Search Flights from Minneapolis to Osaka

Being the second largest city with over 17 million habitants in Japan, Osaka is also one of the world's top 10 largest metropolises. The city is located on Honshu Island, which is the largest island of Japan, which is an archipelago.

Osaka is considered as one of the centers for shopping and gourmet delicacies in Japan. The city also offers a very lively nightlife. The transportation is mainly provided by metro in the city. It is possible to reach every corner of the city by 8 subway lines in different colors. In addition, there is a ring trip around the city center in Kanjo-Sen loop line.

This loop line also offers transfer option for all other lines. As a result of the density and widespread use of this underground transportation network, a virtual second city is located in the metro network. You can see many places in subway stations ranging from shopping stores to restaurants. You can buy tickets in cash or by credit card from the ticket machines at the stations. You need to pay for tickets based on distance. You need to choose your destination on the screen of the ticket machine to buy a ticket; ticket cost is determined according to your destination and it costs about 200 to 360 Japanese Yen. Please remember to swipe the ticket prior to boarding and after getting off the metro.

Metro services generally run between 5 a.m. and midnight. Osaka also offers bus services in terms of public transportation. However, bus services are preferred that much by tourists thanks to the popularity and simplicity of the subway network and because only Japanese is spoken at the bus stops and on buses. If you get the Icoca Smart Card which will make your transportation in Osaka very easy, you can use it on all subway lines, buses, and JR lines. You need to pay 500 Japanese Yen deposit to get this card and then you can travel to anywhere in Osaka by adding the required amount of money to travel.

You can get buy daily tickets if you are going to get on metro or bus several times during the day. The price of these cards called Osaka One Day Pass is 850 Japanese Yen. Although there is a train network in the city, it is mostly preferred for intercity transportation. Railway transportation is provided by high-speed trains called Shinkansen, which was put into service during the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964. The prices for intercity train tickets are higher than the world average.

If you prefer to travel by train, you can get the weekly transportation cards called JR Rail Pass. However, these cards are not valid on the subway. The price of this card is 28.300 Japanese Yen for adults in standard trains. If you want to travel in the first class wagons, you need to pay 37.800 Japanese Yen for adults. Prices for children age 6-11 are 50% off.

Taxi is a very common means of transportation in the city. If the red light on the bottom left corner of the taxi's front window is on, it means that it is empty. The most important thing to remember is that almost all drivers can speak English, yet they cannot read the Latin alphabet. For this reason, you should certainly print the name and address of the place you are going beforehand.

You can freely explore the city yourself by renting an affordable car or a motorbike from the car rental companies at the train stations and at the airport. However, this option is not very popular because the toll charges are quite expensive and the metro is much more practical. You should also remember that you need a driver's license that is valid in Japan to rent a car.

Kansai International Airport, which is considered as one of the best airports in the world, serves for air transportation in the city and all international flights are arranged at this airport. However, Kobe Airport, which serves domestic flights and some international charter flights, is also available 37 kilometers from the city center. Both airports are located on artificial islands built in the middle of Osaka Bay. If you need to transfer between these airports, you can prefer fast ferries. You can reach the other airport in just 30 minutes by paying 1.850 Japanese Yen for adults and 930 JPY for children.

Buses and trains are the most preferred means of transportation from Kansai International Airport to the city center. However, you can also travel by taxi or rental car. Very few hotels in Osaka provide airport shuttle service. Getting to the city center takes about 1 hour no matter which transportation option you prefer.

You can get your tickets from the tourist office at the airport.

Bus

You can reach the city center by taking a bus from the bus stops at the exit of terminals 1 and 2 of the airport. You can get to different parts of the city center by choosing from the buses 2, 3, 5, 7 and 11. If the bus you need to take does not depart from Terminal 2, you can benefit from free shuttle service and reach Terminal 1 very easily. One-way ticket price is 1.500 Japanese Yen. The journey takes about one hour. You can purchase your ticket from the machines in both terminals.

Train

The most affordable way of getting to the city center from the airport is to take the train. You can reach the city center after a train journey that takes about 1 hour. Ticket price is 920 Japanese Yen. If you want to exactly get to the city center, you need to get off at Namba Station. Especially if you are planning to transfer to a different city, the train is the best alternative for you. You can buy a daily or 4-day ticket instead of one-way ticket in such cases.

You can also use this ticket in other cities as well. You can pay in cash or by credit card to buy tickets from the machine at the station. You can buy JR Rail Pass card from JR Office at Terminal 1. Please keep in mind that JR Rail Pass cards are only used on trains and you cannot use these cards on the metro.

Shuttle Services

You can make a comfortable journey to reach anywhere you want by taking the advantage of the shuttle services provided by private companies. Yasaka Kanku Shuttle buses take you to wherever you want for 3.500 Japanese Yen as (one-way). You can also travel on your own and you just need to make a reservation 2 days in advance. You can also benefit from MK Co. shuttle services to reach exactly wherever you want to go by paying 2000-4000 JPY per passenger depending on the area you want to go. You can also travel on your own with this company as well and you need to make a reservation 2 days in advance.

