Osaka Monorail for Osaka Itami Airport and Osaka Expo Park

Osaka Monorail is an elevated single-track railway network in northern Osaka Prefecture with a main line and a branch line. The Osaka Monorail Main Line runs between Osaka Airport Station and Kadomashi Station and connects destinations in six cities: Toyonaka, Suita, Ibaraki, Settsu, Moriguchi, and Kadoma. This line provides the only direct rail access to Osaka Itami Airport and is also useful for the Osaka Expo Park. The branch line is called the Saito Line and it runs north from Banpaku-Kinen-Koen Station to Saito-nishi Station in Ibaraki Prefecture. Osaka Monorail is run by a private company so this line is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Osaka Monorail Main Line – Key Destinations

There are 14 stations on the Osaka Monorail Main Line.

Osaka Airport – Hotarugaike – Shibahara – Shoji – Senri-Chuo – Yamada – Banpaku-Kinen-Koen – Unobe – Minami-Ibaraki – Sawaragi – Settsu – Minami Settsu – Dainichi – Kadomashi

The key destinations and transfer points are given below with fares and journey times given from Osaka Airport Station.

Osaka Airport Station

This station serves Osaka Itami Airport. This airport’s official name is Osaka International Airport because it used to handle all international flights to and from Osaka. However, in 1994 Kansai International Airport took over all of Osaka’s international flights and now Osaka Itami Airport only handles domestic flights. It is still a busy airport however, and has services to and from all regions in Japan with flights operated by the following airlines: ANA, JAL, Ibex and Amakusa.

Hotarugaike Station

Transfer here to the Hankyu Takarazuka Line with trains bound for Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station or Takarazuka Station.

Senri-Chuo Station

Transfer here to the Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway. This line is essentially an extension of the Midosuji Subway Line and so you can take trains directly from Senri-Chuo Station to key locations in Osaka City such as Umeda Subway Station, and Namba Subway Station.

Yamada Station

Transfer here to the Hankyu Senri Line. Hankyu trains run north to Kita Senri Station or south as far as Tenjinbashisuji Rokuchome Station in Osaka City.

Banpaku-Kinen-Koen Station

This station serves Osaka Expo Park, an extensive park and cultural zone which was created on the former grounds of the 1970 Japan World Exposition. The park has extensive facilities which include three museums, ponds, traditional gardens, sports grounds, seasonal flower displays, sculptures, an entertainment and shopping center, a hotel, and a ferris wheel. This station is also the southern terminus of the Osaka Monorail’s Saito Line.

Minami-Ibaraki Station

Transfer here to the Hankyu Kyoto Line with services bound for Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station or for destinations in Kyoto.

Dainichi Station

Transfer here to the Tanimachi Subway Line with services bound for key locations in Osaka City such as Higashi-Umeda Station, Temmabashi Station, and Tennoji Station.

Kadomashi Station

Transfer here to the Keihan Main Line with services bound for Yodoyabashi Station in Osaka, and destinations in Kyoto.

Saito Line – Key Destinations

There are 5 station on the Saito Line.

Banpaku-Kinen-Koen – Koen-higashiguchi – Handai-byoin-mae – Toyokawa – Saito-Nishi

Key destinations are given below with fares and travel times from Banpaku-Kinen-Koen Station.

Koen-higashiguchi Station

This station serves the eastern entrance of Osaka Expo Park.

Handai-byoin-mae Station

This station is convenient for Osaka University Hospital

Saito-Nishi Station

This station is close to Osaka University’s Minoh Campus.

Traveling from Osaka Station to Osaka Itami Airport

If you are traveling from the Osaka Station/Umeda area then you have a two options when traveling by rail to Osaka Itami Airport. You can take the Midosuji Subway Line from Umeda Subway Station to Senri-Chuo Station and then transfer to the Osaka Monorail. This will take around 48 minutes and the combined fares will cost 700 yen. Alternatively you can take the Hankyu Takarazuka Line from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station to Hotarugaike Station and transfer to the Osaka Monorail there. This will take 29 minutes and the combined fares will cost only 420 yen.

It is also possible to travel to or from Osaka Itami Airport by limousine bus. The bus fare from the Osaka Station/Umeda area is just 640 yen for adults and 320 yen for children and the bus takes about 30 minutes. For more information on bus services or for information on traveling to the airport from other areas, visit the official Osaka Itami Airport website.

Traveling from Osaka Station to Osaka Expo Park

The easiest way to get from Osaka Station to Osaka Expo Park is to take a Midosuji Subway Line service from Osaka-Umeda Station to Senri-Chuo Station and then transfer to the Osaka Monorail for Banpaku-kinen-koen Station. The journey should take around 32 minutes and the combined fares will cost 640 yen. For information on traveling to the park from other areas visit the official Osaka Expo Park website.

Useful Links

The Osaka Monorail English language website has detailed information on fares, route, and timetables. To quickly work out the best trains, fares, and connections for your journey use English online route finders such as Hyperdia or Jorudan.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.