The Hanshin Main Line for Koshien, Mount Rokko, and Kobe

The Hanshin Main Line is an important commuter line that runs between Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station in Osaka and Motomachi Station in the city of Kobe.

Because it is run by the private Hanshin Electric Railway, it is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. For Osaka to Kobe journeys, Hanshin is usually cheaper than JR, while JR is faster and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Alternative discount passes for Hanshin Railway are listed at the end of this article.

Key Destinations

There are 33 stations on the Hanshin Main Line between Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station and Motomachi Station in Kobe. The three most popular destinations are Koshien Station for Hanshin Koshien Stadium, Mikage Station for Mount Rokko, and Kobe-Sannomiya Station for central Kobe. All the key destinations and transfer points are given below with train times and fares from Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station.

Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station

Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station serves the Umeda area, Osaka’s most popular shopping district. Here you can find the Hankyu, Daimaru and Hanshin department stores, as well as the LUCUA and LUCUA 1100 shopping complexes. Other popular attractions and shopping areas in Umeda include the Umeda Sky Building, HEP Five, and Grand Front Osaka.

Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station is located a five-minute walk south of Osaka Station in the same network of underground tunnels that are also home to Osaka Metro Umeda Station, Nishi-Umeda Station, Higashi-Umeda Station, and Kitashinchi Station. Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station is an eight-minute walk to the north of Hanshin Osaka-Umeda. The following transfers can be made at these stations:

At Osaka Metro Umeda Station transfer to the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line. At Higashi-Umeda Station transfer to the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line. At Nishi-Umeda Station transfer to the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line.

At Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station transfer to Hankyu lines for Kobe, Kyoto, and Takarazuka.

At Kitashinchi Station transfer to the JR Tozai Line which runs from Kyobashi Station, east-west through central Osaka and onward to Amagasaki Station in Hyogo Prefecture.

At Osaka Station transfer to the westbound JR Kobe Line for Kobe and Himeji, the JR Kyoto Line for Kyoto, and the JR Takarazuka Line for Takarazuka, Sanda, and the Fukuchiyama direction. There are also limited express services from Osaka for Tsuruga, Tottori, Kurayoshi, Gifu, Gero, and Takayama, with Hokuriku Shinkansen connections beyond Tsuruga.

Fukushima Station

Transfer here to the Osaka Loop Line and to the nearby Shin-Fukushima Station for the JR Tozai Line.

Noda Station

Noda Station is close to two other stations, Nodahanshin Station where transfers can be made to the Osaka Metro Sennichimae Line and Ebie Station, where transfers can be made to the JR Tozai Line.

Daimotsu Station

Transfer here to the Hanshin Namba Line for Namba and Nara.

Hanshin Amagasaki Station

Transfer here to the Hanshin Namba Line. Hanshin Amagasaki Station is also a bus ride from JR Amagasaki Station, which has lines for Kobe, Kyoto and Takarazuka as well as the JR Tozai Line for Kitashinchi.

Mukogawa Station

Transfer here to the Mukogawa Line for Higashi-Naruo, Suzaki and Mukogawadanchimae.

Koshien Station

This is the nearest station to Hanshin Koshien Stadium and the Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium. The stadium was constructed in 1924 and is famous as the home of the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. It also hosts national high school baseball tournaments in spring and summer, and is one of Japan’s most historic ballparks. Baseball fans can visit the museum and join stadium tours when available.

Imazu Station

Transfer here to the Hankyu Imazu Line for Takarazuka.

Hanshin Nishinomiya Station

Exit here for the ancient Nishinomiya Shrine which is dedicated to Ebisu, the god of prosperity. JR Nishinomiya Station on the JR Kobe Line is a 15-minute walk north-east of this station.

Uozaki Station

Transfer here to the Rokko Island Line.

Hanshin Sumiyoshi Station

Exit here for the HAKUTSURU Sake Brewery Museum, a former sake brewhouse with displays on traditional sake making. The museum is about a five-minute walk from Hanshin Sumiyoshi Station and about a 15-minute walk from JR Sumiyoshi Station. It is open from 9:30 to 16:30, with last admission at 16:00, closed during summer holidays and the New Year holiday period, and admission is free.

Mikage Station

This station is convenient for the popular sightseeing and hiking area of Mount Rokko. Kobe City Bus route 16 runs from Hanshin Mikage Station via JR Rokkomichi and Hankyu Rokko to Rokko Cable Shita, where you can board the Rokko Cable Car up the mountain. On Mount Rokko you can enjoy views over Kobe and Osaka Bay, Rokko Garden Terrace, Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, Rokko Mori no Oto Museum, seasonal attractions and hiking routes.

Nishi-Nada Station

Maya Station on the JR Kobe Line is a 4-minute walk north of this station.

Iwaya Station

This station is convenient for Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, which was designed by Tadao Ando and houses major collections of sculptures, prints, and paintings. The museum is about an eight-minute walk south of Hanshin Iwaya Station. JR Nada Station on the JR Kobe Line is about a 10-minute walk away.

