Heightened security measures in Osaka
With the G20 Summit taking place in Osaka from 28-29 June 2019, the city is preparing to implement stricter security measures that may impact your travels. These measures will take place from 24 to 29 June 2019 and include plans to suspend the use of trash cans and coin lockers at stations on top of limiting traffic on the roads.
Here are some ways you may be inconvenienced during your holiday and how you can potentially avoid them.
1. No trash cans and coin lockers
There will not be any trash cans or coin lockers at all stations in Osaka and major ones in neighboring prefectures. If you’re planning to leave your luggage in train stations, do note that you will need to make alternative arrangements for your suitcase.
Here are some solutions:
- Leave your suitcase at your accommodation and set aside extra time afterward to pick it up before heading to the airport
- Pre-book a luggage transfer service on Klook and have your luggage delivered to the airport or train station! This way you won’t have to worry about setting aside extra time to head back to pick it up.
2. Longer travelling times
The Osaka Prefectural Police also have plans to restrict road traffic around Osaka Station where foreign leaders and delegates will be staying at. This means that if you plan on heading around by bus, you can expect detours and delays with the restricted road traffic.
This might also mean that more people will be opting for travel by subway and train, which translates to more crowded trains, especially during peak hours.
3. Avoid Osaka Station
Osaka Station is where the G20 summit will be taking place and apart from human congestion, you can also expect plenty of security checks all around. Luckily for us, a lot of Osaka’s top attractions are not located near Osaka Station.
Some of these attractions include:
4. Avoid using taxis and buses to get around
Apart from being notoriously expensive, you now have another reason to avoid taking taxis in Osaka. With road closures near the Osaka Station area, you can definitely expect slower traffic in other parts of Osaka as well as people reroute to get around.
Forget about taking buses and taxis on your trip, trains are your new best friend. Most attractions are just a walk away from the station and the more you walk, the more you’ll get to discover in the city.
Osaka essentials
You will be needing the following essentials to make your trip to Osaka a whole lot smoother :