Limousine Bus

The limousine buses provide quite comfortable transportation service for the passengers to reach central points in Kinki and Shikoku areas. You can buy your ticket at 4 different points at the airport by paying in cash or by credit card.

Hotel Shuttle Services

The city has a large number of alternatives in terms of accommodation facilities; however, the number of hotels providing airport shuttle service is limited. For this reason, you should absolutely contact your hotel in advance.

Taxi

You can easily reach the city center by taking a taxi from the taxi stands at the exit of the terminals 1 and 2. You can understand that a taxi is available if the red light on the bottom left corner of its front window is on. Both small and large taxis are available. For transportation to the city center from the airport by taxi, taxi fares may vary depending on the size of the vehicle and "day" or "night" tariff between 13.000 and 17.000 Japanese Yen.

Rent a car

There are the offices of car rental companies at the airport. You can rent an affordable car from these offices. Please remember that you will need an international driver's license. Another important point is that the highway toll charges in Japan are extremely high. If you are going to rent a car, you should keep these two points in mind; you should contact a car rental company in advance if necessary.

Located on the shores of the Osaka Bay, about 50 kilometers from Osaka city center, Kansai International Airport is one of Japan's busiest and largest airports. Passengers who want to reach the city center from the airport are offered alternatives such as buses, rental cars and taxis at Kansai International Airport. In addition to all these vehicles, high-speed ferries are also in the service of passengers who want to reach many destinations in a practical and fast way.

Bus

At Kansai International Airport you can take advantage of the buses that start to operate in early hours of the day until late night. Buses are also among the most affordable alternatives offered to Kansai passengers with regards to transportation to the city center, which can be considered partially far. Bus stops outside Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 can be used to access these vehicles which can be used to travel to and from Kansai city center or other places nearby. You can easily get your ticket from the vending machines located in the terminal before you take the bus. If your flight arrives at Terminal 2 and you need to take a bus departing from Terminal 1, you can travel between airport terminals using shuttle services. As you can get to Osaka city center by bus, you also have the chance to travel to places like Nara, Kyoto, Wakayama, Okayama and Shikoku. In addition to all these places, you can also get to the ferry terminal and travel to different areas with ferries when you travel with the buses.

Train

Thanks to the extensive rail network around the city, you can also travel by train to the centers from Kansai International Airport. One of the greatest advantages of a train journey over bus and car rentals is undoubtedly the opportunity to travel without being caught in traffic. The journey to the center with trains is extremely comfortable with lines such as Nankai, Hankyu, Keihan and Hanahin. With trains you can reach Kyoto city center in about 75 minutes, Osaka in 50 minutes, Tennoji in 45 minutes and Sakai in 30 minutes. If you need tickets to get on the train, you can easily buy them in the station. At the airport, the train station is located at Terminal 1. Again, if you are in Terminal 2, you can use shuttles to get to Terminal 1, where you can take the trains and continue your journey to the center.

Ferry

The ferry service to Kobe Airport on the opposite shore of Kansai International Airport makes it very easy for those who want to travel between these two airports. At Kansai Airport you can transfer directly from Terminal 1 to the ferry terminal. If you are in Terminal 2, it will be sufficient to arrive at Terminal 1 using the shuttle to get on the ferry. You can buy tickets for the ferry from the sales office on the first floor without leaving the terminal.

Taxi

There is also a chance to travel from Kansai International Airport to the city center of Osaka or to different centers around the airport by taxi. Taxis are quite comfortable vehicles especially for those travelling with children or with heavy suitcases and items. However, the cost of these comfortable vehicles can be extremely high, especially when compared to buses. You have to pay around 18.000 Yen for a trip of about an hour to Osaka by taxi from the airport. You are expected to pay up to 25.000 Yen for a trip to Nara, which takes about 1.5 hours, 32.000 Yen for a 2 hour trip to Kyoto, and 52.000 Yen for a 180 minute taxi ride to Hikone. If you want to use the taxi, tell the taxi drivers where you absolutely want to go before you get on the car, and learn the average fares. If you do not have enough cash for taxi, you can withdraw cash from ATMs at the airport.

Shuttle

You can also choose to travel to many destinations including Kyoto and Kobe by airport shuttle services. Shuttle services serve a wide range of people and groups, from a single passenger to several passengers. If you are bringing a large number, heavy suitcases with you, you can reach your destination with shuttle services at any time from the airport without difficulty. Shuttle services are the preferred choice for passengers who want a comfortable and affordable trip.

Car Rental

You can rent a car from a wide range of options with different features by coming to the car rental offices in Aeroplaza at the airport. Passengers, who want to rent a car from Nippon Rent A Car located at Kansai International Airport, can call +81 (0) 72-456-8787 and get information before arriving at the terminal. You can get information about vehicle alternatives and rental conditions by calling +81 (0) 72-456-8623 for Nissan Rent-A-Car, another car rental service at the airport. For Toyota Rent-A-Car, You can learn the details at +81 (0) 72-456-8790. As an alternative to all these car rental companies at the airport, passengers have other options such as Orix Rent-A-Car Japan and Times Car Rental.