Transport

As the 2025 World Expo has the joys of being held on the island, that means there are a plethora of transport methods that one can take to get there. Learn all about them and our transport tips on this page. 

The Osaka Metro is of the most straightforward routes for visitors traveling to Expo 2025. With a new station extending from Cosmosquare in the west to Yumeshima Island this will be the easiest way to get to the Expo site with departures taking place at intervals of roughly 7-8 minutes during the day.  

Our advice for those who are visiting Osaka and wish to prioritise their time at the Expo, is to stay in accommodation along this line, which is green on the Osaka metro maps. Honmachi would be a good base for those wishing to combine a few days at the Expo with a feel of Osaka, being one stop/twenty minutes walk from the lively Shinsaibashi area. 

To use the Osaka Metro, it is needed for passengers to have an ICOCA card (or equivalent). ICOCA cards can then be topped up with money and used for each journey. A journey from Honmachi to Yumeshima Island should take 17 minutes and would cost ¥290. A great video introducing how the ICOCA cards work can be viewed here

The metro exit will take you to the East Gate on Yumeshima Island. 

For visitors coming from various parts of Osaka and surrounding regions, the shuttle bus services are a robust alternative. 

These buses connect major transit points such as JR Sakurajima Station and nearby rail stations, with five different routes possible stretching from the north, south and centre of Osaka.

They can be viewed on page 2 of this document (screenshot is of the same page as well):

https://www.transport.expo2025.or.jp/pdf/2.pdf

Note that the route from JR Sakurajima station, the one closest to the Expo site, is the one with the most departures. Scheduled time 15 minutes. With plans for buses every five minutes during peak times. Otherwise the other routes appear to be at best half-hourly departures, but realistically once per hour and therefore not a recommended route for a new visitor to Osaka.

Exact locations on the bus stops at JR Sakurajima station are available here:

https://www.transport.expo2025.or.jp/en/route/jr/bus.html

The bus journeys are a separate payment. The Sakurajima line will cost 350 Yen whereas the longer bus journeys have higher fees that vary up to 2,000 Yen. It is advisable for passengers to pre-book a ticket for these buses, which can be done via the above link, as those passengers will get a queue-jump from 08:00 to 11:00 to board the buses directly, saving everybody time on those busy days.

For those coming from further afield inter-city buses provide a direct route to the Expo site. Given the region's dense transport network, these express buses serve as a vital link for visitors who might prefer direct connections rather than navigating through multiple transfers. 

Buses will run regularly from major train stations and transport hubs, providing comfortable seating for travelers. 

This might be particularly appealing for those travelling to/from the main airports in the region, Osaka and Kansai. Sadly though relying on these buses for a perfect connection to/from the Expo site may be a challenge as there are only scheduled to be 10 departures daily from Osaka Airport and just 3/day from Kansai International.

Visitors to the Expo site may be excited by the possibility of leaving the site on one of the 5 direct buses to Shinjuku in Tokyo, or the daily departure to Hiroshima, or one of the trips to Kobe. However a word of caution is needed here because large bags (anything over W600mm x D900mm x H400mm) are not only not allowed on the Expo Site, the storage for them is off on at Bentencho or Sakurajima stations, and instructions are that large luggage should not be taken on public transport to the World Expo site.

More information about luggage can be found here: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Handling-of-Large-Baggage-at-the-Expo-Site-during-the-Expo.pdf

It is worth saying that, at this point in January 2025, there has not been finalised information published about all the varieties of Inter-City buses including the final schedules. Travellers looking to use this service are going to still need some flexibility in their planning.

For an added layer of excitement and a truly unique experience, water transport to Expo 2025 is available. Passenger ferries will run from several points, providing visitors with a scenic journey through Osaka Bay. Not only does this enhance the travel experience, it also highlights Japan's ability to blend traditional transport methods with modern infrastructure for special events. Though I would assume this is the least time-efficient way to get to the Expo site, I would consider it a must-do for those looking for the experience rather than the practicality, at least once.

None of these routes are scheduled to be regular. The route from the City Centre out to the Expo site runs most often, but that is only 14 routes/day which will amount to roughly 1/hour. 

Minatomachi Pier by the JR Namba station will be the departure point for this route, which will travel on an indirect route via Nakanoshima Gate and Universal City Port

Emphasizing sustainability, Expo 2025 will also accommodate cyclists. With Osaka being known for its cycling culture, this provides an environmentally friendly option for visitors within the local area. 

That said, one hiccup with this plan is that all cycling parking must be pre-booked in advance. There are only 600 cycle parking slots by the Expo site, and each of these will cost 500 Yen per day to reserve. Reservations can be done via this link:

https://parking-reserve.expo2025.or.jp/en/

Furthermore, instructions are that bikes must be pushed over the bridges closest to the Expo site, which frankly means that the city has failed to provide sufficient cycling infrastructure to make cycling a safe and sensible way of getting to the city. 

Last but not least it is notable that the metro entrance/exit will be closer to the Expo site than the proposed parking spot. Sadly I can not recommend cycling as a route to the Expo for tourists based on the information I can find online. 

Cars are generally allowed on the Expo island. Those that are driving to Osaka will need to content with a minefield of logistics to get to the Expo by car.

There are three Park and Ride stations around Osaka, Maishima Expo, Amagasaki Expo and Sakai Expo. Parking should be prebooked not just with a day, but also with a planned time of arrival, within a 30 minute arrival slot.

Parking is expensive. The cheapest slots that I can find via the Expo website are 5,500 Yen a day, with a 500 Yen surcharge if you wish to park your car before 11:00 to maximise your Expo visit.

There is one way to reduce your cost, and that is by taking a designated driving route through Osaka to avoid the worst of the traffic. Quoting the website

"When making a reservation, you will be charged an additional 1,000 yen on top of the basic fee if you do not use a designated exit on the Hanshin Expressway (excluding Yumeshima Accessible Parking). ・

If you meet the conditions for the Expressway Incentive, the amount stated in the price list will be deducted from the price displayed at the time of reservation after using the parking lot. "

In short, confusing, but there is a way to get 1,000 Yen returned if you...drive the right way to the Expo site?

The system is also set up so that passengers will be grouped for the buses depending on their prebooked time of arrival. This could mean frustrating queues and waiting at the Park and Ride departure slots, especially if people give plenty of time to travel to avoid any traffic risks.

There is one group of people that are allowed to park on Yumeshima Island, and that is them that have disabilities and proof of that via a separate licence. They are able to apply for a parking permit to park at the Expo site for a minimum cost of 2,500 Yen.