Guys, if there's another great trip I can provide you while travelling with your husband, just let one of you do the planning and navigating for a major trip ;) Jeff found this very convenient transfer for us from the Osaka Kansai International Airport in Japan to go directly to JR Kyoto Station! Of all the options, he decided that this is the best one - valid for one day only, the ICOCA card with Haruka discount ticket combo. The ICOCA card can be used on subways, railways, buses and shopping in Japan, while the Hello Kitty Haruka train is for a one-way trip (perfect for our itinerary). As the follower, I can say that it was very convenient even if we had 2 wheeled luggages in tow.
From the airport, we went outside the arrival hall and headed to the JR-West Ticket Office. I believe they are open from 5:30am to 11pm. Jeff went in that office with our passports and paid via cash. Please click on this link for updated price and details. Even if they remove the combo, I still think the Haruka train is a no-fuss alternative to go from the Osaka airport to Kyoto without transiting all the way to Osaka proper and will save you a lot of time.
So I kept the ICOCA cards and were left with 2 sets of different tickets (make sure not to lose them both).
Just in front of the ticket office, you can see a board with the train time and type. Ask the attendant if you need to put in both tickets at the same time.
Getting to the train was easy, just take note of the time and platform number in the ticket. Please make sure you are boarding the right train.
Since we were there first, we had enough space to put our luggages in the baggage compartment near the door. Make sure you boarded the correct car number.
We found the correct reserved seats as well. Keep the tickets just in case the conductor asks for it.
The seats and leg space were just wide enough for the 2 of us.
The ride was around 1.5 hours if I'm not mistaken.
We arrived at the JR Kyoto Station without any difficulty! Will post about our Japan adventure next ;)
