Osaka / Umeda: lines, transfers, lockers and step-free routes

Which station is which

• JR Osaka Station connects to Hankyu, Hanshin and Osaka Metro, but each is its own station with its own gates. [1]
• Osaka Metro has three stations here: Umeda (M16, Midosuji Line), Higashi-Umeda (T20, Tanimachi Line) and Nishi-Umeda (Y11, Yotsubashi Line). Umeda lists transfers to both, plus JR, Hankyu and Hanshin. [2]
• Hankyu Osaka-umeda (HK-01) is the terminus of all three Hankyu lines: Kobe, Takarazuka and Kyoto. [3]
• Hanshin Osaka-umeda is underground (platforms on B2); its station map shows exits towards the JR Osaka Sakurabashi and Central gates, JR Kitashinchi, and the Nishi-Umeda, Umeda and Higashi-Umeda subway stations. [4]

JR Osaka platforms

• Osaka Loop Line: platform 1 (inner loop, towards Nishikujo and Bentencho; also trains to Universal City, Kansai Airport, Wakayama and Nara) and platform 2 (outer loop, towards Kyobashi and Tsuruhashi). [5]
• JR Kyoto Line to Shin-Osaka and Kyoto leaves from platforms 7–10; JR Kobe Line to Sannomiya and Himeji from platforms 3–6. [5]
• Limited expresses to Kansai Airport and Wakayama leave from platform 21 in the underground Umekita area, reached through the Umekita underground gate or the West gate. [5]

Tickets, rail passes and seat reservations

• The JR ticket office (Midori-no-madoguchi) is at the Central gate, 06:00–22:00; reserved-seat ticket machines at the Midosuji, Bridge, Sakurabashi, Umekita underground and West gates run 05:30–23:40. [6]
• Japan Rail Pass: exchange or collect it at the Central gate ticket office (06:00–22:00) or at Nippon Travel TiS in the Travel Service Center Osaka (08:30–20:30), which also has a passport-reading ticket machine for web-bought passes. [7]
• Hankyu ticket counters at the 2F West and 3F West gates are open from first to last train; the 3F East and Chayamachi counters from 06:00. [3]

Lockers, luggage and tourist information

• Osaka Tourist Information is right in front of the JR Central gate on 1F, open 07:00–22:00 every day, in English, Chinese and Korean; a JR rail information desk is next to it. [8]
• Its opening hours: 07:00–22:00, no closing days. [8]
• Hankyu Tourist Center Osaka-Umeda (on 1F of the Hankyu station) is open 08:00–17:00 every day, with staff speaking English, Chinese and Korean, and sells Hankyu passes. [9]
• The Hankyu Tourist Center stores bags for 700 yen per bag per day, and delivers bags dropped off by 10:30 to your hotel the same day (in its service area). [9]
• JR Osaka has coin lockers; some may be limited to certain users depending on location. [6]
• Osaka Metro Nishi-Umeda (and also Umeda and Higashi-Umeda) list coin lockers among their station facilities. [10]

Step-free routes and toilets

• At JR Osaka every platform can be reached without steps by elevator from the Midosuji, Bridge (Renrakukyo) and South gates. [11]
• JR Osaka has wheelchair-accessible toilets with baby beds and ostomate facilities both inside and outside the gates. [11]
• Hanshin step-free route: B2 platforms, level to the East gate, then elevators at the South exit to B1, street level and the pedestrian deck. [4]
• Hankyu Osaka-umeda: from the south (JR) side on 1F, the elevator is east of the escalators and stairs; on 3F there are elevators inside Hankyu 17-bankan and the Hankyu Terminal Building entrances. [12]
• Osaka Metro Umeda (Midosuji Line) has step-free routes from the platform by elevator and ramps through the North and Naka-kita-higashi gates, e.g. to street level by the elevator next to the Hanshin department store. [2]

Applies to

JR West (West Japan Railway Company), Osaka Metro, Hankyu Railway (Hankyu Corporation), Hanshin Electric Railway