Getting Around Kyoto

To avoid crowds, it is best to avoid getting off at JR Kyoto Station. Instead, take the train to the JR station closest to your destination and continue traveling from there.

There are several JR stations that are convenient for sightseeing in Kyoto City, including Nijo, Enmachi, Tofukuji, and Yamashina.

• For Kinkaku-ji Temple (the Golden Pavilion) or Kitano-tenmangu Shrine: Ride the JR Sagano Line to Enmachi Station, and then take a city bus.
• For Nijo-jo Castle: Ride the JR Sagano Line to Nijo Station, then transfer to the Tozai Subway Line. Get off at Nijojo-mae Station.
• For Kiyomizu or Gion: Ride the JR Nara Line to Tofukuji Station, then transfer to the Keihan Line. There will be several stops close to different tourist destinations.
• For the Higashiyama area: Ride the Tokaido-Sanyo Line to Yamashina Station, then transfer to the Tozai Subway Line. There will be several stops close to different tourist destinations.

Starting on June 1, 2024, Kyoto City has implemented a new bus timetable to decrease crowding on public transportation and help tourists and locals alike get to and from their destinations smoothly.

Loop and main line buses have increased in number and now run more frequently.

New buses that stop at major tourism destinations, such as the EX100 and the EX101, have been introduced to the Rakuraku Line.

To use the Kyoto City Limited Express Bus Rakuraku, please enter from the door at the front of the bus and exit from the door in the middle of the bus. For regular city buses, please enter from the middle door and exit at the front of the bus.

Fares and valid ticket types may vary from bus to bus.

For sightseeing in Kyoto, use the Arukumachi Kyoto Route Planner Bus and Train Veteran, a transfer search website and app that takes into account Kyoto's roads and congestion.

General map searches and transfer search sites/apps tend to show the shortest distance, but it can take more than twice as long due to traffic jams and congestion!