Kyoto train route guide. How to choose the best route by train to get the major spots?

kyoto stationKansai Area
Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail
Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail

Train system in Kyoto may be complicated for you. There are three types of railway, JR, Kyoto City Subway and Private company’s railways. Actually it’s a key to travel in Kyoto smoothly and avoid wasting your valuable time. Of course city of Kyoto has city wide bus service. But during peak season, bus service runs behind the schedule sometimes due to traffic congestion.

And also, there are many types of deals, such as ICOCA, Kansai Thru Pass, JR Pass, Kansai Area Pass, Kyoto city pass. Each pass has different conditions. You have to understand which train system is covered by your pass.

In this post, I tell you about using these deals and explain all train systems in Kyoto.

Which train services that are covered by ICOCA, Kansai Thru Pass and other JR deals

Many deals are available in Kansai area. But each pass have different coverage. I tell you about major passes and deals.

For the travellers who use ICOCA, Kansai one pass, Suica, Pasmo or other IC cards

You can take all trains on the map above except Shinkansen and Sagano Scenic Railway. When you travel in Kansai area, don’t try to take Shinkansen for such a short transfer. Please see the post below to find more information:

Regarding Sagano Scenic Railway, it is not a public transportation but an attraction. This is the reason why it is not covered by any rail pass.

By the way, ICOCA does not cover Kyoto city bus service either. In sometimes 2014, Kyoto city bus will accept ICOCA.

For the travellers who use Kansai Thru Pass

Please see the map below:

Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail
Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail

You can go anywhere in city of Kyoto. Most of places can be accessed by train. And this pass covers Kyoto City Bus too. Bus services cover all part of city of Kyoto. If you access from Osaka (Umeda) to Kyoto station, you cannot get a direct transfer by this pass. This is only things that you may care.

JR Pass, Kansai Area Pass, Kansai WIDE Area Pass, Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass, Sanyo Sanin Area Pass, Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass, Hokuriku Arch Pass

Please see the map below:

Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail
Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail

I wrote another post which focus on JR Pass and JR regional deals in the link below. You may find how much you can use JR Pass and JR regional deals in Kyoto. You can learn how to maximize using these passes:

Kyoto Sightseeing One and Two-day Pass Card and Kyoto subway pass

Please see the map below:

Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail
Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail

These deals cover Kyoto city subway lines. Kyoto city bus and Kyoto Bus (private bus company) are also covered by Kyoto Sightseeing one day and two day cards. If you will take bus, you can go almost anywhere in city of Kyoto. Only place where is not covered by this pass is Uji.

How to access to major spots in Kyoto by train

As I mentioned above, sometimes bus services are affected by heavy traffic. And there are too many lines of bus in city of Kyoto. You may be confused by too many choices. Therefore I recommend you to use train service as much as you can.

If you need more info about bus, you may be able to find it at Japan-Guide.com

Gion

If you see Maiko in Gion, you are very lucky.  © Y.Shimizu/© JNTO
If you see Maiko in Gion, you are very lucky. © Y.Shimizu/© JNTO

You can get there by both Hankyu Railway and Keihan Railway. Hankyu’s Kawaramachi station is located 5 minutes away from Keihan’s Gion-Shijo staiton. There is Kamo river between these two stations. One of most popular market, Nishiki market is located bear Kawaramachi station. This area is one of the busiest area in Kyoto.

If you access from Osaka, take Hankyu if you stay in Umeda (JR Osaka station) and take Keihan if you stay in Namba or Shinsaibashi area. Yodoyabashi is connected by Osaka subway Midousuji line.

Kiyomizudera

It is Must-See spot in Kyoto. ©Sue Ann Simon/©JNTO
It is Must-See spot in Kyoto. ©Sue Ann Simon/©JNTO

Actually it’s a bit away from the station. But you can get there from Keihan’s Kiyomizu-Gojo station. The distance is 1.7 km and takes about 20 minutes.

Arashiyama

Togetsukyo is the icon of Arashiyama. ©Yasufumi Nishi/©JNTO
Togetsukyo is the icon of Arashiyama. ©Yasufumi Nishi/©JNTO

There are three stations, Hankyu, Randen and JR. Randen’s Arashiyama station is located in the heart of Arashiyama. But you will be okay with other two stations. JR’s Saga-Arashiyama station is about 15 minutes away from Randen’s Arashiyama station. Hankyu’s Arashiyama station is located at other side of Katsura river. Togetsu bridge connects these two stations.

If you get Arashiyama from Umeda, obviously Hankyu Railway is the best choice. But there is no direct train service from Umeda to Arashiyama. You have to transfer at Katsura.

