASS

• JR lines covering Kansai Airport, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Himeji, Takamatsu, Okayama, Tottori, Kinosaki Onsen, Amanohashidate, and more
• Reserved seats on the Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka – Okayama)
• Reserved seats on limited express trains such as Haruka, Kuroshio, Thunderbird, Konotori
• JR local buses within JR West area (express buses excluded)
• 5-day: Adult 12,000 yen / Child 6,000 yen
• Reserved seats require advance booking
• For Shinkansen and limited express non-reserved seats, you can ride with the pass without booking 🚄
• Bike rental with Ekirin-kun near major JR stations (Kyoto Station, Umeda, Shinsaibashi, etc.)
• Highly recommended if your itinerary includes:
  • Amanohashidate or Ine Funaya village (Ine requires separate bus fare)
  • Round trips to Okayama, Kurashiki, or Takamatsu

3) JR Kansai Mini Pass

JR KANSAI MINI PASS

• JR local trains connecting Kansai Airport, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara
• Includes Kansai Airport Rapid Service (🚆 local trains only)
• 3-day: Adult 3,000 yen / Child 1,500 yen
• Limited express trains like Haruka require extra fees
• A good-value choice if:
  • Your accommodation is near Osaka Station or a JR station
  • You plan day trips to Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara one day each
• Note: JR Nara Station is about 1 km farther from Nara Park than Kintetsu Nara Station, so access can be less convenient