Traveling from Osaka to Kobe is remarkably quick and easy, making it one of the best "commuter" routes in Japan. The fastest option is the JR Sanyo Shinkansen, which takes only about 12 to 15 minutes to travel from Shin-Osaka Station to Shin-Kobe Station. However, most travelers prefer the standard local or rapid trains because the stations are more centrally located. If you take the JR Special Rapid Service from Osaka Station to Sannomiya (the heart of Kobe), it takes approximately 21 minutes. Alternatively, the private Hankyu or Hanshin lines also run frequently between the two cities; these take about 25 to 30 minutes and are often slightly cheaper than the JR lines. Because the trains run every few minutes from early morning until midnight, you never really need to check a schedule. It is entirely possible to be eating okonomiyaki in Osaka for lunch and be sitting in a Kobe beef restaurant for dinner less than 30 minutes later, highlighting the incredible efficiency of the Kansai region's rail network.