If you get Arashiyama from Kyoto station or using JR deals, JR Sagano line is the best choice.

If you get Arashiyama from Gion and Kawaramachi area, I recommend you to take Hankyu to Omiya and transfer to Randen. Randen is not very well known. This rail service is like street car and it runs on the street at some part of this line. This 20 minutes ride will be nice experience in your Kyoto visit. Hankyu’s Omiya station is located underground and Randen’s Shijo-Omiya station is on the ground. But it’s just cross the road and only 3 minutes away.

If you stay in Sanjo area and get Arashiyama, take subway to Uzumasa-Tenjingawa station and transfer to Randen. Randen-Tenjingawa station is located on the ground and subway’s station is underground. But it’s same place.

Kinkakji (Golden Pavilion)

I recommend you to drop by Ryoanji temple before visit Kinkakuji.  	©JNTO
I recommend you to drop by Ryoanji temple before visit Kinkakuji. ©JNTO

It can be accessed from randen’s Kitano-Hakubaicho station on foot. It takes about 20 nminutes. Of course you can catch the bus at Kitano-Hakubaicho station. It is three bus stops away from Kinkakuji and takes about 5 minutes.

If you access there from Arashiyama, Randen is a good choice. But if you get there from Gion, Kyoto station and other places, Randen is considerable. You have to change the train at Katabiranotsuji. It takes about 30 minutes from both Shijo-Omiya and Arashiyama. But Kinakakuji can be accessed by direct bus from many places in Kyoto. Even though I consider traffic, bus service may be faster than Randen. And also Kinkakuji can be accessed from subway’s Kitaoji staion by bus. If you get there from Kyoto station and Gion, this route is the fastest.

Nijo castle

Nijo castle is located in the heart of Kyoto. It is very easy to access there.  ©JNTO
Nijo castle is located in the heart of Kyoto. It is very easy to access there. ©JNTO

The nearest station is subway’s Nijojo staton. But you can access there from JR Nijo station too. So you can choose the trains by you pass/deal.

Fushimi Inari

Fushimi Inari Shrine is very famous as thousands of torii gates. ©Kyoto Convention Bureau /©JNTO
Fushimi Inari Shrine is very famous as thousands of torii gates. ©Kyoto Convention Bureau /©JNTO

It can be accessed by both JR and Keihan. JR’s Inari station is the nearest station. But Keihan’s station is only 5 minutes away from the shrine. You can choose it by your pass/deals.

If you combine this place with Nara, JR’s Inari station is on the way to Nara.

Uji

Byodoin Hououdou is the highlight in Uji. © JNTO
Byodoin Hououdou is the highlight in Uji. © JNTO

It is not located in city of Kyoto. So you cannot get there by city bus.

Both JR and Keihan can take you there. The biggest spot, Byodoin is located between JR Uji and Keihan’s Uji stations. It take about 10 minutes from both stations.

If you get there from Osaka, Keihan Railway is the best choice. But there is no direct train to Uji from Yodoyambashi. You have to change the trains at Chushojima.

Kyoto subway line goes to Rokujizo station. This is located at same place as JR’s Rokujizo station. You can change the trains very easily there. But Keihan’s Rokujizo station is a bit away from subway/JR stations. So if you access there from the heart of Kyoto, subway and JR combination is a good choice too.

Comments

  1. Christine den Dekker says:

    Hi Takeshi
    I have plan to visit Japan on next April 11 to 22.
    11 Tokyo-Hiroshima stop over Kobe for half day trip
    12-13 Hiroshima, Miyajima
    14 Hiroshima-Kyoto stop over Osaka for half day trip
    14-16 Kyoto
    16-19 Tokyo
    19-22 Sapporo
    can I use for all my trip with JR Pass ?
    on my way to Tokyo can I go for 1 day trip to Shirakawa ?
    Many thanks for your reply.
    Christine

  2. Benjy Tan says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    Thanks again for your response.

    With a Sanyo-Sanin pass, can I take a Nozomi at Hakata and stop at Shin-Osaka?

  3. Benjy Tan says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    Thanks a lot for your reply. I really appreciate it.

    I am visiting Kyoto this weekend. It will be a 3 days 2 nights trip. I have drafted my itinerary, could you please give some feedback?

