Hi there!
So you want to go from Kyoto to Tokyo!
It’s easy to get to Tokyo from Kyoto!
You can use a JR pass to take the famous Japan train aka shinkansen!
(You can also take the famous shinkansen without a JR pass!)
It will depend on which type of shinkansen train you take, but you can expect the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto to be around 2 hours and 15 minutes (without JR pass) and 2.5 hours (with JR pass).
The reason for the difference in time with or without the JR pass is because the JR pass is not accepted for the fastest shinkansen train called the Nozomi.
So if you are traveling with a JR pass, then you need to take the next fastest shinkansen (which is still fast!) and that’s the Hikari.
The shinkansen is the bullet train.
This is the fastest train in Japan.
The difference between the Nozomi and Hikari is the amount of stops they make along the route.
You will get the same Japan shinkansen experience no matter which train you take. (The inside is the same.)
To note, there is an even “slower” shinkansen train, called the Kodama.
This is slower because it makes even more stops.
You could take this train with a JR pass, but you don’t want to, because it will take much longer to get to Tokyo!
There are other (slower and cheaper) ways to get from Kyoto to Tokyo, like taking the long-distance bus. The only reason to consider this is if you are traveling without a JR pass!
But taking the shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo is the best way to travel not only so you can get there fast, but so you can have one of the classic Japan experiences!
π Kyoto to Tokyo train route: Sample train route from Kyoto Station to Tokyo Station. Explore the map. Adjust the departure time if necessary!
How to get from Kyoto to Tokyo by shinkansen train
Important stops to know about when you want to go from Kyoto to Tokyo by bullet train:
- Kyoto Station (you will start here in Kyoto!)
- Shinagawa Station (your possible train destination in Tokyo)
- Tokyo Station (your possible train destination in Tokyo)
Google maps makes travel around Japan super easy, and that includes getting from Tokyo and Kyoto!
It will also tell you the approximate cost of a train trip to help you figure out if a JR pass is worth it for you.
Now, in the case of the Kyoto to Tokyo train, google maps will tell you about the fastest way to get there.
This means that it will tell you about the train timings for the Nozomi shinkansen train.
So if you are traveling with a JR pass (which means you can’t travel on the Nozomi), you won’t get the perfect train timings, but it will give you an idea.
The Hikari shinkansen train (that you want to get on to go to Kyoto with a JR pass) doesn’t depart as frequently as the Nozomi, but it is still frequent enough. (Maybe once every 30 minutes instead of once every 10-15 minutes.)
On google maps, you can enter Kyoto Station as your starting point and then also your destination within Tokyo. Then select the public transportation option!
Then it will tell you which Tokyo shinkansen station will be best for you to get off at, Shinagawa Station or Tokyo Station.
If you are just doing general planning right now, then you can enter Tokyo Station as your destination. There will not be much of a difference from Shinagawa Station.
Because the train timings between Kyoto and Tokyo are so frequent, it may not matter as much, but in general when using google maps to plan public transport in Japan, it can be helpful to change the departure time to a time that you might be leaving. (Try the morning for the best results.)
If the current time is at night, the suggested route may be unhelpful!
Google maps also gives you alternate routes and the approximate cost of any particular train route.
If you are traveling without a JR pass, you can buy train tickets when you get to the train station. The ticket machine has an English option you can select.
Or if you see a manned ticket booth, it can be easiest to buy your ticket from a person. (Kyoto Station has a JR office that you can walk into and buy shinkansen tickets.)
π Kyoto to Tokyo train route: Sample train route from Kyoto Station to Tokyo Station. Explore the map. Adjust the departure time if necessary!
The cost of the Kyoto to Tokyo shinkansen bullet train route is around 14,200 yen (around US$100) one-way without a JR pass. (Approximate USD can vary! The $100 estimate is based on US$1 = 148 yen as of November 2022.)
If you take the Hikari shinkansen from Kyoto to Kyoto, it’s FREE with a JR pass!
π Kyoto Station to Tokyo Station train route: Sample train route from Kyoto Station to Tokyo Station.
Then, once you get to Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, continue to follow what google maps tells you for your transfer to the next train!
For an example of how to transfer between trains in Tokyo (aka a visual!) have a look at how to transfer from Shinagawa Station to Shinjuku Station!
For local travel around Tokyo, it’ll be convenient to have a SUICA cardΒ or PASMO card when you can’t use your JR pass.
Or, if you already got an ICOCA card when you were in Kyoto, you can use that in Tokyo too!
HAPPY TRAIN RIDE FROM KYOTO TO JAPAN!
Check the homepage on the blog if you’re still looking for where to go in Japan!
Here are ideas for your Kyoto itinerary!
- Day 1: Top tourist spots with one day bus pass
- Day 2: Fushimi Inari Shrine hike through 1,000 torii gates
- Day 3: Philosopher's Path walk
- Day 4: Arashiyama and Sagano
- Day 5: Kurama Kibune Ohara with one day pass
PLUS Kyoto cherry blossom itinerary and Kyoto fall colors itinerary!
Traveling around Japan and can't read Japanese? No problem! Just use the camera on the google translate app!
Is a JR pass worth it?!
- Google maps can make it easy to figure out whether or not you should get a JR pass!
- In google maps, type in your departure and arrival city, and choose the transit icon. The route will come up, and so will the estimated cost at the bottom!
- Here is an example of a train route with cost on google maps.
- So do that for all of your long distance routes to figure out how much it might cost.
- Next, go here to see how much a JR pass costs.
- And compare!
- Not all forms of public transportation are JR, but long distance shinkansen bullet trains are, and that's where the most cost savings will come.
Best of Kyoto (and Japan!)
π Explore the best places to visit in Japan!

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