(JR Nishinomiya Station and Hankyu Nishinomiya-kitaguchi station are not close.)
The venue, Kwansei Gakuin University (Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus) is located in the city of Nishinomiya, which is about halfway between Kobe and Osaka.
For local transportation, Kansai One Pass and ICOCA Card are useful IC cards (chrageable card tickets), which can be used for almost all trains and buses in the Kansai area. You can also use an iOS app SuicaEng to use a virtual Suica card (which is essentially the same as an ICOCA card) on an iPhone. See “How to ride trains/busses cashless” page for details. Japan Rail Pass cannot be used for Hankyu trains.
To purchase tickets or ICOCA on Hankyu and JR ticket vendors, see here (Hankyu) and here (JR).
From Takarazuka Area to the venue
In order to go to the ICLC venue from Takarazuka area, you can take a Hankyu train to Kotoen Station on the Hankyu Imazu Line (10 minutes), which runs every 7 to 10 minutes (190 yen). From Kotoen Station there is a Hankyu bus service, and it is a 7-minute ride to the venue (220 yen). Walking is possible but it is a 20-minute uphill walk from the station.
Step-by-step pictured guides
From Osaka/Umeda Area to the venue
- Umeda is a complex area with stations for Hankyu, JR, Hanshin, and different Subway lines. So do not get confused!
Go first to Hankyu Umeda Station. Then, take the Hankyu Kobe Line train to the Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station (Express trains run every 7-10 minutes and takes 12 minutes). Then change trains to the Hankyu Imazu Line on tracks 6 or 7 to go to Kotoen Station. Kotoen Station is the second station and it takes 4 minutes. From Kotoen Station there is a Hankyu bus service, which takes about 7 minutes to the venue (at a cost of 220 yen).
You can also take a taxi from Nishinomiya-kitaguchi (1300-1500 yen, and 10-12 minutes). The taxi station is outside the north gate.
Step-by-step pictured guides
From The Rise Osaka Kitashinchi to the venue
The Rise Osaka Kitashinchi is to the south of Umeda and the use of the JR Line is recommended. Take the JR train from Kitashinchi Station to JR Nishinomiya Station (300 yen). The Tozai Line trains bounded for Nishi-Akashi go directly from Kitashinchi to Nishinomiya. Or you can ride Tozai Line or Takarazuka Line trains to Amagasaki, and then change trains to Kobe Line to go to Nishinomiya. Only Local and Rapid trains stop at Nishinomiya and Special Rapid trains do not. Do NOT take a train for Takarazuka. From Nishinomiya Station, take Hankyu Bus #11, #14, #18 or #19 to the venue. It costs 220 yen. Note that Google Map location for the bus stop for Kwansei Gakuin is wrong. Get off at Kwansei Gakuin stop.
Step-by-step pictured guides
From JR Shin-Osaka to the venue
From JR Shin-Osaka station, take a Kobe-Line train (on Tracks #7 or #8) to JR Nishinomiya. Local or rapid trains (bound for Himeji, Nishi-Akashi, and Aboshi) stop at JR Nishinomiya, but Special Rapid trains (Shinkaisoku) do not. Do not take a Takarazuka-Line train (bound for Shin-Sanda, Sasayama, etc.) starting from the same tracks. From Nishinomiya Station, take Hankyu Bus #11, #14, #18 or #19 to the venue. It costs 220 yen. Note that Google Map location for the bus stop for Kwansei Gakuin is wrong. Get off at Kwansei Gakuin stop.
Step-by-step pictured guide
From JR Amagasaki Area to the venue
From JR Amagasaki Station, you can take a JR train to JR Nishinomiya station on JR Kobe Line ) (190yen). Only Local and Rapid trains stop at JR Nishinomiya and Special Rapid trains do not. Do NOT take a train for Takarazuka. From Nishinomiya station, take Hankyu Bus #11, #14, #18 or #19 to the venue. The cost is 220 yen. Note that Google Map location for the bus stop for Kwansei Gakuin is wrong. Get off at Kwansei Gakuin stop.
Step-by-step pictured guide
From Kobe/Sannomiya area to the venu
- The Sannomiya area has stations for Hankyu, JR, Hanshin, Subway and Port Liner Monorail. So do not get confused!
In order to go to the ICLC venue, go to Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station. (Due to reconstruction, some entrances may be hard to find. See Step-by-step pictured guides below.) Take a Hankyu Kobe Line train (Tracks #3 and #4) to Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station. All trains on this line stops at Nishinomiya-kitaguchi. Then change trains at Nishinomiya-kitaguchi to go to Kotoen Station on the Hankyu Imazu Line on tracks 6 or 7. From Kotoen Station there is a Hankyu bus service, which takes about 7 minutes to the venue (at a cost of 220 yen).
Step-by-step pictured guides
Alternatively, you can take JR trains. Find a big JR Sannnomiya station. From there, take JR Kobe Line train on track #1 or #2 to JR Nishinomiya (300 yen). All trains EXCEPT Special Rapid trains stop at JR Nishinomiya. From Nishinomiya station, take Bus Hankyu Bus #11, #14, #18 or #19 to the venue (220 yen). Note that Google Map location for the bus stop for Kwansei Gakuin is wrong. Get off at Kwansei Gakuin stop.
- Those who stay in Kobe Portopia Hotel must go first from Shimin Hiroba to Sannomiya by Port Liner monorail. From the monorail station, you walk through JR Sannomiya station to find Hankyu Sannnomiya Station.
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