On April 18, 2025, the long-awaited Terminal 2 opened at Kobe Airport, marking the start of international flight operations in Kobe!
Kobe Airport has become even more convenient with improved accessibility from both domestic and international locations. For travelers planning trips to the Kansai and Shikoku regions, we’ll introduce various destinations you can get to from the airport.
►20 minutes to Sannomiya Station (Kobe City Center)
Kobe Airport is located on Port Island (an artificial island), just about 8km from Kobe’s city center “Sannomiya Station,” and is accessible approximately 20 minutes via the Port Liner (train), making it an extremely convenient airport.
►Kobe Airport now connects to major Asian cities including:
– Incheon International Airport (Seoul, South Korea)
– Taoyuan International Airport (Taipei, Taiwan)
– Nanjing Lukou International Airport (Nanjing, China)
– Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Shanghai, China)
Kobe Airport is very compact, with only about 250 meters between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. It takes just about 3 minutes to walk between them. For smooth travel from Kobe Airport to tourist destinations, we will introduce various transportation methods including trains, buses, and cars (rental cars) below.
Bus/Train 🚌🚉
■ Kobe (Sannomiya Area)
Sannomiya is the center of Kobe City and is very convenient as a transportation hub. Major railways departing for Himeji, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara operate from Sannomiya Station, making it a major transportation hub. Additionally, express buses to Sanda Premium Outlets, Arima Onsen, Awaji Island, and Shikoku are plentiful, making it a very attractive base for tourism and shopping.
Access:
Google Map: here
- Local Bus (Shinki Bus): Via Sannomiya to Shin-Kobe, Arima Onsen, Kobe Sanda Premium Outlets – about 25 minutes (fare 340 yen) Platform 5
Details/Timetable: here - Local Bus (City Loop Bus): Kobe City regular sightseeing route – about 25 minutes (fare 260 yen) Platform 5
Timetable: here - Train (Port Liner): Direct to “Sannomiya Station” – about 18 minutes (fare 340 yen)
Timetable: here - Taxi: About 20 minutes (around 2,000 yen)
■ Shin-Kobe Station (Shinkansen Access)
A major station with a Shinkansen that connects to Kansai and the rest of Japan.
Travel time: About 30 minutes
Access:
Google Map: here
- Direct Bus (Shinki Bus): Via Sannomiya to Shin-Kobe, Arima Onsen, Kobe Sanda Premium Outlets – about 30 minutes (fare 340 yen) Platform 5
Timetable: here - Local Bus (JR Bus/Honshi Bus): Express bus to Tokushima – about 30 minutes (fare 340 yen) Platform 7
Timetable: here (Japanese) - Subway (via Sannomiya): Local bus or train to Sannomiya → Subway Seishin-Yamate Line to “Shin-Kobe Station”
■ Meriken Park, Harborland, Nankinmachi, Kitano Foreign District
Around Kobe Port, there are many tourist spots where you can fully enjoy Kobe’s charm. The open seaside “Meriken Park” or “Harborland”, is abundant in both shopping and gourmet options. At “Nankinmachi”, you can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine and in the exotic “Kitano Foreign District”, you can enjoy retro Western-style buildings.
Access:
Google Map: to Minato Motomachi to Kobe Station
- Local Bus (City Loop Bus): Kobe City regular sightseeing route – 60 minutes (fare 300 yen) Platform 5 Timetable: here
- Train: Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station →
- Meriken Park: Subway Kaigan Line to “Minato Motomachi”
- Harborland: JR to “Kobe” Travel time: 30-40 minutes (fare about 500 yen)
■ Sanda Premium Outlets
Sanda Premium Outlets is the largest outlet mall in the Kansai region.
Access:
Google Map: here
- Direct Bus (via Shinki Bus): About 1 hour 40 minutes (fare 910 yen)
Board at Kobe Airport Terminal 1 or 2
Timetable: 12:35, 13:25, 14:25, 16:25 - Bus (via Sannomiya): About 60 minutes (fare 700 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal
►Details: here
Timetable: 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00
Google Map (Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal): here
■ Arima Onsen
Access:
Google Map: here
- Direct Bus (Shinki Bus): About 1 hour (fare 810 yen)
Board at Kobe Airport Terminal 1 or 2
Timetable: 12:35, 13:35, 14:45, 16:45 - Bus (via Sannomiya): About 30 minutes from Sannomiya (fare 600 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus)
►Details: here
Timetable: 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00
Google Map (Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal): here
■ Himeji (World Heritage Himeji Castle)
Himeji is a historic city widely known for having Japan’s representative castle “Himeji Castle (White Heron Castle).”
Access:
Google Map: here
- By train (via Sannomiya): Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station: About 60 minutes by rapid service
Sannomiya Station → Direct on JR Kobe Line to “Himeji Station”
◆ Himeji Castle Loop Bus One-day Ticket: here
◆ Visit the samurai city of Himeji as a day trip. You’ll regret it if you don’t!: here
■ Awaji Island (Nijigen no Mori, Hello Kitty Smile, etc.)
Awaji Island is a popular tourist island where both rich nature and anime entertainment are combined.