Kobe-Sannomiya Station

Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station is the main Hanshin station for people visiting Kobe City, as it gives immediate access to Kobe’s main area of business, shopping and entertainment. Kobe itself is an attractive cosmopolitan port city. Its main attractions are Chinatown, Kobe Harborland, Meriken Park, and the Ijinkan, an area of foreign houses built in the 19th century.

Transfers can be made here to the Hankyu Kobe Line, the Kobe Kosoku Line, the Kobe Municipal Subway, and the Port Liner. JR Sannomiya Station on the JR Kobe Line is also located close to the Hanshin and Hankyu stations.

Motomachi Station

This station is close to the Motomachi shopping district in Kobe, and to Kobe’s Chinatown. Transfers can be made here to the Kobe Kosoku Line and the JR Kobe Line.

Alternative Routes to Mount Rokko and Kobe-Sannomiya

In addition to the Hanshin Main Line there are two other competing rail lines that connect Osaka with Mount Rokko and Kobe: the JR Kobe Line and the Hankyu Kobe Line. All three of these lines have convenient stations in Umeda and at the Mount Rokko and Kobe destinations.

Traveling to Mount Rokko

Taking the JR Kobe Line from Osaka Station to JR Rokkomichi Station takes about 23 minutes for a fare of 420 yen. From JR Rokkomichi Station it is then about a 20-minute bus ride to Rokko Cable Shita for the Rokko Cable Car.

Taking the Hankyu Kobe Line from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station to Rokko Station takes about 25 to 26 minutes for a fare of 330 yen. From Rokko Station it is then about a 10-minute bus ride to Rokko Cable Shita.

Taking the Hanshin Main Line from Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station to Mikage Station takes about 27 to 29 minutes for a fare of 320 yen. From Mikage Station it is then about a 30-minute bus ride to Rokko Cable Shita.

Kobe City Bus standard adult fare is 230 yen. Comparing the three services, the Hanshin route has the lowest rail fare but is also the slowest way to reach the cable car. The Hankyu route is usually the fastest route to Rokko Cable Shita, while the JR route is useful if you are using the Japan Rail Pass or starting from JR Osaka Station.

For Mount Rokko and Mount Maya, Hanshin lists seasonal tickets such as the 2026 Rokko-Maya Leisure Ticket, priced at 3,350 yen for adults only and sold from 11-Apr-2026 to 30-Nov-2026, and the 2026 Rokko Athletic Coupon, priced at 5,000 yen for adults and 2,900 yen for children and sold from 11-Apr-2026 to 15-Nov-2026. Pass details are seasonal, so check the official Mount Rokko ticket page before travel.

Traveling to Kobe

In Kobe there are three stations in very close proximity to each other that provide best access to the city. These are JR Sannomiya Station, Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station, and Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station. The JR Kobe Line provides the fastest service between Osaka Station and JR Sannomiya Station at about 20 to 22 minutes by Special Rapid train. It is also the most expensive of the three main Umeda to Sannomiya rail options at 420 yen. However, this line is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Because the Hankyu and Hanshin Railways are private railway companies you cannot use the Japan Rail Pass on their lines.

A faster service on the Hanshin Main Line will get you from Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station to Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station in about 30 to 35 minutes for 330 yen. A Limited Express on the Hankyu Kobe Line covers the route from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station to Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station in about 25 to 32 minutes for 330 yen. In Kobe, the Hanshin station is slightly better positioned for areas to the south of Sannomiya, and the Hankyu station is a little more convenient for areas to the north.

Discount Tickets

As Hanshin Electric Railway is a private company it is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. However, several discount passes are available for travel on Hanshin lines.

For one day of travel around the Hankyu and Hanshin networks, the Hankyu Hanshin 1day Pass is a useful option, priced at 1,600 yen for adults only. For travel farther west toward the Sanyo Railway area, the Hanshin-Sanyo Seaside QR 1day Ticket is priced at 2,350 yen for adults only. For travel between Kobe Airport, the Port Liner and Hanshin Railway, the Portliner-Hanshin 24-hour Pass is priced at 1,500 yen for adults only.

For sightseeing in Kobe, the Kobe Machimeguri 1day Coupon is available in a Kobe area version priced at 1,500 yen and a Hanshin expanded version priced at 2,150 yen, both for adults only. The Osaka Amazing Pass is useful for Osaka city sightseeing, but on Hanshin it covers only the Osaka-Umeda to Amagasaki and Osaka-Namba to Amagasaki sections, so it is not a full Osaka to Kobe pass.

For broader private railway, subway and bus travel around the Kansai region, the KANSAI RAILWAY PASS LITE can also be useful. This pass does not cover JR lines, and some private railway sections are excluded, so check the pass area before buying.

Check the Hanshin Electric Railway discount tickets page for ticket availability, purchase method and validity dates.

Useful Links

Hanshin Electric Railway has an official route map with the Hanshin Main Line colored blue. Use an English language online route finder like Jorudan or Navitime to check for necessary transfers and plan your journey.

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Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 08-Aug-2026.