Kyoto to Miyajima any rail passes?

I have 7 days and was planning to just do Kyoto but then discovered Miyajima and am thinking of making an overnight trip there.
I will be arriving in Kansai airport and had thought of getting the JR West pass but is there another more economical option if i go to Miyajima as well?

This is my 1st time alone in Japan, have been to Tokyo so would it be relatively easy for me to get from Kyoto to Miyajima?

Any accomodation recomendations for single traveller on the island?

Thank you.

I will be arriving in Kansai airport and had thought of getting the JR West pass but is there another more economical option if i go to Miyajima as well?

The JR West Sanyo Pass comes slightly cheaper than regular tickets, but it does not cover the section between Osaka and Kyoto.

The most economic option would be taking an overnight bus:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3404.html?aFROM=2157_2160

This is my 1st time alone in Japan, have been to Tokyo so would it be relatively easy for me to get from Kyoto to Miyajima?

Yes, very easy. Here are more details on how to get to Miyajima from Hiroshima:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3454.html

I think I"d better take the train. so i'd hv to get from Kyoto to Osaka then i can use the Rail Pass from Osaka to Hiroshima and the pass can be used on the ferry to Miyajima too.
Correct?

Thank you.

Correct?

To be precise, here "Osaka" is Shin-Osaka Station, not Osaka Station. Shin-Osaka is a bit nearer to Kyoto.

From Kansai-airport, the last Ltd. Express "Haruka" train running for Kyoto departs at 22:16, and the last Rapid train running for Osaka departs at 22:31 or 22:32.
: If your plane is scheduled to land at 21:00 or later, I recommend staying for that night not in Kyoto but in Osaka, for example in Umeda area around Osaka Station.
: Note that "Haruka" trains or Shinkansen trains do NOT run via Osaka Station.

To move between Kansai-airport and Shin-Osaka / Kyoto not taking a "Haruka" train, you have to change trains at least once at Osaka.

Between Osaka / Shin-Osaka and Kyoto you can take a Rapid or Special Rapid train; the required time is about 30 minutes and the base fare is 540 yen for one way. As long as you can avoid crowdedness during rush hours, you don't have to take a Shinkansen train between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.

With a 4-day JR West Sanyo Area Pass, you can
(a) take a Haruka train or other trains from Kansai-airport then make a Miyajima round-trip, all in the first 4 calendar days
or
(b) make a Miyajima round-trip then take a Haruka train or other trains to Kansai-airport, all in the last 4 calendar days.
http://www.jr-odekake.net/en/jwrp/sanyo.html

This is my 1st time alone in Japan, have been to Tokyo so would it be relatively easy for me to get from Kyoto to Miyajima?

I guess so, but please feel free to ask the station staff.
: Kyoto Station is a bit complicated. Non-express trains running for Shin-Osaka use Tracks 4 and 5. From the outside it's easier to reach the platform, I suppose, if you go up to the 2nd floor and use West Entrance, compared to using Central Entrance on the 1st [ground] floor.
: When you make a transfer between Shinkansen and non-Shinkansen lines (in Shin-Osaka / Hiroshima), you can pass through a transfer gate.
: Shin-Osaka Station is relatively simple. One thing which may confuse a passenger is that as to Track 20, there are two elevators to be taken between the Shinkansen concourse and the platform.
: In Hiroshima Station, several lines are sharing platforms. Local trains destined to Shin-Yamaguchi, Iwakuni, Minami-Iwakuni or Shimonoseki stop by Miyajimaguchi.
: On the way from Miyajimaguchi Station to JR Miyajimaguchi Pier, you have to walk via an underground passage. (Find on the right sidewalk an opening with a brown roof for a staircase leading to the passage.)

The timetable of JR West Miyajima Ferry is available, though this website is written in Japanese.
http://www.jr-miyajimaferry.co.jp/time/
The left half is for ferries to the island; those in the time zone indicated in red are scheduled to get closer to the grand torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, but of course how the gate appears depends on the tide. The right half is for ferries from the island.

was planning to just do Kyoto but then discovered Miyajima and am thinking of making an overnight trip there.

In my last trip to Miyajima and City of Hiroshima, regrettably I expected not much time for the island; I got to Miyajima in the evening then hurried in the next morning to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
So, I recommend leaving early for Miyajima. Maybe it's better to stay around Shin-Osaka Station for the previous night.

Any accommodation recommendations for single traveller on the island?

Answers may depend on your preference. Saying something like "I'd like to try __" you might get recommendations good for you.
There are inns and hotels which have rooms both of western style and of Japanese style (with tatami mats).
Please check whether a hotel / an inn is located on the island or not, which will affect your timing of taking ferries.

And, please be careful not to get your ferry tickets eaten by a deer. (It's not a joke but mentioned in the website.)

In that trip I stayed in a room in the main building of Kinsuikan, a hot spring inn. I first visited Itsukushima Shrine, because the closing time was approaching, then rambled in the island. If I have another trip I'd like to visit Momijidani Park, which I skipped then.

