Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the main international airport of Japan's Kansai region, including the cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Built on an artificial island at exorbitant cost, it is somewhat underutilized and thus possibly a better entry point than perennially crowded Narita in Tokyo.
Note that most domestic flights in the Kansai region leave from Osaka's Itami Airport (ITM), not Kansai.
The airport has a single terminal, reputedly the longest building in the world at 1.7 kilometers from end to end. Arrivals are on the 1st floor, while departures are from the 4th floor. On arrival, note that not all ATMs accept foreign cards, but the Citibank and post office ATMs do.
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Get there
By train
The most practical means of getting to Osaka and Kyoto is by train. All trains leave from the Kansai Airport station across the road from the arrivals hall; there is a clearly marked walkway on the 2nd floor. You have a choice of two companies operating a total of four services:
JR Haruka
The JR West Haruka limited expresses run from the airport to Tennoji (29 min, ¥1,760), Shin-Osaka (45 min, ¥2,470) and Kyoto (73 min, ¥2,980). The fares listed are for non-reserved ordinary seats. Trains run every 30 minutes, some services make additional stops and/or continue onward to Maibara.The Haruka is the easiest and fastest way to reach Kyoto, and you can connect to the Shinkansen (bullet train) at Shin-Osaka.
JR Rapid Service
The JR Rapid Service runs along the same tracks to Tennoji (43 min, ¥1,030), but then diverge along the Osaka Loop Line to Osaka station (63 min) and terminus Kyobashi (72 min, ¥1,160). All seats are non-reserved and trains depart every 20 minutes; the trains can get crowded at rush hour.The Rapid Service is convenient for connections onward towards Kobe; change trains at Osaka station.
Nankai rapi:t
The Nankai rapi:t trains run to Namba station in Osaka. rapi:t α, taking 29 minutes from Kansai to Namba, stops at Shin-Imamiya, Tengachaya, Izumisano, and Rinku Town, while rapi:t β takes 34 minutes with stops at Sakai and Kishiwada. Both trains cost ¥1,390 to Namba, including a ¥500 reservation surcharge, and one or the other runs every 30 minutes.The rapi:t and Rapid Service are the recommended means of going to central Osaka.
Nankai Rapid Service
Nankai Rapid Service trains run along the same tracks to the same destination, but like their JR counterparts stop more often and may get crowded. The trip to Namba takes 42 min and costs ¥890, making this the cheapest of the four options.
By bus
Airport Limousine buses leave for various destinations throughout Kansai from the 1st floor directly outside the arrivals hall. The cost is comparable to or slightly higher than the train, but the buses go directly to some major hotels and can be faster than the train for some destinations (eg. Kobe) in good traffic.The bus is also the only practical option for connecting to domestic flights from Osaka's Itami Airport.
By ferry
High-speed ferry services to Kobe have been discontinued. Ferries now run only to Sumoto on Awaji Island (48 min, ¥2,500).
By taxi
Taxis are very expensive. Going to Osaka will cost you a minimum of ¥16,000, while reaching Kyoto will rack up closer to ¥32,000.
Sleep
The only hotel on the artificial island itself the Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport, which charges corresponding prices. Although there are hotels across the bridge it hardly seems worth using them since once you have got on the train you might as well go to your final destination.
