Overview
Kobe's public transport is a layered network of municipal subway lines, private and JR suburban railways, an automated waterfront light rail, trams, buses and ferries. The backbone for visitors is the Kobe Municipal Subway (神戸市営地下鉄, Kōbe-shiei chikatetsu), operated by the Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau, which began service on 13 March 1977 and now covers roughly 38 kilometres across 26 stations. It connects the Shinkansen stop at Shin-Kobe with the commercial heart at Sannomiya and the western suburbs, and it links into JR, private rail and bus services at major interchanges.
Riding it end to end is straightforward. You enter a station, buy a ticket or tap a smartcard at the gates, follow signage to your platform, and board. The subway was built with universal accessibility in mind, with elevators, tactile paving and step-free access throughout stations, and platform screen doors have been progressively installed at all stations since 2017. Contactless fare payment systems were introduced from 2024, so tap-to-ride is increasingly available alongside paper tickets and stored-value cards.
For most sightseeing, though, the subway is a connector rather than the main event: the east–west private and JR lines through Sannomiya are usually the cheapest and fastest way across town, while the subway is especially useful for reaching Shin-Kobe and the Shinkansen.
The network
Several distinct operators and modes make up the system you will use in and around Kobe.
- Kobe Municipal Subway – Seishin–Yamate Line (西神山手線, Seishin-Yamate-sen): the main trunk route, 22.7 km and 16 stations between Shin-Kobe and Seishin-Chūō, passing through Sannomiya. All trains are all-stations locals; maximum speed is 90 km/h and peak headways are 3–5 minutes. Including through-running to the north, the operational route reaches 30.2 km.
- Kobe Municipal Subway – Kaigan Line (海岸線, Kaigan-sen), branded Yumekamome: a fully automated, driverless line of 7.9 km and 10 stations from Shin-Nagata to Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae, serving the waterfront and Harborland. Trains run at up to 70 km/h with peak headways of about 4–6 minutes.
- Kobe Municipal Subway – Hokushin Line (北神線, Hokushin-sen): a 7.5–7.6 km route from Shin-Kobe north to Tanigami, integrated into the municipal subway on 1 June 2020 after previously being run by the private Hokushin Kyūkō Electric Railway. All trains run through onto the Seishin–Yamate Line, so no transfer is needed at Shin-Kobe. At Tanigami you can interchange with the Kobe Electric Railway Arima Line for Arima Onsen and Sanda.
- JR West: the east–west JR lines through Sannomiya and Kobe stations, with Shin-kaisoku (新快速, Special Rapid) and Kaisoku (快速, Rapid) services, plus local (Futsu, 普通) trains calling at Motomachi, Nada, Rokkomichi and Sumiyoshi (for the Rokko Liner to Rokko Island).
- Hankyu (阪急) and Hanshin (阪神): private east–west lines crossing Kobe, each with its own station near the Sannomiya shopping district. Hanshin serves Hanshin Koshien Station (Koshien Stadium) and both lines reach Shinkaichi for transfers to the private Kobe Dentetsu line toward Arima Onsen.
- Port Liner: an automated light rail from Kobe Airport to Sannomiya, running about every 10 minutes and taking 18 minutes. Some trains branch to the Kita Futo line instead, so check the destination.
- Rokko Liner: connects to Rokko Island, reachable via Sumiyoshi on JR.
- Buses: city and private bus routes, including the tourist-oriented City Loop and Port Loop, and Shinki Bus routes on Port Island and to the airport.
- Ferries: the Kaijo Access high-speed ferry links Kobe Airport with Kansai International Airport; long-distance ferries also connect Kobe with Takamatsu, Kitakyushu, Oita and Miyazaki.
Tickets & fares
Fares are distance-based and vary by operator; treat all prices below as approximate, as they change.
- Single subway fares: the short hop between Shin-Kobe and Sannomiya costs ¥200.
