Kyoto is easily reachable from a number of major cities in Japan by Shinkansen bullet train, standard trains, airplanes, and buses. The recommended ways to reach Kyoto from various cities in Japan follow.
From Tokyo
135 min. Shinkansen Nozomi.
The Shinkansen Nozomi travels from Tokyo Station directly to Kyoto Station.
165 min. Shinkansen Hikari.
The Shinkansen Hikari travels from Tokyo Station directly to Kyoto Station.
8 hours. Night Bus.
Dream Kyoto, operated by JR, is an overnight bus that departs at 10pm from the bus stop at the Yaesu South exit of Tokyo Station. It arrives in Kyoto at 6am the following morning. Tickets can be purchased at the Bus Ticket Center located at the exit. For those interested, a women-only bus called the Lady's Dream Kyoto leaves and arrives an hour later than Dream Kyoto.
70 Min. Airplane.
From Narita International Airport (NRT), fly to Osaka International Airport (ITM). From Osaka International Airport, take the airport limousine bus in the arrivals hall to Kyoto. Buses leave regularly to Kyoto Station, and less regularly to selected Kyoto hotels.
From Osaka
15 min. Shinkansen.
Take the Shinkansen Hikari directly from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station. No transfer is necessary.
30 min. Tokaido Line.
Take the JR Tokaido Line directly from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station.
From Kobe
30 min. Shinkansen.
Take the Shinkansen Hikari or Nozomi directly from Shin-Kobe Station to Kyoto Station. No transfer is necessary.
50 min. Tokaido Line.
Take the JR Tokaido Line directly from San-no-miya Station to Kyoto Station.
From Nagoya
57 min. Shinkansen
Take the Shinkansen Hikari directly from Nagoya Station to Kyoto Station. No transfer is necessary.
From Fukuoka
200 min. Shinkansen
Take the Shinkansen Hikari directly from Hakata Station in Fukuoka to Kyoto Station. No transfer is necessary.
From Narita International Airport (NRT)
70 min. by air from Narita (NRT).
By Shinkansen, Bullet Train
Shinkansen trains are classified by speed. The fastest is the Nozomi, which runs from Tokyo to Kyoto in 2 hours and 15 min. Hikari, which makes a few more stops, takes 3 hours. Kodama, which stops at every station, takes 4 hours. Trains on this line depart several times per hour and are very punctual. In 2003, JR Central announced that the average arrival time of the Shinkansen was within six seconds of schedule.
Being a holder of a Japan Rail Pass, described at the bottom of this page, makes it particularly convenient and affordable to ride the Shinkansen. All trains are open to passholders with the exception of the Nozomi.
By Train
Though the Shinkansen is convenient for traveling long distances, it's sometimes necessary to ride local trains. Hankyu, Keihan, and Kintetsu railways provide cheaper services to Kyoto from Osaka and Kobe than JR.
Trains in Japan are designated by their speed. The fastest are Tokkyu (Limited Express) and Kyuko (Express) trains. JR charges people an extra fee to ride these, but the private lines servicing Kyoto do not. Shinkaisoku (New Rapid) are the fastest trains available for a standard fare on JR. You can reach Kyoto via a Shinkaisoku train in about 30 min. from Osaka or about 50 min. from Kobe. Kaisoku (Rapid) trains skip some smaller stations while Futsu (Local) or Kaku-eki-teisha trains stop at each station.
Located in stations together with timetables are diagrams indicating which trains stop at which stations. Please ensure the train you board stops at your destination.
By Domestic Flight
There are a number of airlines operating domestic Japanese flights, but All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) cover the most comprehensive area. The flight time from Narita International Airport to Kansai International Airport, Itami Airport, and Kobe Airport from Tokyo ranges from one to two hours. Once you have touched down there it will take another one to two hours to reach Kyoto. For more information on how to get to Kyoto from various airports in Japan, please see From the Airport
You can make reservations with ANA through their homepage. JAL has an up-to-date website listing numbers you can call to make a reservation at JAL.
By Bus
Visitors to Japan who are on a budget but would like to travel to Kyoto from other locations in Japan may want to take advantage of an overnight bus. JR and a number of private companies provide overnight bus services bound for and departing from Kyoto. Reservations are recommended but not necessary.
The popular JR Dream Bus runs between Kyoto and Tokyo. The overnight trip takes about eight hours and costs about \9,000 for a one way ticket. If you are returning within one week a return ticket works out cheaper at around \15,000. Private buses are usually cheaper than JR. A good number of private bus companies have English language websites, and a few even allow reservations online.
Japan Rail Pass
The Japan Rail Pass will allow you unlimited access to virtually all JR services for a single fee. The two main exceptions to this are the Nozomi, which is the fastest Shinkansen train, and the sleeper cars on night trains. You are not permitted to ride the Nozomi with this JR pass, and you will be required to pay an additional fee to use the sleepers. Nonetheless, the pass can be a bargain for people who plan to explore multiple regions of Japan. Consider that the price of a 7 Day Japan Rail Pass is roughly the same as a single round trip ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto.
