How to get to Nara

w0746203-1, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Kansai International Airport

JR Haruka Limited Express + JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

(from 2400 Yen – 75 minutes)

Take the Haruka Limited Express train and get off at Tennoji Station. Here take the train to Nara on the JR Yamatoji line.

Official Kansai Area Pass Page

HARUKA(京都駅）

恭パパ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

JR Kansai Airport Rapid + JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

(1740 Yen – 90 minutes)

As with the Haruka train, you must get off at Tennoji station and then change trains and take the JR Yamatoji line.

Kansai Airport Rapid Service at Rinku-town Station

Hironoyama, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nankai “Rap:t” + JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

(from 1990 Yen – 88 minutes)

Take the Nankai train to Shinimamiya station and then take the JR Yamatoji train to Nara.

Nankai 50000 Rapit in Tengachaya Station1 DSCN3291 20120831

Ogiyoshisan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nankai Airport Express + JR Yamatoji Rapid Service

(1550 Yen – 94 minutes)

Take the Nankai train to Shinimamiya Station and then take the JR Yamatoji train to Nara. If you take the Nankai Ltd Express Rapit train, the total ticket is 2020 Yen.

Airport Express for Namba Station arriving at Hagoromo Station

そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Osaka

JR Yamatoji Line

(820 Yen – 55 minutes)

At Osaka station take the JR train on the Yamatoji Line to Nara.

Series221-NB806

MaedaAkihiko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kintetsu Railways

(from 580 Yen – from 38 minutes)

At Osaka-Namba station, take the Kintestu train which will take you to Nara (Kintetsunara station) in 1 hour and 10 minutes. If you take the Limited Express train, the ticket costs 680 yen and the train takes about 40 minutes.

Kintetsu8000Series03

User:Kansai explorer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Kyoto

JR Nara Line

(720 Yen – 45 minutes)

From Kyoto Station take the train on the JR Nara Line. The Rapid Service takes 45 minutes. The local train, on the other hand, takes 75 minutes.

Series205-1000-Nara-Line

MaedaAkihiko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kintetsu Railways

(da 760 Yen – 48 minutes)

Take the Kintetsu train at Kyoto station and then change at Yamato-Saidaiji station to Nara.

Kintetsu 22000 series old+new liveries Kyoto Line (40825979374)

khws4v1 from Hiroshima, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Metro + Kintetsu Railways

(1020 Yen – 50 minutes)

If you are close to a stop on the Karasuma line of the Kyoto metro, there is a direct train every hour to Kintetsu Nara station.

The train departs from the first stop on the Karasuma line (Kokusaikaikan). There are 3 trains in the morning (5:55 – 7:55 – 8:49) and 5 trains in the afternoon (15:50 – 16:39 – 17:19 – 17:49 – 18:19). On Saturday and Sunday there are 10 runs between 7:54 and 17:30.