Many, Many thanks Omotenashi. Truly appreciate your detailed explanation.
It will help me a lot in my planning.
1 more questions
"In Hiroshima Station, several lines are sharing platforms. Local trains destined to Shin-Yamaguchi, Iwakuni, Minami-Iwakuni or Shimonoseki stop by Miyajimaguchi. "

So this means i hv to watch the signs clearly to make sure i get on the right train?

Thank you.

JR West Sanyo pass is 20,000Yen. from shin-osaka to Hiroshima.
Then rapid train 540yen x2= 1080 from Kyoto to shin osaka.
Total 21080
Nozomi direct from Kyoto to Hiroshima round trip is 22200
Diff of 1120yen? correct?
Weighing if the price difference is worth the convenience. i'm afraid of rushing round train stations too much.

Thank you.

So this means i hv to watch the signs clearly to make sure i get on the right train?

Well, I suppose the best way is to ask a station attendant after getting out of the Shinkansen zone.
Maybe the names of destinations will not help you greatly: it's not easy to read a long name on an old-type electric signboard which changes modes frequently between Japanese and alphabets.
With a ride on a local train, Miyajimaguchi is the eighth station after Hiroshima.

To get from KIX to Kyoto, probably the easiest way is taking a limousine at 2500 yen. The bus arrives to the terminal in front of Hachijo end (which is good for Shinkansen) of Kyoto Station. To get around the other end (, in front of which there is Kyoto Tower), please cross over a passage on the 2nd floor.
http://www.kate.co.jp/pc/e_time_table/e_kyoto.html
If you don't choose a Sanyo Area Pass, you can use a 1-day Kansai Area Pass (2000 yen) for a Haruka ride to Kyoto, but only without reservation. (The regular cost is 2980 yen.)

Diff of 1120yen? correct?

The total regular JR cost depends on your dates of rides, and on the timing of your flight from KIX if you visit Miyajima after Kyoto.
: A charge with seat reservation varies by seasons and days.
: A charge for a Haruka ride gets a discount if a Shinkansen and a Haruka trains are taken in this order on the same day with one transfer. (For a case in which a Haruka is taken earlier, this discount is also given if a Shinkansen is taken on the following day.)

I have had a rethink on the way from Kyoto to Hiroshima. Probably you can take a Shinkansen Mizuho / Nozomi train for about 15 minutes to Shin-Osaka without reservation at 1380 yen (= 540 yen for base fare + 840 yen for charge), and from Shin-Osaka with reservation using a JR West Sanyo Area Pass; in other words, you can save time for a ride and changing trains at 840 yen. To do so, you can buy a base fare ticket and a Shinkansen ticket at a JR-Central counter in front of a Shinkansen gate of Kyoto Station, or maybe at a JR-West counter of Kansai-airport Station.

The calculation below is on the assumption that you visit Kyoto earlier and don't go back to Kyoto after Miyajima.

[After Kyoto, with a 4-day JR West Sanyo Area Pass]

20540 yen, if you don�ft use Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka.
21380 yen, if you use Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka without reservation.

[After Kyoto, without a JR West Sanyo Area Pass]

(a) + (b)
= 24540 to 25740 yen,
if Mizuho / Nozomi and Haruka are taken on different days.
(=23810 to 24810 yen,
if Mizuho / Nozomi and Haruka are taken on the sama day.)

(a) Kyoto -- Shin-Osaka -- Miyajimaguchi -- Miyajima
= 11380 to 11780 yen, with reservation on Mizuho / Nozomi.
: 6620 yen: base fare of railroad
: 3980 yen: Shinkansen charge, without reservation
: 310 to 710 yen: addition for reservation
: 300 yen: addition for Mizuho / Nozomi, with reservation
: 170 yen: fare of ferry

(b) Miyajima -- Miyajimaguchi -- Shin-Osaka -- Kansai-airport
= 13160 to 13960 yen, with reservation
on Mizuho / Nozomi and Haruka taken on different days.
(=12430 to 13030 yen, with reservation
on Mizuho / Nozomi and Haruka taken on the same day.)
: 170 yen: fare of ferry
: 7040 yen: base fare of railroad
: 3980 yen: Shinkansen charge, without reservation
: 310 to 710 yen: addition for reservation on Shinkansen
: 200 yen: addition for Mizuho / Nozomi, with reservation
: 1150 yen: Ltd. Express charge for Haruka, without reservation
(- 580 yen: discount for ride on the same day as Shinkansen)
: 310 to 710 yen: addition for reservation on Haruka
(- 150 to -350 yen: discount for ride on the same day as Shinkansen)

So this means i hv to watch the signs clearly to make sure i get on the right train?

Changing at Hiroshima is easy. Just follow the signs for the SANYO line. The trains to Miyajima Guchi run every 10 or 15 minutes from Track 1.

Changing at Hiroshima is easy. Just follow the signs for the SANYO line. The trains to Miyajima Guchi run every 10 or 15 minutes from Track 1.

Some of the trains use Track 2. And platforms for Tracks 1 and 2 are different. So I recommend asking a station attendant.
The intervals during daytime are from about 5 minutes to over 19 minutes.
Trains running in the same direction include those destined to Itsukaichi, which is on the way to Miyajimaguchi.
Hiroshima Station is in the middle of Sanyo Line; so the direction cannot be judged only from the line's name.

