Nara

By train

From Kyoto Station, both the JR Nara Line and the private Kintetsu Kyoto Line will get you to Nara quickly. The Kintetsu Nara Station is better located than the JR Nara Station, and all-reserved TokkyÅ« 特急 trains leave Kyoto twice an hour, making the run to Nara in 35 minutes. On slower but more-frequent KyÅ«kō 急行 services, the trip takes about 50 minutes and you may need to change trains at Yamato-Saidaiji Station. The trip costs ¥610, plus ¥500 extra on the TokkyÅ«. For Japan Rail Pass holders, JR's Miyakoji Kaisoku みやこ路快速 runs during mid-day hours from Kyoto to Nara in 45 minutes ¥690, no charge with rail pass.

The fastest route from Osaka is to take the private Kintetsu Nara Line from Namba Station. Kaisoku-KyÅ«kō 快速急行 trains run three times per hour to Kintetsu Nara 40 minutes, ¥540. For Japan Rail Pass holders, JR runs up to three Yamatoji Kaisoku 大和路快速 trains each hour from Osaka, Tennōji, and intermediate stations on the Osaka Loop Line. The run to Nara is 45 minutes from Osaka Station and 30 minutes from Tennōji ¥780 and ¥450 respectively, no charge with rail pass.

Hanshin offers services from Kobe's Sannomiya Station to Kintetsu Nara via the Hanshin Namba line for ¥940. Direct Kaisoku-KyÅ«kō services leave three times per hour during most of the day; otherwise, you change trains at Amagasaki. The trip takes about 90 minutes.

If traveling between Kyoto, Nara and Osaka consider purchasing the Kansai thru-pass which enables unlimited travel for 2 or 3 days on private railways, buses and subways not-JR in the Kansai area.

By plane

Nara does not have its own airport; most visitors arrive via either Kansai International Airport or Osaka's Itami Airport for domestic flights.

From Kansai Airport, Airport Limousine buses run to the two Nara train stations every hour ¥2000, 1 1/2 hours. More frequent service is available by rail: If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can take the Haruka limited express to Tennoji station and then transfer to the Yamatoji line for the run to Nara ¥2900, no charge with rail pass. Otherwise, it's cheaper to take the Nankai Railway's KÅ«kō-KyÅ«kō 空港急行 express train to Shin-Imamiya, and then take the JR Yamatoji line from there ¥1430. With good connections, both trips take around 1 1/4 hours and 1 1/2 hours, respectively.

Limousine buses connect Itami Airport to the two Nara train stations for ¥1440; the ride takes about one hour.