Osaka Subway
Osaka Subway: read a guide to the Osaka Subway including fares, subway lines, passes and station information.
Osaka Subway 大阪の地下鉄
Osaka has 8 subway lines with fares beginning at 180 yen for a single journey. Osaka's subway lines are the: Chuo Line (color-coded Dark Green), Imazatosuji Line (Orange), Midosuji Line (Red), Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line (Light Green), Sennichimae Line (Pink), Sakaisuji Line (Brown), Tanimachi Line (Purple) and the Yotsubashi Line (Dark Blue).
Osaka Subway sign at Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station on the Tanimachi Line
Osaka Subway train on the Tanimachi Line
The Nanko Port Town Line or New Tram (Light Blue) runs above ground from Suminoekoen Station on the Yotsubashi Line to Cosmosquare where it intersects with the Chuo Line.
The main hub stations are Namba Station which connects with 3 lines - the Midosuji Line, the Sennichimae Line and the Yotsubashi Line and Umeda which also connects with 3 lines: Umeda Station is on the Midosuji Line and nearby are Higashi-Umeda Station on the Tanimachi Line and Nishi-Umeda Station, which is on the Yotsubashi Line.
The Osaka Loop Line connects with the subway system at various stations including Tennoji Station, Shin-Imamiya, Taisho, Bentencho, Noda, Osaka (Umeda), Tenma, Kyobashi, Morinomiya, Tamatsukuri and Tsuruhashi.
Lights on the Osaka Subway at Umeda Station
Midosuji Line train at Umeda Station, Osaka
The Icoca card is an IC smart card which can be used on the JR West network in western Japan (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, etc). The Icoca card is ont of the main 10 IC cards issued in Japan's regions, and can therefore be used, with some minor limitations, in any other region, which is great news for the traveler in Japan.
Fares on the Osaka subway system presently range from 180 to 350 yen with children's fares (6-11 y.o.) roughly half that, and children up to 5 y.o. free.
Osaka's first underground line was the north-south Midosuji Line which opened in 1933 linking Umeda to Shinsaibashi.
Trains run from around 5am until midnight, 7 days a week with reduced services at the weekends and public holidays.
Ticket machines and Osaka subway map
There are a variety of travel passes available for use on the Osaka urban transport network. One-day passes are available for unlimited use on the subway, city buses and New Tram every day except on No-My-Car-Days.
The cost of a One-day pass is 850 yen for adults and 430 yen for children aged 6 to 11. No-My-Car-Day passes cost 600 yen for adults. Both passes offer discounts on various Osaka attractions including Osaka Castle.
The pre-paid Rainbow Card comes in denominations of 500 yen 1,000 yen, 2,000 yen, 3,000 yen and 5,000 yen for adults and 500 yen and 1,000 yen for children aged 6-11. The Rainbow Card is valid for travel on the Osaka subway, the New Tram, and city buses. The Rainbow Card is also valid for travel on parts of the Surutto Kansai transport network, including the Hankyu, Hanshin, Kita-Osaka Kyuko, Keihan, Nankai and Kintetsu lines.
The pre-paid Multiple Ride Card is valid on the Osaka subway, New Tram and city buses. A 3,000 yen adult card is good for 3,300 yen's worth of travel, the 1,500 yen children's card affords 1,650 yen's worth of travel for minors.
Platform attendant at Namba Station, Osaka
Speeding Midosuji Line subway train, Osaka
The Osaka Municipal Transportation Information Center (Tel: 06 62119503) is located at Namba Station and has detailed information in English on the Osaka subway and city buses and the various travel passes available.
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm: Sat, Sun & public holidays 10am-7pm
Tanimachi Line, Osaka
Midosuji Line Subway
