Kobe is well connected to the rest of Japan and is part of the Kansai transport network centred on Osaka.
By Shinkansen: Kobe's main Shinkansen station is Shin-Kobe, one stop on the Nozomi express from Shin-Osaka (about 12 minutes). From Tokyo, the journey to Shin-Kobe takes about 3 hours 20 minutes on the Nozomi. Shin-Kobe is on the north side of the city; Sannomiya is a short subway ride away.
By regular train from Osaka: The JR Special Rapid Service from Osaka station reaches Sannomiya in about 20 minutes. The Hankyu and Hanshin private railway lines also connect Osaka (Umeda) with Sannomiya — the Hankyu takes about 28 minutes and the Hanshin about 34 minutes. The private lines are cheaper than JR and also usable on most IC cards.
By air: Kobe Airport (UKB) is on Port Island, connected to Sannomiya by a dedicated monorail (the Portliner, about 18 minutes). The airport is primarily served by domestic flights from Sapporo, Fukuoka, Naha, and other Japanese cities. Osaka's Itami Airport and Kansai International Airport (KIX) are both viable alternatives, connected to Sannomiya by bus or rail.
By ferry: Kobe has ferry connections to Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Oita, and other cities. The Kobe-Osaka Suyo ferry terminal is at Rokko Island.