Hi. Can you travel from Kyoto to Koyasan without having to go to Osaka first? I read that you can go to Hashimoto but what is the route by train from Kyoto to Hashimoto and is it shorter than going from Kyoto to Osaka/Namba and then using the Nankai railway to Koyasan?
Also, does anyone know if the damaged train line between Hashimoto and Koyasan will be fixed by April 2018?
Comments
The only realistic way is through Osaka. But if you were to try and take JR trains all the way to Hashimoto, it would take about 2 hours 15 minutes minimum, and force you to make 3 transfers along the way.
The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is a better way to go. It also includes discounts to several places at Koyasan.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html
http://www.nankaikoya.jp/en/stations/ticket.html
Although depending on your plans around going to Koyasan, you might find the Kansai Thru Pass to be appealing.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_005.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KYOTO&arv_node=HASHIMOTO(WAKAYAMA)&via_node01=YOSHINOGUCHI&via_node02=&via_node03=&year=2018&month=03&day=16&hour=07&minute=10&search_type=0&search_way=&transtime=undefined&sort=0&max_route=1&faretype=0&ship=off&lmlimit=null&search_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7
Nankai Koya line will be recovered in next April. No date is announced yet.
https://response.jp/article/2017/12/28/304271.html
Until then, you need to take a bus.
http://www.nankai.co.jp/traffic/info/transfer.html
By taking the Yoshino route, you could drop at Mt Yoshino to enjoy cherry blossoms there in April. Highly recommended.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4152.html
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KYOTO&arv_node=YOSHINO(NARA)&via_node01=&via_node02=&via_node03=&year=2018&month=03&day=16&hour=08&minute=45&search_type=0&search_way=&transtime=undefined&sort=0&max_route=1&faretype=0&ship=off&lmlimit=null&search_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Kyoto&to=Yoshino(Nara)&date=02/21/2018&time=07:10&ft=0&ic=0&us=1&up=0&ut=0&nzm=0&sub_lang=nosub&estf=Kyoto&estt=Yoshino(Nara)
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kyoto+Station/Yoshino+Station+Japan/?hl=en-US
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Yoshino+Station+Japan/Hashimoto+Station+Japan/?hl=en-US
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kyoto+Station/Hashimoto+Station+Japan/?hl=en-US