After spending three days in Kyoto on my last trip to Japan, I discovered that one of the hardest parts about traveling in Japan’s former imperial capital is learning how to get around.
Unlike in Tokyo or Osaka, where a subway stop was close to almost all of the attractions I wanted to see, I found myself hopping on other modes of transport, like buses, to fill in the gaps. While it’s hardly a dealbreaker (admiring Kyoto on foot didn’t exactly feel like a punishment to me), it makes things a tad more challenging than in other East Asian cities where easy-to-use metros handle most of the logistics.
Even though Kyoto’s transportation system is efficient, I wouldn’t say it’s exactly built around sightseeing logic. But between the subway, an extensive bus network, a tram line out to Arashiyama that’s been running since 1910, and taxis on nearly every corner, I had no problem reaching any part of the city. It’s just not quite as simple as in other cities I’ve visited in the region.
Here’s what I’d want to know about getting around Kyoto as a first-time visitor…
Transportation cards & passes
Like Tokyo and Osaka, Kyoto has several options for paying for transportation, ranging from tap-and-go IC cards to unlimited-ride day passes. Which one I’d pick would depend on how much ground I wanted to cover and how many days I was staying.
IC cards
If you’re only taking a handful of rides, I’d suggest picking up an IC card. ICOCA is the local Kansai card, but Suica, PASMO, and other regional IC cards work interchangeably across Kyoto’s subway, city buses, and even the Randen tram now.
Tap on when you board and tap off when you leave, and the fare comes out automatically. You can pick one up and top it up at any subway station or convenience store.
PRO TIP: On the Randen tram, you only need to tap your IC card when getting off, not when boarding. Forget that the first time and you’ll be standing at the exit gate wondering why nothing’s happening.
Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass
For ¥1,100 (¥550 for kids), the Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass covers unlimited rides on both subway lines, every city bus route, and select Kyoto Bus, Keihan Bus, and West Japan JR Bus routes for the day.
The 1-Day Pass also covers the Sightseeing Limited Express Bus routes to Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, and Ginkaku-ji at no extra charge. If my day involved more than two or three rides total, especially if I needed to cover ground the subway alone doesn’t, this is the pass I’d get. It’ll pay for itself fast.
Subway 1-Day Pass
If I was sticking mostly to the subway, I’d go for the standalone Subway 1-Day Pass. It runs ¥800 (¥400 for kids).
It’s cheaper than the combined pass, but keep in mind the subway’s reach is limited. Many of Kyoto’s temples and shrines sit outside walking distance of a station. The subway-only pass only makes sense if your sightseeing plans line up with the two subway lines.
Randen 1-Day Ticket
If Arashiyama is part of your one day in Kyoto or a longer stay, the Randen 1-Day Ticket gets you unlimited rides on both Randen lines for ¥700 (¥350 for kids). Buy it at the major stations, including Shijo-Omiya, Katabiranotsuji, and Arashiyama.
The Randen doesn’t connect directly to Kyoto Station. You’ll need to take bus 26, 28, or 206 (about ¥230 and 16 to 23 minutes) or the subway plus a short walk and transfer to reach it.
(This is exactly why, as much as I love it, I’d cut the bamboo forest from a tight one-day travel plan as a first-time visitor.)
Japan Rail Pass
A Japan Rail Pass is of limited use once you’re actually in Kyoto. It doesn’t cover the subway, the city buses, or the Randen, only JR lines like the Sagano Line out to Arashiyama.
If you’re holding a Japan Rail Pass on a longer trip, I’d save the activation for travel days rather than burning it on days you’re mostly staying within the city. The short rides on the city’s JR lines are cheap enough that it’d be a waste to use up a day on your pass for them rather than just pay the fare.
Which pass should I get?
For a single action-packed day mixing temples, shrines, and a few different neighborhoods, I’d go for the Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass. This one is the easiest one I’ve found and holds the most value for sightseeing, in my opinion.
If you’re staying multiple days and don’t want to commit to a pass every morning, I’d consider grabbing an ICOCA card. It’ll give you the same access to all the different transit options without leaving you to wonder if you’re using the pass to its fullest.
Subway
Kyoto’s subway system is just two lines: the Karasuma Line running north to south, and the Tozai Line running east to west. Both lines meet at Karasuma Oike Station.
That’s the exact gap I ran into on my last trip to Kyoto.
The subway covers downtown efficiently, but neither line reaches many of the temples and shrines every first-time visitor comes to Kyoto to see without a bit of a walk. Outside of Karasuma Oike and Kyoto Station itself, you’re rarely stepping off a train right at the gate of something worth seeing.
(A number of my favorite places to stay in Kyoto are close to subway stations, though. The metro is often a solid way to get back to your hotel at the end of a long day.)
I’d only consider riding the subway when a ride runs start to finish on the Karasuma Line or Tozai Line without a transfer. It’s a smaller share of trips than you’d think, which is exactly why I needed to rely on buses too once I was moving around the city.
Trains run from around 5:30 am to roughly 11:30 pm, though exact last-train times shift by station and direction. I’d make sure to check before counting on a late ride.
