Kansai Mini Pass
JR West local, rapid and special rapid trains around Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara, including Kansai Airport and Universal-City, for 3 days
JR West
Adults from¥3,000Price checked 2026/11/12
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Fares
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| 3 consecutive days | ¥3,000¥1,000 a day | ¥1,500¥500 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.
Is the Kansai Mini Pass worth it?
- You spend three days on JR around Osaka: Kansai Airport to Osaka on the Kansai Airport Rapid Service (¥1,180), a day to Kyoto and back (¥1,160) and a day to Nara and back (¥1,680) come to ¥4,020 against ¥3,000.
- You're staying near a JR station and hop around a lot: Osaka to Universal-City is ¥200 each way and Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama ¥240, and short rides like these add up over three days.
- You want the Haruka from Kansai Airport: it needs a separate limited express ticket, while the Kansai Area Pass includes it from ¥2,800 for a day.
- You only make one trip out of Osaka, such as Kyoto and back for ¥1,160: single tickets cost less.
- Your days run on the subway, Kintetsu or Hankyu: only JR West trains are covered.
It is sold only by travel agencies outside Japan, so buy it before you fly.
What's covered
- JR West local, rapid and special rapid trains within the pass area
- Osaka, Shin-Osaka and the Osaka Loop Line, JR-Namba and Tennoji
- Kyoto, out to Saga-Arashiyama and Hozukyo, and to Yamashina
- Kobe as far as Maiko, and Takarazuka
- Nara, and Universal-City on the line to Sakurajima
- The Kansai-Airport Rapid Service between Kansai Airport and Osaka or Kyobashi
- The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen
- The Haruka airport express and all other limited expresses, which need a separate limited express ticket
- Green Cars, and paid seats such as the A-seat on local and rapid trains
- Other railways, subways and buses
How to use it
The pass runs for 3 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.
If you want to ride a limited express such as the Haruka, buy the extra ticket at a JR West station before you board. 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.
You buy it as an e-ticket from a travel agency outside Japan, then exchange it for the pass at an exchange location in Japan within 3 months, showing your passport. The start date, length and pass type can't be changed after the exchange.
Refunds: an e-ticket you haven't exchanged goes back to the overseas agency that sold it, under its own fee. A pass already issued can be refunded only at an exchange location in Japan, less a handling fee of 10% of the price (at least ¥220). There are no refunds once the pass is in use, and a lost pass is not reissued.
Questions
Does the Kansai Mini Pass cover the Haruka to Kansai Airport?
No. The Haruka needs a separate limited express ticket. The Kansai-Airport Rapid Service between the airport and Osaka or Kyobashi is covered.
Can I get to Universal Studios Japan with it?
Yes. JR trains to Universal-City Station are covered.
Does it go to Arashiyama?
Yes. JR trains from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama are covered.
Does it cover the shinkansen?
No. The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen are not covered.
Do children need their own pass?
Children aged 6 to 11 need a child pass, ¥1,500. 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.
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