Originally Posted by
mosburger
There are certain times during the morning and afternoon rush hours when the Haruka can get stuck at the Osaka end sometimes use alternative routings to the airport. This could mean a 20-30 minutes delay.
Yes, that's true. Punctuality also depends on snow and windiness, though wind is not a concern in the early morning.
On the other hand, 6:46am departure (i.e. ~7:20 passing through Osaka) is not yet a fully-blown rush hour yet. Watch out for weather forecast, and depart early if any concern.
BTW, now if the traffic delay is quite your concern for morning departure,
- you can always stay at KIX Nikko Hotel for the previous night, and/or
- ferry between Kobe Airport <=> KIX is much less affected by weather or other traffic.
JR Sannomiya Stn is ~50minutes from Kyoto Stn, and costs ~1200yen.
Next Motomachi Stn is most convenient for Chinatown, but it's just within walking distance (~10min) from Sannomiya through shopping malls.
If you spend time in Kobe for the previous afternoon (you can drop your bag at Sannnomiya Stn), or stay overnight after Chinatown visit, then it's
- 17-min train ride to the Kobe airport, then
- 2 minutes shuttle bus to the Kobe Airport pier,
- 5-10min for boarding,
- 29min cruise, then
- 2 minutes shuttle bus from KIX pier to the KIX terminal.
It may sound complicated, but connection is impressively smooth with slopes and carts available everywhere. All inclusive ticket (1,600 yen) is available at Sannomiya Stn, or at most travel agency in Japan.
And in general, hotel is a little less expensive in Kobe than in Osaka or Kyoto.