This article will cover all your options for traveling between Osaka and Narita International Airport. You can make this journey by train, bus, plane, and car, but by far the easiest and most convenient way to go is by train. Although there are no direct trains between these two destinations, it is a simple matter to travel into Tokyo and make a transfer there.
Tokyo Narita International Airport
From Osaka you can take the shinkansen bullet train into Tokyo and then transfer to the Narita Express which will take you directly to the airport. Times vary, but this route can make the entire journey in just 3 hours and 40 minutes. Below we look at the details of this train route first and then consider other options.
Shin-Osaka Station is the shinkansen terminal for Osaka
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Traveling by Train
The easiest way to travel between Osaka and Narita Airport is to take the shinkansen bullet train from Shin-Osaka Station to either Shinagawa Station or Tokyo Station in Tokyo and then transfer to the Narita Express. There are other routes you can take to get from Tokyo to Narita Airport, but taking the Narita Express is the simplest option and you are guaranteed a quick and comfortable trip.
A shinkansen bullet train
From Shin-Osaka Station there are three types of shinkansen you can take to Tokyo. These are the Nozomi, the Hikari and the Kodama. You should not take the Kodama because it stops at every station on the way and takes about four hours.
The Nozomi is the fastest and most frequent train as it travels between Osaka and Tokyo in just 2 hours and 30 minutes. However, the Nozomi is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. If you wish to use the Japan Rail Pass, your best choice is the Hikari which takes three hours to cover the distance. The normal fare from Shin-Osaka Station to Tokyo or Shinagawa is 13,870 yen.
Whether you decide your best connection is at Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station will depend on the time of your departure from Shin-Osaka Station. Sometimes traveling via Shinagawa Station will get you to the airport sooner, and because Shinagawa is a smaller station, it is also easier to navigate than Tokyo Station.
The Narita Express
Times vary but the Narita Express can get you from Shinagawa Station to Narita Airport for 3,250 yen in around 65 minutes and from Tokyo Station to the airport in around 55 minutes for 3,070 yen. You should remember when taking this train that Narita Airport has two stations: one for Terminal 1, and another for Terminals 2 & 3. Be sure to get off at the station that serves your airline.
If you want to travel in the opposite direction from Narita Airport to Osaka, you can simply take the same route in reverse. For Narita Express timetables and information about discounted round trip tickets check the official Narita Express website. To plan your overall route we recommend using online English language route finders like Jorudan and Navitime.
Traveling by Bus
Instead of taking the Narita Express, you can save a little bit of money by taking a limousine shuttle bus from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport. A shuttle bus between Tokyo Station and Narita Airport costs just 1,300 yen, and should take around 1 hour and 15 minutes. However, the journey time can vary greatly depending on the traffic conditions, so it is harder to schedule your ongoing journey. For information about shuttle bus services check the Keisei Bus website.
An airport limousine shuttle bus in Tokyo
If you want to make the complete journey between Osaka and Narita Airport by bus, then you can take a night bus from Osaka to Tokyo Station and then change to an airport shuttle bus. A variety of companies run night buses from different locations in Osaka to Tokyo Station.
Departure times and the length of the journey can vary by company but night buses from Umeda can take around 8 hours to reach Tokyo Station, from Namba they can take around 8 hours and 30 minutes and from Shin-Osaka Station they can take around 7 hours and 30 minutes. Prices will vary according to the company, the date of travel and the level of comfort on the bus, but from Umeda, Namba and Shin-Osaka the fares can range between 5,000 and 14,000 yen. There is also a night bus service from the theme park Universal Studios Japan in Osaka that takes about 9 hours to reach Tokyo for a fare of around 9,000 yen.
Inside a Japanese night bus
It is possible to book a night bus service on the day of travel, but to be sure of your travel times you may want to book it in advance. The website kosokubus.com has an English version that you can use to find the best bus for your trip and make an online booking.
Traveling by night bus and then shuttle bus is a very cheap way to make the journey, as you will save money on fares and also on one night’s accommodation. However, traveling this way can be very tiring and some people find it hard to sleep on a bus.
Traveling by Air
Osaka has two airports from which you can take a domestic flight directly to Narita Airport. These airports are Kansai International Airport and Osaka Itami International Airport.
Peach Aviation runs cheap flights between Kansai and Narita Airports
Kansai Airport has the cheapest and most frequent flights to Narita Airport because low cost airlines Peach and Jetstar operate 7 flights a day on this route. A flight lasting 1 hour and 25 minutes can cost as little as 6,500 yen.
Osaka Itami Airport has just two direct flights to Narita Airport each day. ANA operates a flight that takes 1 hour and 25 minutes and currently costs 12,840 yen. JAL operates a flight that takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and currently costs 13,990 yen. Although these fares are more expensive than fares from Kansai Airport, you may find that Osaka Itami Airport is easier to get to, depending on where you are staying in Osaka.
And though all these fares are very reasonable and the flight times are short, you still need to consider the time and cost of getting to either airport. Depending on your starting point, it may be easier and cheaper to make the whole journey by train.
Traveling by Car
It is possible to drive between Osaka and Narita Airport in around 6 or 7 hours via the Shin-Meishin Expressway or the Meihan Expressway. However, if you consider the expressway toll fees of between 15,000 and 17,000 yen this does not seem very cost effective. For information on car rental check our article Car Rental at Osaka Station or the car rental page of the Narita Airport website.
Article by Michael Lambe. Photos by k_river/pixta (1), shiii/pixta (2), Gengorou/pixta (3), Bantam/pixta (4), tarousite/pixta (5), ABC/pixta (6), kanno34/pixta (7). All rights reserved.
