AirOrSeaTravel is an independent guide. Bookings on this page are completed on the provider’s own website. How we are funded.

AirOrSeaTravel — find your way there
Kobe · Japan

Car hire and driving in Kobe

Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.

OverviewFlightsHotelsTrainsBusesCar rentalToursFerries

In Japan traffic drives on the left. Picking up at UKB means 8 km (5 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q11185210 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648823 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2807090.

Drives from Kobe

Car rental from Kobe: distances and estimated journey times
RouteCountryDistanceEstimated time
Kobe to KawanishiJapan25 km (16 mi)about 23 min
Kobe to IkedaJapan27 km (17 mi)about 25 min
Kobe to ToyonakaJapan28 km (17 mi)about 26 min
Kobe to SakaiJapan29 km (18 mi)about 26 min
Kobe to OsakaJapan29 km (18 mi)about 27 min
Kobe to KishiwadaJapan30 km (19 mi)about 28 min
Kobe to MinohJapan30 km (19 mi)about 28 min
Kobe to SuitaJapan31 km (20 mi)about 29 min
Kobe to IzumiJapan33 km (20 mi)about 30 min
Kobe to IzumisanoJapan33 km (20 mi)about 30 min
Kobe to Kakogawachō-honmachiJapan33 km (21 mi)about 31 min
Kobe to MoriguchiJapan35 km (22 mi)about 32 min
Kobe to TokyoJapan424 km (264 mi)about 6 h 28 min
Kobe to YokohamaJapan415 km (258 mi)about 6 h 20 min
Kobe to NagoyaJapan166 km (103 mi)about 2 h 32 min
Kobe to SapporoJapan1,073 km (667 mi)about 16 h 22 min
Kobe to FukuokaJapan455 km (283 mi)about 6 h 56 min
Kobe to KawasakiJapan423 km (263 mi)about 6 h 27 min
Kobe to KyotoJapan64 km (40 mi)about 58 min
Kobe to SaitamaJapan428 km (266 mi)about 6 h 32 min

Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.

Where to compare car hire

ExpediaCar hire from the major suppliers, and the one to look at if the flight or hotel is already booked there. Part of Expedia Group.Check car hire on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
DiscoverCarsCompares local and international suppliers. Read the counter reviews before you pick.Check rental cars on DiscoverCars (opens www.discovercars.com in a new tab)
Rentalcars.comBooking.com's car arm, with wide airport coverage worldwide.Compare suppliers on Rentalcars.com (opens www.rentalcars.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.

Common questions

Which side of the road do they drive on in Kobe?

The left, as everywhere in Japan.

How are the journey times on this page worked out?

From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.

Where these facts come from

  • GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
  • Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
  • OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
  • Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines

Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.