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Thunderbird from Osakaサンダーバード
Osaka Station, or Shin-Osaka 4 minutes later
All seats reserved. Right-hand side for Lake Biwa after Kyoto.
To Tsuruga
about 1h 20m
Oct–NovThe Thunderbird starts at Osaka Station, calls at Shin-Osaka and Kyoto, and runs to Tsuruga, where you change to the Shinkansen for Kanazawa.
Osaka to Kanazawa takes from 2h 10m and costs ¥9,410 reserved. Board the Thunderbird at Osaka Station or Shin-Osaka (about 1h 20m to Tsuruga), change upstairs, and ride the Shinkansen about 50 minutes to Kanazawa. A return is ¥18,820, which is within ¥180 of the 7-day Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass.
Osaka Station (Umeda) is the start of the line and the easiest place to find your car. Shin-Osaka is better if you are arriving by Shinkansen or the Midōsuji subway. From Namba or Tennōji, allow 20 minutes to reach either. From Kansai Airport, the Haruka runs to Shin-Osaka and Kyoto, where you can join the Thunderbird.
| Leg | Train | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shin-Osaka → Tsuruga | Thunderbird (all reserved) | about 1h 20m | in the through fare |
| Tsuruga | Change upstairs | 8 min minimum | no extra charge |
| Tsuruga → Kanazawa | Tsurugi Shinkansen | about 50 min | ¥5,480 if bought alone |
| Osaka → Kanazawa | Through ticket | from 2h 10m | ¥9,410 |
| Osaka → Fukui | Same route | 1h 44m–1h 57m | ¥7,290 |
| Osaka ⇄ Kanazawa return | ¥18,820 |
Regular-season reserved fares.
The same change as from Kyoto, with a longer first leg.
All seats reserved. Right-hand side for Lake Biwa after Kyoto.
Eight minutes is the designed connection and the trains are timed for it. Tsuruga transfer guide.
Stay on for Toyama (another 18–23 minutes) if that is your base.
From Osaka, the return alone nearly matches the pass.
¥19,000 against ¥18,820 in tickets, with Toyama, Fukui, Himeji and the Haruka thrown in for a week.
Find on Klook ↗Find your whole route, not just this leg, before you buy.
Rail pass hub →Hot-spring top floor and a 2-minute walk to the platforms. Good after the 2h 10m run from Osaka.
Across the plaza from the East Exit. Best when your Thunderbird back to Osaka leaves early.
Mid-range comfort near Ōmichō market, a short bus ride from the station.
From 2 hours 10 minutes: about 1h 20m on the Thunderbird from Shin-Osaka to Tsuruga, an 8-minute change, then about 50 minutes on the Shinkansen.
¥9,410 one way reserved, ¥18,820 return, at regular-season 2026 fares.
The Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass at ¥19,000 for 7 days. It costs about the same as one return and covers every other JR ride in Kansai and Hokuriku for a week.
Not yet. The Hokuriku Shinkansen ends at Tsuruga. The Thunderbird limited express covers Osaka to Tsuruga.
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