- Subway one-day pass (1日乗車券, Ichinichi-jōshaken): ¥800 for adults, ¥400 for children, valid on both subway lines. A combined subway-plus-bus version costs ¥1,000 (children ¥500).
- ICOCA: a rechargeable smartcard usable on rail, subway and bus networks across Kansai, Okayama, Hiroshima, Nagoya (Kintetsu) and Tokyo (JR East). It costs ¥2,000, which includes ¥1,500 of transport credit and a ¥500 deposit; the balance (less a ¥220 commission) and the deposit are refunded when you return the card at any JR West ticket office. Cards are sold at vending machines at participating stations.
- Kansai Thru Pass: worth considering if you plan to travel beyond the city limits.
- City Loop / Port Loop one-day pass: a digital pass for unlimited rides on the City Loop, Port Loop and specified Shinki Bus routes (including Port Island lines and the Kobe Airport line). It costs ¥800, is for adults aged 12 and over only, is valid for one day from 0:00 to 24:00, and must be bought online in advance by credit card, one ticket per person. Date changes are possible via the confirmation email or voucher; cancellations incur a 15% fee until 23:59 on the day and 100% thereafter.
- Japan Rail Pass: covers JR services, including the Shin-kaisoku between Osaka/Kyoto and Sannomiya, but not the subway or private lines.
Buy paper tickets from vending machines at station entrances, or tap a smartcard at the gates. Contactless payment has been rolling out since 2024, so look for card readers at the ticket gates.
From the airport
Which airport you use determines your route into the centre.
- Kobe Airport (UKB): the Port Liner light rail runs to Sannomiya about every 10 minutes, taking 18 minutes for ¥330. From Sannomiya you can connect to JR, Hanshin, Hankyu and subway lines, and a short subway ride (¥200) reaches Shin-Kobe for the Shinkansen. Make sure your train is marked "Kobe Airport", as some Port Liner services head to the Kita Futo branch instead.
- Kansai International Airport (KIX): about 70 km away. The fastest option is the Kaijo Access high-speed ferry from Kobe Airport, running every 45 minutes (29 minutes, ¥1,850, or ¥1,000 for foreign visitors). From Sannomiya or Rokko Island, the Airport Limousine bus is nearly as fast and simpler (60–75 minutes, ¥2,000 one-way, bus stop 6). By rail, take the JR Kanku Kaisoku (関空快速) rapid to Osaka and change to the Shin-kaisoku for Sannomiya or Kobe (about 90 minutes, ¥2,410).
- Osaka Itami Airport (ITM): about 30 km northeast, domestic only. Airport buses run to and from Sannomiya in about 40 minutes for ¥1,050.
Etiquette & customs
Japanese rail etiquette is quietly enforced by custom rather than staff, and following it makes your journey smoother.
- Queue in the marked lines at the platform doors and let alighting passengers off before you board.
- On escalators, stand on the left and leave the right side for people walking — the convention in the Kansai region, including Kobe.
- Keep phone calls brief and quiet, and set your phone to silent; announcements often ask you not to talk on the phone near priority seats.
- Priority seating is reserved for elderly, disabled and pregnant passengers and those with small children — offer your seat if it is busy.
- Eating and drinking on trains is generally discouraged, especially on commuter services; save snacks for the platform or your destination.
- At rush hour, keep your backpack in front of you or on the floor, and avoid blocking the doors. Trains can be very crowded, so allow extra time.
Official links
Survival terms
- 地下鉄 (chikatetsu) — subway/metro
- 切符 (kippu) — ticket
- 線 (sen) — line (e.g. 海岸線, Kaigan-sen)
- 入口 (iriguchi) — entrance
- 出口 (deguchi) — exit
- 乗り換え (norikae) — transfer
- 初乗り運賃 (hatsunori unchin) — single/base fare
- 1日乗車券 (ichinichi-jōshaken) — one-day pass
Keep a loaded ICOCA card in your pocket and check each train's destination board before boarding, since branch services such as the Port Liner's Kita Futo trains can otherwise carry you past your stop.