should i take a pass? if yes, can anyone suggest the most economical way?

Hi there,

Personally I would stay near Kansai Airport for the 1st night. You should be able to catch the last train, however there could be a delay with your flight or something else, which would mean that you can only use a very expansive taxi to travel to Osaka/Kyoto. There are quite a bit of hotels around Kansai Airport which start around 4,000yen per night.

As for travel within Kansai, you could have a look at the JR Kansai pass and use it for travel to Himeji and Kansai Airport. For most travel however, normal tickets will be the best option as local travel costs are low within Kansai.

Osaka and Kyoto are only 30 minutes apart by train, so you could stay in either city.

Enjoy your trip!
Daniel

Then it means it will not be worth if I buy the 4days consecutive JR west Rail pass which costs 6100yen?

Actually I plan like following :
4 Oct stay in airport
5 Oct use early train to Kyoto
6 Oct move around Kyoto
7 Oct move luggage to Osaka and go universal studio
8 Oct himeji castle and Nara
9 Oct Kobe (arima onsen, Chinatown, Kobe port)
10 Oct Osaka
11 Oct Osaka
12 Oct go airport

I'm thinking of buying the ioccoa-haruka and 4days consecutive JR west rail pass.
And use the ioccoa haruka card to and from airport, and four days consecutive pass from 7 to 10.

Hi again,

I don't think so. Consider this, the pass is 6100 or 1550yen of travel per day is required to make savings.

Travel between Osaka - Kyoto is 560 for one way. While travel within Osaka is less than 200yen per ride. Only Osaka - Himeji is ¥ 1,490 so it may be better to just buy a one way 2,000yen Kansai pass.

Besides you'll also have to spend your ICOCA credit on something :)

Hi, I can't find back my last post. I would like to ask the haruka pass can be used for midosuji line? Or I have to use other train like JR?

Hi, the Midosuji line is part of the Osaka Subway and thus not covered by the JR.