    Feb 6, Sat
    Earliest shinkansen from Fukuoka
    ETA Shin Osaka – 8.30 a.m.
    Take Special Rapid Service from Shin Osaka to Kyoto
    JR Train to Fushimi Inari – if have time, may slot in Tofuku-ji as well
    Then from Inari (Keihan) to Kiyomizu-dera
    Evening / night at Gion

    Feb 7, Sun
    8am? Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji.
    Then to Arashiyama.
    Evening / night around Kyoto Station

    I will be leaving on earliest shinkansen on Monday morning, so basically I have only 2 days to visit Kyoto. I will be staying near Kyoto Station.

    Based on my very simple itinerary, what you think is a better option? Get a ICOCA card or a Bus Pass?

    Thank you very much in advance!

    • Hi Benjy,

      I think only single fare is okay because you will take a bus and subway very few times. If you use ICOCA, it is okay But I recommend to use train pass.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRailcom

  4. Benjy Tan says:

    Hi Takeshi, it’s Benjy again.

    Sorry, but I would like to confirm something here. I am going to travel from Kumamoto to Kyoto this coming weekend by shinkansen. I have purchased a Sanyo-Sanin Area Pass and planning to get the Northern Kyushu Area Pass as well. So If I have both passes, can I take the Mizuho from Kumamoto direct to Shin-Osaka without need to change trains?

    Thanks so much in advance!

  5. Benjy says:

    Hi… Your webpage is very informative and I really liked it!

    I am going to Kumamoto next week and planning to visit Kyoto during the weekends. So basically I am planning to take a shinkansen from Fukuoka on Friday night and leave Kyoto on Sunday night to head back to Fukuoka. Planning to get a Sanyo Sanin pass for this. Is it correct?

    Then around Kyoto, I plan to visit Kinkakuji, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizudera. From your post, I think the Kansai Thru Pass would be the best one, right?

    Just wanted your opinion, is this a good side trip for a weekend trip? Or visiting Hiroshima would be better? I really liked to visit Kyoto but time constraints are bugging me.

    Thanks!

  6. Tong Gc says:

    Hi Takeshi/JPRail.com
    Hi I will be arriving on 13 feb at kansai, overnight at kyoto.
    I intend to take the thunderbird from kyoto to kaga onsen
    on 14feb around 1000hrs and return to osaka on 16feb around
    1100hrs,can you please advice me what pass i should purchase.
    and kindly let me have the train schedule, and return to singapore
    on 18feb.
    thank you for your help.

  7. Catherine says:

    Thank you so much. I will take a look at it!

  8. Tanner says:

    Hi Takeshi, this is Tanner. I will be visiting Kyoto for 3 full days in February from Saturday to Monday, and intend to travel everywhere by bus as I think it’s more convenient with an elderly person (I know trains would be much better!). I will be staying in a hotel near Kyoto Tower. May I know if there’s a link I could refer to to find out which bus I could take to get to places like Arashiyama, Higashiyama, Fushimi Inari etc? Otherwise, if I should take a train instead, could you advise which pass would be best please? Thank you so much.

    Regards,
    Tanner

  9. Catherine says:

    Dear Takeshi,

    My itinerary to my upcoming trip to Japan is as follows–
    –> Arrive Kansai International Airport
    –> Travel to Nagoya, stay for 2 nights
    –> Travel to Kyoto, stay for 6 nights
    –> Depart from Kansai International Airport

    I will be making day trips to Nara while I’m at Kyoto. What are my options for my transportation needs of my itinerary? Should I proceed with the 5 days Kintetsu Rail Pass or the ICOCA/HARUKA Pass or both? The Kintetsu Rail Pass will not be able to cover the entire trip. If so, how should I utilise it?

    Thank you

  10. Triet says:

    Hi Takeshi, it’s Triet again.
    Sorry, can you please tell me whether I should buy Kyoto 2-day pass for my two days in Kyoto (I will stay in Kyoto, too). Just as you said, we should not take bus to travel around Kyoto, so should I buy Kyoto subway pass (600yen/day) instead? I just a bit confused between “subways” and “trains”. If we use subway pass, do we need to pay extra for other kind of “train”?

    Also, a bit out of the topic but could you please suggest the best place for us on this Christmas Day (24/12 night). We’ll be staying in Osaka this day but we plan to visit Kobe, Nara (even go to Kyoto first if there’s any interesting thing in Kyoto on 24/12)!

    Thank you so much in advance.
    Triet

    • Hi Triet,

      I recommend you to try to avoid using the bus as much as possible. But you cannot visit all places without bus. For example, you cannot go Kinnkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) by only subway or other trains. You need to buy Kyoto sightseeing card (one day 1200 yen). You cannot take other trains. Please see the post above again. You will find the coverage of some deals.

      Many places have light up until Christmas. You can google “Christmas light up Osaka (or Kobe)”. You will find some.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

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