Driving from Tokyo to Osaka

If you are planning to travel from Tokyo to Osaka by car....

(1)Toumei Express Motorway Route

Using Toumei Express Motorway from Tokyo to Nagoya, and then transferring to Meishin Express Motorway to Osaka is the most popular route to travel from Tokyo to Osaka by car. These express motorways surely provide safe and speedy travel, but they cost at so expense.

  1. Take Metropolitan Expressway (Shuto Kousoku) Route 3 to outbound. Route 3 is also called "Shubuya line (Shibuya sen)".
  2. The road continues to Toumei Express Motorway (Toumei Kousoku) via Tokyo (Youga) toll gate. Here you just pick up a ticket. Please retain the ticket until your destination.
    After your 250km (156 mile) safe and speedy trip from Tokyo (Youga), you will reach Toyokawa barrier between Mikkabi IC and Toyokawa IC. You should submit your ticket to booth staff, but you don't have to pay the toll here. He (she) just sees if you have an effective ticket, and will return your ticket to you. Please make sure that you take your ticket back.
  3. Bypassing Nagoya city, Toumei Express Motorway merges Chuou Express Motorway at Komaki JCT and it ends here while road is still continuing foreward. Now you entered in Meishin Express Motorway. Meishin Express Motorway takes you to Osaka via Kyoto.
  4. Don't miss Suita IC. Otherwise you are going to Chugoku Express Motorway or Kobe city. When you turn off at Suita IC, you have to pay the toll for your long trip from Tokyo to here. You have almost reached Osaka.

Tokyo IC -- Suita IC
Cost:10,650 yen
Distance:514 km (320 miles)

Ticket for Express Motorway of Japan

(2)Chuou Express Motorway Route

Chuou Express Motorway (Chuou Kousoku) is an alternate express route from Tokyo to Nagoya. The motorway runs through the mountainous area of Japan. So it provides a senic drive, but the road is likey steep and curves are sharp. You will pass through Ena-san Tunnel, the second longest road tunnel in Japan, in the midway.

  1. Take Metropolitan Expressway (Shuto Kousoku) Route 4 to outbound. Route 4 is also called "Shinjuku line (Shinjuku sen)".
  2. The road continues to Chuou Express Motorway via Takaido toll gate. Here you should pay 600 yen for the toll charged for the highway segment until Hachioji toll gate.
  3. At Hachioji toll gate you just pick up a ticket. Please retain the ticket until your destination.
  4. Chuou Express Motorway lasts 344km and ends at Komaki JCT to merge into Meishin Express Motorway. Your travel will continue to step #4 of Toumei Express Motorway route shown above.

Takaido IC -- Suita IC
Cost:11,000 yen
Distance:519.1km (325 mile)

(3)Conventional National Highway Route 1 -- Along With Historical Toukai-dou Highway

(4)Conventional National Highway Route 246 - Route 1 - Route 23 - Route 25(Meihan Kokudou)

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By TTS