Fukuchiyama

The most convenient airport is probably Osaka Itami Airport, which is about 1 hr 30 min away by car. By public transport, the most convenient option is the highway bus which runs via the airport (see below); those who would rather take the train (unless they wish to make a detour via the Japan Rail Pass office at Osaka Station) should head to Takarazuka (on either the hourly Hankyū Bus service (30 mn, ¥240) or the Monorail and Hankyū Railway via Hotarugaike (30 minutes, ¥420)), from where they can catch the Kōnotori Limited Express (1 hr 20 min, ¥3180).

Kobe Airport is about 1hr 35mins away by car. By public transport, take the Port Liner to Sannomiya, where you can change either to the highway bus (see below) or the JR train to Amagasaki, where you can change to the Kōnotori. This latter option takes about 2 hr 30 min and costs a total of ¥4720.

The nearest international airport is Kansai, which is 2 hr 15 min away by car. By public transport, the quickest option is to take the JR Haruka Limited Express to either Shin-Osaka (for the Kōnotori) or Kyoto (for the Kinosaki or Hashidate). Either option will take about 3 hr 10 min; the total cost is ¥6950 (via Kyoto) or ¥7050 (via Shin-Osaka). If you instead take the Kansai Airport Rapid to Osaka (for the Kōnotori) the price drops to ¥5360.

Fukuchiyama is fortunate to be served by limited expresses on two JR lines. 

• The San'in Main Line starts at Kyoto, and continues beyond Fukuchiyama to Toyooka and Tottori. The Kinosaki and Hashidate Limited Expresses run from Kyoto to Fukuchiyama in 1 hr 20 min at a cost of ¥3180. All trains stop at Nijō, for the Tōzai Subway Line.
  • This is the best train for those coming from places on the Tōkaidō and Hokuriku Lines (such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Kanazawa); from Tokyo, allow 4 hours and ¥16,350 (4 hr 15 min and ¥16,040 if avoiding Nozomi trains).
  • Some Kinosaki and Hashidate trains are coupled to Maizuru services, which split off at Ayabe and do not serve Fukuchiyama.
• The Fukuchiyama Line is served by trains from Shin-Osaka, Osaka, Amagasaki (for connections to Kobe and the JR Tōzai Line) and Takarazuka. The Kōnotori takes about 1 hr 40 min from Shin-Osaka and costs ¥4060.

On both these lines there are direct local and rapid trains to Kyoto and Osaka respectively during rush hours; at other times one change of train is required. Using local and rapid trains, Kyoto can be reached in 2 hours and ¥1490; Osaka can be reached in 2 hr 15 min and ¥1940.

All these trains are free with the Japan Rail Pass. For travel to Kyoto, Osaka, and other destinations within Kansai, JR West sells the Kansai WIDE Area Pass to Temporary Visitors with foreign passports; this lasts 5 days, costs ¥9000 (¥9500 if bought in Japan), and is valid for local and rapid trains and the non-reserved seats of Limited Express trains. Fukuchiyama is also covered by the Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass and the 7-day Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass, for those who wish to venture further; however, it lies outside the area covered by the Kansai Area Pass.

Nihon Kōtsū operate daytime buses to Kansai on two routes:

• From Namba (Osaka City Air Terminal) and Itami Airport, there are seven buses a day, taking 1 hr 45 min and costing ¥1850 (¥1650 from the airport).
• From Kobe (Sannomiya Bus Terminal) there are eight buses a day, taking 1 hr 30 min and costing ¥1650.

Osaka Bus runs two buses a day to Osaka station in the morning and back in the evening, taking 2 hours and costing ¥1850.