Tokyo To Osaka: What Is The Best Way To Travel?

By Shinkansen (bullet train)

Types of Shinkansen

There are nine Shinkansen lines that take you around Japan and the one you need to know would be Tokaido Shinkansen line as it connects Tokyo with Osaka. In fact, it is well-known for being Japan’s first high-speed railway, being opened in early 1964 for the Japan Olympic Games.

You will come across three types of trains - Nozomi (fast train), Hikari (semi-fast train), and Kodama (local train). Nozomi (fast train) stops at the 6 main stations, Hikari (semi-fast train) makes between 7 and 12 stops and Kodama (local train) stops at all 17 stations. Do note that Japan Rail Pass does not cover the Nozomi (fast train) as it is a private line and not part of the national Japan Rail Group. Since Nozomi is the fastest among the bullet trains, it is also the most expensive option at about about 134 USD.

If you’re not in a hurry and have a few hours to spare, then opt for the Hikari (semi-fast train), which connects Tokyo to Shin-Osaka in exactly 173 minutes. Kodama (local train) is the slowest and takes close to four hours to reach Shin-Osaka. Both Hikari and Kodama tickets will cost about 131 USD.

Departure points and schedules

If you’re departing from Tokyo, you may board at Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station. Those departing from Osaka can board from Shin-Osaka Station. To check Shinkansen’s schedule, head to JR Central for a detailed timetable and Hyperdia to check and purchase the tickets directly.

How to book

Tickets can be bought at any JR ticket office or ticket window. While it’s possible to purchase unreserved tickets on the day of departure, we highly recommend making reservations in advance for peak travel seasons during early April and mid-November where people flock to see the cherry blossoms and autumn foliage. Another reliable way to book your tickets would be through Klook.

This is applicable only for passengers aged 12 and above so if you do happen to be travelling with children aged 6 to 11, you’ll have to purchase a child ticket at the JR Ticket Office. Japan Rail (JR) Pass allows travellers to make reservations one month in advance so plan ahead.

If you’re staying in Japan for an extended period, the JR Pass would be a cheaper alternative to buying individual tickets for transportation. Klook has 7-, 14- and 21-day options for unlimited travels across the expansive rail network and you may read more about it here. For more information on the JR Pass, you may refer to our article.

By plane

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If you prefer a faster way to travel to Osaka and prefer not to familiarize yourself with the types of Shinkansen as explained above, you may do so by plane. The main airports you will be using from Tokyo would be Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport. For Osaka, there will also be two main airports to look out for - Itami Airport (also referred to as Osaka International Airport) and Kansai International Airport.

Depending on your travel plans, distance and budget, you may decide which airport to depart from and arrive to. For travellers who are arriving at Kansai International Airport, there are a few modes of transportation to connect you from the airport to the city. Some train routes are covered by the JR Pass so do a check to fully utilize that. Otherwise, you may book a reliable private transfer that runs for 24 hours via Klook.

You may also book a baggage transfer on the same day or within 24 hours to ease off the load. Make it a stress-free journey!

By bus/coach

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There are a couple of bus companies that run routes from Tokyo to Osaka but we recommend checking out Willer Express and Kosoku Bus.

Willer Express

Willer Express has more than 120 bus routes throughout Japan between major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Hiroshima and even destinations like Shirakawago or Takayama. We did a quick search on a one-way ticket departing on 1 April 2020 and were greeted by 20 available routes. You have the option to sort by departure time and fare.

Since most travellers would want to avoid the peak period traffic, we went straight to their ‘advanced search’ tab to select 'yes’ for 'ride overnight’. The earliest night bus departure time is 8.50 pm from Shin-Kiba Station with 2 types of buses ranging from JPY 5,280 to JPY 8,000 (USD 48 to USD 73). We also spotted a 'ladies seat policy’, a very considerate option to ensure that a female passenger is paired with other female passengers to give ladies peace of mind for overnight travels.

There are also many other options given like wider seat width & space, single private seats and seat reservations are possible on selected buses. You may refer to the bus icons while booking.

Kosoku Bus

Kosoku Bus allows a search of up to 3 months in advance only, so we did a search on a one-way ticket departing on 1 March 2020. Compared to Willer Express which gives you a list of available departure and arrival locations, you will need to select upfront the stops you’re planning to take.

For price comparison sake, we did a night bus search as well, departing from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station. The earliest night bus departs at 9.30 pm and arrives at 5.28 pm with prices ranging from JPY 5,400 to JPY 6,400 (USD 49 to USD 58). Similar to Willer Express, Kosoku Bus also has the women-only row available. The website is simpler to navigate since the options to sort and filter are minimal.

Klook

Used to Klook-ing your way around the world? Then you will be glad to find that Klook offers a night highway bus from Tokyo to Osaka. You may select dates up to 2 months in advance and a 3-seater or 4-seater row.

By default, you will not be able to select your own departure time and seat but if you wish to specify a preferred seat (for example, a window or aisle seat), then select the ‘handling fee’ option before making payment. Any other special requests can be written at the checkout page as well, though there is no guarantee that it can all be fulfilled. But rest assured that the local operator will try to arrange the seating according to gender.

By regular trains

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Got some time to spare and don’t mind travelling at a slow pace? The Seishun 18 pass is a ticket sold by JR and it allows up to 5 non-consecutive days of unlimited travel on JR local and rapid trains. However, it’s only sold 3 times a year during spring, summer and winter. You can buy the tickets at most JR stations at least a month before the mentioned seasons.

Due to its low cost, you will pass by more stations than the Shinkansen (bullet train). Plan your route carefully and you will be able to pass by beautiful landscapes and visit lesser-known regions in Japan. Since it requires a lot of planning in advance, we wouldn’t recommend it for beginner Japan travellers.

Hyperdia is a good way to check your railway schedule and helps you to connect the dots efficiently. Tip: Under ‘other options’, remember to select only 'Ordinary Train’ and 'Japan Railway(JR)’.

Ready to go?

Thank you for staying with us until the end of this article. We hope we’ve managed to make your trip from Tokyo to Osaka a little easier with our listed ways to travel. While some options may be practical in terms of cost and duration, others may offer other benefits such as a different experience and more freedom to see more along with unexpected stops.

Travelling is also about expecting the unexpected, going with the flow and enjoying the surprises (good or bad) along the way, isn’t it? Ultimately, it’s your trip so choose the option that best suits your travel needs. Have a wonderful time!