Even if the route in changing trains is simple, it's not always easy to find a right train.

... Some of the trains use Track 2. And platforms for Tracks 1 and 2 are different. So I recommend asking a station attendant.
The intervals during daytime are from about 5 minutes to over 19 minutes.
Trains running in the same direction include those destined to Itsukaichi, which is on the way to Miyajimaguchi. ...

I did that change last May and as I recall, the signs for Miyajima directed me to Track 1.
According to my March Jikokuhyo, only six early morning trains stop at Itsukaichi. You would need to take a Shinkansen at Shin Osaka before 07:30 to arrive early enough for one of those. So that's really not an issue for most travellers.

Thank you omotashi and Dick. This is very helpful.

In your Shinkansen train for Hiroshima, non-reseravation cars are Cars Nos. 1 -3, which are at its head.
You can make a request for seat location when you reserve your Shinkansen seat.
Cars in the third quarter from the head are closer to Shinkansen Gates in Hiroshima.
However, if you take a Nozomi (of 16 cars) from Kyoto and move to your reserved seat at Shin-Osaka, Cars Nos. 4 -7 are better because it's not easy to walk through Cars Nos. 8 -10, which are "Green Cars," in a short time.

I have had a rethink on the way from Kyoto to Hiroshima. Probably you can take a Shinkansen Mizuho / Nozomi train...

Let me delete "Mizuho / " in this part. I wonder why I overlooked such a simple fact. "Mizuho" trains do not run on the JR-Central section from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka; they are operated by JR-West and JR-Kyushu.

Have a nice trip!

Omotenashi, I see from Hyperdia there is Nozomi from Kyoto to Hiroshima directly. cost 10890Yen. Am i reading hyperdia correctly?
I am considering it cost vs convenience trade off. round trip would be 21780 yen.
plus 340 round trip for ferry.

May be a better option cos i worry bout making connections at train stations i'm not familiar with.

Thank you.

May be a better option cos i worry bout making connections at train stations i'm not familiar with.

I suppose regular tickets can be a better choice than a JR West Sanyo Area Pass, if you are ready to pay 15 percent more to avoid inconvenience.

Do you still hope to visit Kyoto then Miyajima and go back to Kyoto?
If you choose regular tickets but don't have events in Kyoto on specific days, it sounds to me more cost-saving
if you do all the things in Kyoto then in Miyajima and head to the airport or,
if you visit Miyajima earlier with 50 percent discount given to the charge for a Haruka.

there is Nozomi from Kyoto to Hiroshima directly

Yes.
Nozomi trains destined to Hakata are available from morning to night.
Nozomi trains destined to Hiroshima are scheduled to depart in the afternoon.

There are Hikari trains, though only three in the morning, which run for Hiroshima directly. These trains are destined to Hiroshima.
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KYOTO&arv_node=...

On a Shinkansen train running to Hakata, there is an announcement saying "Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon make a brief stop at Hiroshima...." Yes; a stop at Hiroshima is really a "brief" stop.
If you take a Shinkansen train destined to Hiroshima, maybe you will see cleaning workers coming in at Hiroshima.

round trip would be 21780 yen.

Costs may differ slightly between the way and the way back. To know the right cost, specify your date of ride correctly before clicking "Search" button.

If, as you said, you are worried about changing trains, etc., another thing to consider is finding ticket machines, figuring out how much to pay, etc.
You can avoid all that with a Rail Pass. Plus, you may be able to use it for short rides around Osaka, again saving complications.

You can avoid all that with a Rail Pass. Plus, you may be able to use it for short rides around Osaka, again saving complications.

Generally so, but it seems these merits do not apply well to a JR West Sanyo Area Pass or to the trips planned by this traveller.
: Reserved-seat tickets for Haruka and Shinkansen Nozomi / Hikari trains can be purchased at a counter showing an eye-catching logo (like this: http://www.jreast.co.jp/card/corporation/img/index_img_02.gif) in Kansai-airport and Kyoto Stations.
: Different from a Kansai Area Pass, a Sanyo Area Pass is not valid in cities of Kyoto and Nara.
: In cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, non-JR transport modes (e.g. buses, subway trains) may be better.

Another merit I think of is that a rail pass book may reduce the number of tickets.
Another demerit I think of is that a rail pass book cannot be used at automatic gates.

I am not sure whether somebody mentioned this already and whether it is relevant, but another demerit of the pass is that it is not valid between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka. You would have to pay separately for the section and possibly use a different train or seats for that section of the journey. The options for the Kyoto-Shin-Osaka section are as follows:

- use a special rapid train (extremely crowded on weekday mornings) between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka (540 yen) and transfer to the shinkansen at Shin-Osaka

- use a non-reserved seat on the shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka (1380 yen)

- use a reserved seat on the shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka (2530-3130 yen depending on season and type of train)

Thank you everyone. After considering all the pros and cons. I"ll bypass the JR pass. I'm paranoid that way afraid i'll miss the trains etc.