Kansai Area Pass
JR West local and rapid trains around Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara and Himeji, plus the Haruka airport express, for 1 to 4 days
JR West
Adults from¥2,800Price checked 2026/09/27
Provider prices may differ from the price above. Booking through our links earns us a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Fares
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | ¥2,800 | ¥1,400 |
| 2 consecutive days | ¥4,800¥2,400 a day | ¥2,400¥1,200 a day |
| 3 consecutive days | ¥5,800¥1,933 a day | ¥2,900¥967 a day |
| 4 consecutive days | ¥7,000¥1,750 a day | ¥3,500¥875 a day |
Child fares are for ages 6 to 11. From age 12, the adult fare applies. Each pass holder can bring up to two children aged 1 to 5 for free; a third needs a child pass, as does a young child who takes a reserved seat or travels alone. Babies under 1 ride free. Age is counted on the date the exchange order is issued or the pass is bought.
Prices depend on the date you buy the pass, not the date you use it.
Is the Kansai Area Pass worth it?
- You land at Kansai Airport and head for Kyoto: the Haruka costs ¥3,590 one way, more than the ¥2,800 1-day pass, and the pass keeps working for the rest of that day.
- You arrive and leave through Kansai Airport with day trips in between: the Haruka both ways is ¥7,180, already above the ¥7,000 4-day pass, before Kyoto to Nara (¥720 each way) or Osaka to Himeji (¥1,460 each way).
- You arrive at Kansai Airport but stay in Osaka: the Kansai Airport Rapid Service to Osaka is ¥1,180, and Osaka to Kyoto and back is ¥1,160, well under ¥2,800 for the day.
- You won't ride the Haruka: the Kansai Mini Pass covers JR local and rapid trains around Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara for ¥3,000 for 3 days.
- Your days run mostly on the subway, or to Nara by Kintetsu: beyond the one-day vouchers, those aren't covered.
The Haruka fare is a regular-season reserved-seat fare.
What's covered
- JR West special rapid, rapid and local trains around Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Himeji, Wakayama and Otsu, and as far as Tsuruga and Kansai Airport
- The Haruka airport express, including up to 2 reserved seats
- One day each on the Kyoto City Subway, and on parts of the Keihan and Hankyu lines, within the pass's validity
- West Japan JR Bus local buses in Kyoto City
- The shinkansen
- Limited expresses other than the Haruka
- A 3rd reserved seat and any after it
- Green Cars, and paid seats such as the A-seat on local and rapid trains
- West Japan JR Bus expressway buses
How to use it
The pass runs for 1 to 4 consecutive days, from 0:00 on the first day to 24:00 on the last. If it runs out while you are on a train, you can finish that trip as long as you don't leave the station.
On the Haruka, reserve a seat before you board, at a ticket machine or ticket office; seats can't be reserved on the train. The pass covers two reserved seats. After that, or once you are on board, you need a full-price reserved seat ticket.
With the pass you also get vouchers for a day on the Kyoto City Subway, Keihan and Hankyu, usable while the pass is valid. Carry your passport with the pass, as staff may ask to see it.
Before you buy
The pass is for holders of a foreign passport who enter Japan as a Temporary Visitor. Japanese nationals can't use it, even with permanent residence abroad. You can hold only one of the same pass for the same dates.
There are three ways to buy it. Travel agencies outside Japan sell an exchange order or e-ticket, which you exchange for the pass in Japan within 3 months, showing your passport. JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION takes bookings from 10:00 (Japan time) one month before your first day; you pay by credit card and collect the pass at a station ticket machine, if your passport has an IC chip, or at a ticket office. Travel agencies in Japan sell it up to one month ahead.
Refunds: an unused pass can be refunded at a JR West ticket office for 10% of the price, at least ¥220, but only with the pass and all three railway vouchers. There are no refunds once the pass is in use.
Questions
Does the Kansai Area Pass cover the Haruka to Kansai Airport?
Yes, including up to 2 reserved seats. Reserve them before you board.
Does it cover the shinkansen?
No. The shinkansen and limited expresses other than the Haruka are not covered.
Can I use the Kyoto subway with it?
Yes, for one day. The pass comes with vouchers for a day each on the Kyoto City Subway, Keihan and Hankyu, usable while the pass is valid.
Does it cover buses in Kyoto?
Only West Japan JR Bus local buses in Kyoto City. Other companies' buses are not covered.
Do children need their own pass?
Children aged 6 to 11 need a child pass, from ¥1,400 for 1 day. Up to two children aged 1 to 5 ride free with each pass holder.
Who can buy it?
Holders of a foreign passport who enter Japan as a Temporary Visitor. Japanese nationals can't use it.
You might also like
Kaikai Yokai Festival
Uzumasa Kyoto Village (Toei Kyoto Studio Park) fills with yokai every autumn: two evening parades, dance shows, daily yokai greetings and limited yokai food.
12 Sep – 29 Nov 2026Kyoto
Bungu Joshi Haku in Osaka
One of Japan's largest stationery fairs, held in Osaka, where makers and shops sell pens, notebooks, planners and decorative stationery.
5–8 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOsaka
Halloween Horror Nights
An autumn horror event at Universal Studios Japan, with park-wide street zombies, new attractions and collaborations.
11 Sep – 8 Nov 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOsaka
Uzumasa Kyoto Village
A theme park on the open-air period-drama sets of the Toei Kyoto Studio in Uzumasa, laid out as the streets of Edo-period Kyoto and still used for filming.
Kyoto
Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan in Osaka offers movie and TV-themed attractions including Hogwarts, roller coaster rides, live shows, and character meet-and-greets.
Osaka
teamLab Biovortex Kyoto
Permanent teamLab museum of interactive digital art near Kyoto Station, with works to climb and jump on and drawings that come to life.
Kyoto