All station signage and announcements are in English alongside Japanese, so navigating the system itself isn’t the hard part. Knowing where it will and won’t take you is.
Train
Beyond the subway, Kyoto is threaded with train lines run by several different companies. Knowing which one goes where saves a lot of backtracking.
- JR Nara Line connects Kyoto Station south to Fushimi Inari Taisha and onward toward Uji and Nara, one of my favorite day trips from Kyoto.
- JR Sagano Line runs from Kyoto Station out to Saga-Arashiyama. This is the fastest way to reach the bamboo forest and the Arashiyama district, but will involve about a 15-minute walk to get to the park itself.
- JR Tokaido-Sanyo Main Line passes through Kyoto Station on its way between Osaka and other points to the east.
- Keihan Main Line runs north to south through the center of the city, useful for reaching Gion and the Higashiyama area.
- Keifuku Randen is the tram line out to Arashiyama, covered in the passes section above. This one gets you much closer to the park entrance near Tenryu-ji than the JR Sagano Line.
- Eizan Railway heads north out of the city toward Kurama and Kibune. It’s a useful line for a day trip into the hills.
Because these lines are run by several different companies, transferring between them usually means paying separately rather than riding through on one ticket.
I’d be sure to check my route on Google Maps before committing to a transfer-heavy path, since the fare can often add up faster than the direct alternative.
PRO TIP: Trips on the JR lines around Kyoto are cheap enough that I wouldn’t activate a day on my Japan Rail Pass to travel on them. Instead, I’d save my pass for longer shinkansen (bullet train) trips between cities.
Bus
Kyoto’s extensive bus network was what filled in the gaps on my trip. Higashiyama and Gion, two of my favorite places to visit in Kyoto, don’t sit near either subway line. I skipped the subway for both entirely and visited them with a combo of walking and buses.
Two companies split most of the routes. Kyoto City Bus, colored uniformly green, covers the central city. Kyoto Bus, cream with red trim, handles the outer areas like Arashiyama, Ohara, and Mount Hiei. Many of those routes run outside the flat fare zone.
Within the flat fare zone, adults pay ¥230, and kids pay ¥120, regardless of distance. You’ll board from the rear door and pay when you exit at the front.
If you’re heading somewhere outside the flat fare zone, take a numbered ticket when you board. Your fare will show on the screen at the front by the time you get off.
The old Raku tourist bus is gone. In its place, the Sightseeing Limited Express Bus (routes EX100 and EX101) runs from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, Heian-jingu, and Ginkaku-ji, stopping at fewer stops than the regular routes.
The Sightseeing Limited Express Bus is a flat ¥500. You board from the front and pay upfront rather than on exit. (And it’s free if you’re rockin’ the Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass.)
Ordinary buses run from around 6 am to roughly 10:30 pm, though exact end times vary by route. I’d be sure to double-check before relying on a late-night route.
Taxi
Taxis are everywhere in Kyoto, day or night. I’d consider hopping on one if I needed to get somewhere quickly, or wasn’t sure a bus route covered my destination.
Check the light in the taxi’s window before you flag one down. A red light means the taxi is available; green means it’s already occupied. It’s easy to get backward on your first day, so I’d keep that in mind before waving down an occupied cab.
Fares vary by company. MK Taxi, one of the larger operators, starts at ¥470 for the first 0.9 kilometers, while the citywide average runs closer to ¥620 for the first 1.5 kilometers before per-distance charges kick in.
Most companies also add a 20% surcharge for rides between roughly 10 pm and 5 am. There’s no need to tip drivers.
Split three or four ways, a taxi often beats the bus on price, not just convenience. And once the trains stop running around 11:30 pm, I wouldn’t want to wait around for a night bus if a cab is sitting right there.
By bike or on foot
Kyoto’s flat, compact core and disciplined traffic make it one of the more bike-friendly cities I’ve visited in Japan. A lot of locals get around exactly this way, either on foot or by bike, for everyday errands.
Kyoto Cycling Tour Project (KCTP), a few minutes from Kyoto Station’s Karasuma central exit, rents bikes from eight terminals around the city, including stops near Kinkakuji, Nishiki Market, and Fushimi.
Electric-assist bikes are available at the Kyoto Station and Hachijo Gate terminals if the hills toward the eastern temples sound like more than you want to pedal manually.
Visiting two neighborhoods in a day is about where walking stops making sense to me. Much of Kyoto is flat enough that a bike ride rarely feels like intense exercise. It turns a 40-minute walk between temples into ten minutes on two wheels.
Bicycle parking on Kyoto’s streets is illegal outside marked lots. Park somewhere you shouldn’t, and your bike will be impounded, with a ¥3,500 fee to get it back. Stick to the designated parking areas marked on the city’s cycling map, and you won’t have to think about it again.
In my experience, exploring Kyoto on foot works well too, especially when the weather is reasonable. Rain is the one thing that’d actually change the plans here. It cut into entire afternoons of sightseeing on my last spring trip to Kyoto. It’s reason enough that I’d keep a bus or subway as a backup in mind even on a day where I was planning to walk.
