How to Travel from Tokyo to Nara

As Nara, Kyoto and Osaka make up a triangle in the Kansai region, it’s very similar to go from Tokyo to Nara with that to Kyoto. No matter which mode of transportation you choose, it would continue to head to Nara after reaching Kyoto or you have to transfer at Kyoto Station. As thus, there are 3 main ways from Tokyo to Nara.

JR Train Platform

Best Choice: Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen + Kyoto to Nara Train, 3-4h & JPY 14,590

Shinkansen Station Hall

There is no Shinkansen train directly to Nara, thus passengers have to transfer in Kyoto if setting off from Tokyo. As the 2-2.5h Shinkansen train reaches Kyoto (JPY 13,870 for an unreserved seat), it’s recommended to take a limited express train to Nara.

See also: Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto

Why Not transfer in Osaka?

It’s practicable to transfer in Osaka without doubt. However, it will be a detour if you don’t get off the Shinkansen train at Kyoto Station but continue the trip until Shin-Osaka Station. Besides, there is no direct train from Shin-Osaka Sta. to Nara, it would be a little complicated to travel to Osaka Station firstly.

Differently, you can get a limited express train to Nara straight at Kyoto Station. Also, Kintetsu Kyoto Station is just next to JR Kyoto Station.

Kyoto to Nara Trains: 34-77min & JPY 720 at least

	JR	Kintetsu Railway
Time Needed	44-77min	34-36min
Frequency	Every 7-24 minutes (weekdays) Every 8-12 minutes (weekends)	2-4 trains every hour
First Train	05:33	06:55
Last Train	23:46	23:22
Ticket Fare	JPY 720	JPY 1,280

Nara Line Board

Notes:

Shinkansen trains from Tokyo stop at JR Kyoto Sta., while Kintetsu Kyoto Station stand by the Hachijo-guchi Exit of JR Kyoto Sta. in the south.

Kintetsu Nara Station is quite close to the major scenic spots in Nara, the Nara Park area. JR Nara Station is somewhat farther away from the area.

Alternative: Tokyo to Osaka Flight + Airport Train/Bus to Nara, overall 4h & JPY 12,000 at least

In Osaka, Kansai International Airport is nearer to Nara compared with Itami Airport. It takes 1.5 hours or so from Tokyo to Kansai Airport, and the flights from Haneda Airport are almost twice as many as these from Narita Airport. However, the flights from Narita Airport, almost all budget flights, are cheaper.

See more details about Tokyo to Osaka Flights

Kansai Airport to Nara Trains: around 1.5h & JPY 1,650-3,030

	To JR Nara Sta.	To Kintetsu Nara Sta.
Route	Kansai Airport - Tennoji – Nara (JR lines all the way)	Kansai Airport - Osaka-Namba - Kintetsu Nara (Nankai Electric Railway → Kintetsu Railway)
Time Consumed	32-55min to Tennoji Sta.; 33-37min from Tennoji to JR Nara; 1h 17-33min in total	1h 25-42min
First Train	05:50 from Kansai Airport (for Tennoji)	05:45 (weekdays) / 05:47 (weekends & holidays) for Nankai Namba Sta.
Last Train	00:00 from Tennoji to Nara	23:55 from Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu Nara
Departure Interval	Every 10-20min	Every 7-15min from Kansai Airport to Nankai Namba Sta.; 3-9 trains every hour from Osaka-Namba Sta. to Kintetsu Nara
Ticket Fare	JPY 1,740 without Ltd. Exp. train JPY 2,500-3,030 with the Ltd. Exp. train	JPY 1,650-2,170 in total JPY 970 Kansai Airport-Nankai Namba; JPY 680 Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu Nara

To Tennoji from Kansai Airport, Limited Express Haruka is faster and more expensive, reaching Tennoji in about half an hour. For the section from Tennoji to Nara Sta., the local trains that stop at every station would be slower to get to the destination in around 50min.

The ticket gates of JR West and Nankai Electric Railway are next to each other at Kansai International Airport.

Get to Osaka-Namba Sta. on Kintetsu Line through the underground passageway from Nankai Namba Sta., walk northwards and then turn westwards for about 6min.

If you take a limited express train on Nankai Line, the fare would be as high as JPY 1,490 for the section. In this case, the total fare would be counted as JPY 2,170.

If you would like to visit old Saidai-ji Temple at first, you could get off earlier at Yamato-Saidaiji Sta. on Kintetsu Line. The temple is only 5 minutes’ walk from Yamato-Saidaiji Sta.

Kansai Airport to Nara Bus: over 1.5h & JPY 2,400

Route		T2 - T1 → Dainihanna Ikoma - Yamato-Saidaiji Station - Nara Prefectural Convention Center - JR Nara Station
Departure Sites		No.5 bus stop at T2; No.9 bus stop at T1
Time Consumed		1h 25-43min
First Bus		08:45 at T1 (the first bus doesn’t pick up passengers at T2)
Last Bus		20:32 at T2 & 20:45 at T1
Timetable	T2	---	10:32	14:32	17:32	20:32
	T1	08:45	10:45	14:45	17:45	20:45
Ticket Fare		JPY 2,400 per adult (one-way)

Not all the buses would stop at Yamato-Saidaiji Station. If it doesn’t stop there, it would reach JR Nara Station faster.

The airport buses don’t stop at Kintetsu Nara Station.

Cheapest Way: Night Highway Bus from Tokyo to Nara, 8-9h overnight & JPY 6,700-9,400, save one night’s hotel cost

Highway bus could take passengers to Nara from Tokyo directly, but the buses are less than those to Kyoto or Osaka. To Nara, there are only night buses in operation. What should call your attention is, the night buses go to Kyoto and then terminate in Nara actually. However, not all the buses to Kyoto/Osaka would stop over in Nara, only 2 buses reach Nara a day.

Bus	Gran Dream 5	Eco Dream 21
Departure	Tokyo Disneyland 20:50 Tokyo Sta. (Yaesu South Exit) 21:50 Shinjuku Expwy Bus Terminal 22:30	Tokyo Sta. (Yaesu South Exit) 23:10 Shinjuku Expwy Bus Terminal 23:55
Arrival	JR Nara Station (East Exit) 06:41	JR Nara Station (East Exit) 08:06
Duration	8-9 hours	8-9 hours
Ticket Fare	JPY 7,000-9,400	JPY 6,700

It would be JPY 600-1,000 cheaper during weekdays.

There are much more night highway buses running on the same route, but they won’t stop in Nara, and each of them has their own timetable with probably different stops. Please confirm the bus information carefully before booking or purchasing the ticket.

Read more about Highway Buses Travelling from Tokyo

Normal train transfers is not recommended from Tokyo to Nara, because the great majority of people would transfer in Kyoto, while other transfer plans are not only time-consuming but also hardly accessible at most time. It’s messier to choose such a route, which is undesirable.