Whether it’s the City of World Heritage that is Kyoto, the shopping and gourmet paradise of Osaka, or the scenic harbor city of Kobe, all three major cities of Kansai are absolutely teeming with tourist spots. But with various public transportation involved, getting around these cities can cost a fortune, especially if you want to squeeze in as many popular spots as possible in a single trip. 

 

Here’s a solution: Railway and Bus Passes.
 
Using them when you travel doesn’t just mean spending less on transit. They also offer great deals, discounts, and sometimes even perks for foreign tourists. 
 

 

 

Boasting 17 World Heritage Sites spread across the city alone, Kyoto is undoubtedly the go-to destination for tourist attractions. How to make the most of your stay? With the Subway & Bus One-Day Pass. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At only ¥1,100 (for adults, ¥ 550 for children), the Subway & Bus One-Day Pass comes with unlimited trips within designated areas. A single subway trip costs  ¥220 while a single bus trip will set you back by ¥230, so you only need to take five trips to cover your cost―and the rest is basically free! Using both the subway and buses to get around the city greatly reduces your travel time and expenses while maximizing the number of must-see Kyoto sights that you can visit. Not only that, they offer discounts and perks to a whopping 60 tourist attractions dotting the city. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don’t know how to plan your day using this pass, we recommend a one-day itinerary that tours the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Ryoan-ji Temple, and Arashiyama. Each destination is close to the other, so there’s not much interchanging between public transports―the better to optimize the travel pass!
 

Ticket Information

Fee: ¥1,100 (Adult) ¥550 (Children) Available Period: Available all year Where to Purchase: ・Information Desk of the Municipal Bus・Subway ・Commuter ticket office ・Ticket counter of every metro station ・Municipal Bus Office Website: Subway, Bus One-Day Pass (official)

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2) Visit Hotspots with Osaka Amazing Pass 

 

 

 

Unlimited trips on public transport? Free admission to more than 40 attractions? The Osaka Amazing Pass has it all!

 

 

 

 

Those who get their hands on this all-in-one pass can enjoy unlimited trips on all lines of the Osaka Metro, privatized railways (Hankyu / Hanshin / Keihan / Nankai / Kintetsu), and the Osaka City Bus. (The one-day pass and two-day pass cover different transportations.)

 

 

 

 

On top of that, the pass can grant you free admission to tourist hubs like the Umeda Sky Building KUCHU-TEIEN OBSERVATORY, the Tsutenkaku Tower, the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel, the Tennoji Zoo, and more. In addition, you can avail of a10% discount at around 20 facilities and 35 stores! Don’t miss out on the Osaka Amazing Pass to see the best of Osaka at a great deal.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some suggestions on where you can (and should!) visit for free using the pass. 
1) Umeda Sky Building KUCHU-TEIEN OBSERVATORY (Usual Admission Fee: ¥1,500) 
2) Osaka Castle Museum (Usual Admission Fee: ¥600) 
3) Cruise Ship Santa Maria Day Cruise (Usual Admission Fee: ¥1,600)
※The Osaka Amazing Pass cannot be used with other discounts.

 

Ticket Information

Fee: 1-Day Pass ¥2,800 2-Day Pass ¥3,600 ※The 2-Day Pass does not include the following railways（Hankyu・Hanshin・Keihan・Nankai・Kintetsu）. Where to Purchase: ・Station Master Office at Osaka Metro Station ・Tourist Information Office ・Major hotels in the city ・Major stations of privatized railway companies (1-Day Pass only) ・Online (Pick-up at the Tourist Information Office in Shin-Osaka / Osaka / Namba is required） ※For more details, please visit Sales Location Website: OSAKA AMAZING PASS (official)

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3) Explore sights from the Exotic Old Foreign Settlement to the Scenic Bay Area with Kobe 1-Day Tour Coupon 

 

 

 

 

Kobe shines as the Hyogo Prefecture’s city of entertainment, with its stylish stores and superb restaurants. Despite neighboring Osaka, Kobe still shines through as Hyogo’s city of entertainment with its stylish stores and superb restaurants. 

 

 

 

 

The Kobe 1-Day Tour Coupon enables travelers to explore the city at a fantastic deal by offering free unlimited trips on normal trains, the Port Liner, and the Kobe Municipal Subway. It comes with a coupon worth ¥700 that can be used for admission to your choice of 60 tourist attractions, including the Nunobiki Herb Gardens and Ropeway, the Port Tower, and the Mosaic Ferris Wheel. (Pass-holders are required to pay the difference if the admission fee is more than ¥750.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The recommended way to make full use of the pass is to visit the exquisite European-style old foreign settlement quarter in the daytime, then end the day with the dazzling night view of the Bay Area. Apart from the Kobe 1-Day Tour Coupon that costs a mere ¥950, there are also other pass types that cover the nearby Arima Onsen and even the Osaka region.

Ticket Information

Fee: ¥1,000 (Kobe region only) *Available Period: Fall/Winter October 1 to March 31; Spring/Summer April 1 to September 30 *Validity: Any single day within the purchase period   Where to Purchase: ・Kobe Municipal Metro: Ticket Office at Shin-Kobe, Sannomiya, Shin-Nagata, and all stations of the Kaigan Line ・Hanshin Electric Railway: Station Master Office at Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya・Shinkaichi, Hanshin Electric Railway Service Center (Kobe Sannomiya) ・Port Liner: Sannomiya・Kobe Airport ・Hankyu Electric Railway: Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Information Desk Website: Kobe 1-Day Tour Coupon (Kobe Area) (official)

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Your Insider Travel Tips:
Save Money With These Train Passes when Traveling in Japan!

 

 

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