JR Nara Station is one of two main railway stations serving the city of Nara, the other being Kintetsu Nara Station. If you have a Japan Rail Pass then this is the station that you will use when visiting Nara. Though JR Nara Station is not as centrally located as Kintetsu Nara Station, it is still within walking distance of the city’s main attractions and is also very well connected with bus links and taxis.
A view of JR Nara Station’s east side
Fortunately, JR Nara Station is quite compact and easy to navigate, with just five platforms and one set of ticket gates. Despite its small size, the station has plenty of useful amenities and there is also a lot of information available to help you find your way around. In this article we will explain the general layout of the station and introduce some of the useful facilities that are available.
A view of JR Nara Station’s west side
JR Nara Station Layout
JR Nara Station is housed in a three story building. The 1st floor is mostly occupied with the Vierra shopping complex and some restaurants. The station itself is entered on the 2nd floor and the platforms are on the 3rd floor. The station has two exits on its east and west sides, with bus terminals and taxi ranks on both sides. The main exit is the East Exit however, so this is where you will find tourist buses heading toward the town center and Nara Park, and there are more taxis on the east side too.
The East Exit bus terminal and taxi rank
Inside the 2nd floor station concourse, the ticket gates are located at the southern end of the station building with ticket machines and a ticket office located on the east side of the building beside the ticket gates.
The ticket office at JR Nara station
Ticket machines
There are departure displays just above the ticket gates which alternate between Japanese and English to show the times and the platforms for departing trains.
The ticket gates
Platforms & Lines
There are five platforms at JR Nara Station which serve the Yamatoji Line, the JR Nara Line, and the Manyo Mahoroba Line. A small number of through services also run toward the Gakkentoshi Line area, so always check the departure displays before boarding.
The platforms at JR Nara Station
The Yamatoji Line
Trains running on the Yamatoji Line depart from several platforms. Services for Horyuji, Oji, Tennoji, JR Namba, and Osaka usually depart from platforms 2 and 3. Services for Kizu, Kamo, Iga-Ueno, and Kameyama depart from platforms 3, 4, and 5. Because platform assignments can vary by train, always check the departure display above the ticket gates.
The JR Nara Line
Trains running on the JR Nara Line which are bound for Uji, Inari, Tofukuji and Kyoto depart from platforms 3, 4, and 5.
The Manyo Mahoroba Line
Trains running on the Manyo Mahoroba Line (also called the Sakurai Line) for Tenri, Miwa, Sakurai, and Takada depart from platform 1. Some services may continue beyond Takada, but check the JR West timetable for longer trips toward Oji, JR Namba, or Wakayama.
The Gakkentoshi Line
A small number of early morning through services run toward the Gakkentoshi Line area, including services for Kyobashi in Osaka. Check the departure displays for the platform before boarding, as these limited services are not shown as a regular fixed-platform line on JR West’s station premises guide.
JR Nara Station Information & Facilities
There is plenty of information at JR Nara Station to help you find your way around. On the east side of the ticket gates you can find information touch screens which have both detailed maps and timetables and can be operated in English, Chinese, and Korean as well as Japanese.
These multilingual information screens are right beside the ticket gates
On the 2nd floor station concourse you can find the Nara Kotsu information office for regular sightseeing buses. The office is open from 8:30 to 16:00 and handles sightseeing-bus information and boarding procedures. For ordinary route buses, check the maps and signs at the bus terminals; Nara Kotsu also publishes an English Nara City Main Bus Route Map.
The Bus Information Center
Outside the East Exit you can find the Nara City Tourist Information Center. This is housed in the former JR Nara Station building which was built in 1934. The center is open from 9:00 to 21:00, with staffed counter guidance from 9:00 to 17:00 in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. Outside those staffed hours, visitors can use the information search tablets and pamphlets.
The Tourist Information Center at JR Nara Station
This center also has baggage storage from 9:00 to 16:00, with reception until 14:00, a foreign-currency exchange machine from 9:00 to 19:00, free Wi-Fi internet access, a prayer room, a baby-care room, a café, and plenty of free pamphlets and maps.
The currency exchange machine inside the Tourist Information Center
Shopping & Restaurants
The 1st floor of the station building and the north end of the 2nd floor are taken up with the Vierra Nara shopping complex. Facilities include a supermarket, convenience store, bakery café, restaurants and cafés, a drugstore, a 100-yen shop, souvenir and local-food shops, and other station services. Individual tenants and opening hours can change, so check the Vierra Nara floor guide if you are looking for a specific shop.
The entrance to Vierra at the north end of the 2nd floor station concourse
ATM Cash Machines at Nara Station
There is a Seven Bank ATM inside the Seven-Eleven Heart-In convenience store by the station ticket gates.
The 7-11 convenience store in JR Nara Station
The ATM has multilingual guidance and accepts many cards issued overseas; check the card logos and Seven Bank guidance if you are relying on a specific network.
The Seven Bank ATM
A JP Bank ATM is also listed in the Vierra Nara area. JP Bank ATMs usually have English guidance and accept many overseas-issued cards, but opening hours and supported cards vary, so check the Japan Post Bank ATM finder if you plan to rely on it.
The Japan Post Bank ATM
Lockers
This station has luggage lockers on both its 1st and 2nd floors. For a complete guide to their location and how to use them please see our article Lockers & Luggage Storage at the Nara Stations.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 18-May-2026.