◼Nijigen no Mori
Google Map: here
- Bus (via Sannomiya): Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → From Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal, take Kita-Awaji West Coast Line (bound for Iwaya, Nojima, Tomishima) express bus to Prefectural Awaji Island Park (Nijigen no Mori F Parking) – 1 minute walk
►Details for Kita-Awaji West Coast Line: here
◼HELLO KITTY SMILE
Google Map: here
- Bus (via Sannomiya): Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → From Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal, take Kita-Awaji West Coast Line (bound for Iwaya, Nojima, Tomishima) express bus to Nojima Oishi [in front of Miele] – 8 minute walk
►Details for Kita-Awaji West Coast Line: here - Bus (via Kobe Airport): From Kobe Airport bus stop 7, take the express bus bound for Takadaya Kahei Park to Kita Awaji Interchange Transfer to local bus (Awa-jin Awa-hime Bus ① clockwise) and get off at “Nakamura” – 1 minute walk
■ USJ (Universal Studios Japan)
Travel time: About 70-90 minutes
Access:
Google Map: here
- Direct local bus: About 60 minutes, fare 900 yen
►Details/Reservations: here - Bus (via Sannomiya): Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus) – about 40 minutes from Sannomiya (fare 700 yen)
►Details: here - Train (via Sannomiya): Sannomiya Station → JR Kobe Line to “Osaka Station” → JR Loop Line/Yumesaki Line to “Universal City Station”
■ Osaka Kansai Expo Venue (Yumeshima Area)
The venue for the 2025 “Osaka Kansai Expo” is Yumeshima, an artificial island located in Osaka Bay.
Travel time: About 90 minutes
Access:
Google Map: here
- Express Bus (via Sannomiya): About 50 minutes from Sannomiya (fare 1,000 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus)
►Details/Timetable: 7:30, 7:45, 8:00, 8:15, 8:30, 8:45, 9:00, 9:15, 9:45, 10:15, 10:45, 11:15, 11:45, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:15
►Google Map (Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal): here - Direct express bus (via Kobe Airport): About 1 hour 25 minutes (fare 1,210 yen)
Board from: Kobe Airport bus platform 7
►Details/Timetable: 8:40, 12:40
■ Shikoku (Tokushima, Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Kochi)
The Shikoku area is a tourist destination packed with diverse attractions including scenic driving courses on the Shimanami Kaido, authentic Sanuki udon tours, and Dogo Onsen and Konpira Onsen hot springs! Express buses operate from Kobe Sannomiya to major cities, providing reasonable and comfortable access.
● Tokushima
Google Map: here
- Express bus (via. Sannomiya): About 2 hours from Sannomiya (fare 3,100-3,600 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus)
►Details/Reservations: here - Direct bus (via Kobe Airport): About 3 hours (fare 3,600-3,800 yen)
Express bus from Kobe Airport bus platform 7
►Timetable: here
● Takamatsu
Travel time: About 3 hours
- Express bus (via Sannomiya): About 3 hours from Sannomiya (fare 4,300~4,640 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus)
►Details/Reservations: here - Shinkansen + Train (via Shin-Kobe Station): About 1 hour 30 minutes from Shin Kobe (8,860 yen)
Local bus or subway to Shin-Kobe Station → Shinkansen to Okayama Station → Train to Takamatsu Station
● Matsuyama
Travel time: About 5 hours
- Express bus (via Sannomiya): About 4 1/2 hours from Sannomiya Station (fare 7,000 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus) → Matsuyama City Station
►Details/Reservations: here
*Only 4 services per day
● Kochi
Travel time: About 5 1/2 hours
- Express bus (via Sannomiya): About 4 hours from Sannomiya Station (fare 6,400 yen)
Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → Express bus from Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal (Shinki Bus) → Kochi Bus Terminal
►Details/Reservations: here
Train 🚉
■ Kobe Animal Kingdom
Travel time: About 5 minutes
Kobe Animal Kingdom is an interactive theme park where you can enjoy interacting with animals in a natural space surrounded by flowers and greenery! It’s highly popular among families and is an all-weather facility, meaning you can enjoy it safely even on rainy days.
Access:
Google Map: here
- Port Liner (train): Get off at “Keisan Kagaku Center Station (Kobe Animal Kingdom)” – immediate arrival (fare 250 yen)
►Timetable: here
■ Mitsui Outlet Park Marine Pia Kobe (Tarumi)
Mitsui Outlet Park Marine Pia Kobe is a popular outlet mall due to its attractive seaside location.
Access:
Google Map: here
- Train (via Sannomiya Station): Local bus or train to Sannomiya Station → From Sannomiya Station, take JR Kobe Line to “Tarumi Station” or Hanshin Main Line/Sanyo Electric Railway to “Sanyo Tarumi Station,” then walk about 10 minutes
►Travel time: About 60 minutes Fare: 660 yen when using JR Kobe Line, 810 yen when using Sanyo Electric Railway
Summary: Kobe Airport is the gateway to Kansai and Shikoku. Choose from a variety of convenient access options to match your travel style!
Kobe Airport is very convenient due to its direct connection to Kobe’s center, Sannomiya Station, via Port Liner (about 20 minutes), and access to various areas in Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Himeji) and Shikoku (Tokushima, Takamatsu, etc.). Kobe Airport has a range of diverse transportation methods including trains, express buses, and ferries.
With international flights launching in 2025, Kobe Airport provides clear guidance for international travelers and seamless connections. Whether you’re visiting for tourism, business, or events, choose the route that best fits your needs and enjoy a smooth journey!
