Hi there!
So you’re going to Kyoto!
As the former capital of Japan, Kyoto can be a good place to spend a few nights if you want to experience a lot of historical culture.
There are tons of UNESCO world heritage sites in Kyoto to visit.
Near Kyoto is another former capital city of Japan with lots of history.
You can make a one day trip to Nara where you can find more world heritage sites in Nara…. and you can also find lots of deer.
Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara are some of the best places to visit in Japan.
To travel around Kyoto with a JR pass, be sure to see where the local JR train in Kyoto goes and where the local JR bus in Kyoto goes.
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So…
Is it easy to get from Tokyo to Kyoto by train?
Yes, it can be!
You just need to get yourself to one of 2 train stations in Tokyo:
- Tokyo station
- Shinagawa station
Then, get on the next shinkansen to Kyoto!
There are frequent timings for trains running between Tokyo and Kyoto that it’s pretty convenient.
There are different types of trains between Tokyo and Kyoto, with the one called Nozomi that will get you to Kyoto the fastest. The other trains make more stops so you will be on the train longer.
And also see an example of local train travel in Tokyo – this is from Shinagawa to Shinjuku, a popular neighborhood in Tokyo. If you are going in the opposite direction, you might arrive at Shinagawa station.
For local travel around Tokyo, it’ll be convenient to have a SUICA card or PASMO card when you can’t use your JR pass.
Also…
If you’re not set on taking the train, there’s also a Tokyo to Kyoto bus.
The bus is much slower than the shinkansen train option though… but it is cheaper for a one-way bus ticket than it is a one-way shinkansen train!
How to search for train routes for Tokyo to Kyoto with a JR pass
Use the japan travel by navitime website to help you plan your route for Tokyo to Kyoto by shinkansen with a JR pass! And to confirm the above is still true!
- from: Tokyo
- to: Kyoto
- tourist pass: Japan Rail Pass (IMPORTANT!)
For general planning purposes, you can list Tokyo as your from. (Remember there’s Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station.) To know whether you should start from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, google maps will be good for figuring that out.
If you’re taking the train without reservations during a busy time, it can be worth it to go to Tokyo Station even if it’s the train station that’s further away. You’ll have a better guarantee of getting a seat since it’s where the train originates from!
👆 Search for train schedule timings using Japan navitime when traveling with a JR pass from Tokyo to Kyoto. Otherwise, I like to use google maps, which will give you an estimated cost of shinkansen train tickets for general travel planning. (For example: google maps train route.)
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How much does it cost to get to Kyoto from Tokyo WITHOUT a Japan rail pass?
Now, let’s say you’re trying to figure out if you should have your JR pass activated when you go to Kyoto, or you won’t be traveling around Japan at all with a JR pass.
Listed prices are approximate just so you can start to get at least a little bit of an idea.
Option 1: Faster shinkansen bullet train – Nozomi or Hikari
Cost: 13,710 yen (US$120)
- NOZOMI SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN: Tokyo to Kyoto station
- Time from Tokyo station: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Time from Shinagawa station: 2 hours 10 minutes
- HIKARI SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN: Tokyo to Kyoto station
- Time from Tokyo station: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Time from Shinagawa station: 2 hours 30 minutes
- KODAMA SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN: Tokyo to Kyoto station
- Time from Tokyo station: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Time from Shinagawa station: 3 hours 30 minutes
Apart from the time it takes, there is really no difference between the Nozomi and Hikari.
On top of that, the train timings for the Nozomi are generally more frequent, so it will likely be the most convenient too.
No matter which shinkansen train you take, the price of the train ticket will be the same.
When you buy your ticket, you don’t need to specify which train you want to take, unless you are buying a reserved seat.
For unreserved seats, you can simply go to the shinkansen ticket office and say you’d like a ticket for Tokyo to Kyoto. If you’re buying a ticket that’s not for the same day, be sure to specify the date though.
Option 2: Local trains from Tokyo to Kyoto
Cost: 8,000 – 9,000 yen (US$85)
As you can imagine, taking the local train from Tokyo to Kyoto will be a LOT slower compared to taking the bullet train. Remember that the bullet train takes 2.5 hours to get to Kyoto.
But if you’re not short on time and you’re trying to save a little bit of extra money, this is an option you can consider.
Or, you can look for overnights to stop off at along the way!
Tokyo to Kyoto by local train:
- 5 different trains, so 4 transfers
- Train #1: 1 hour 45 minutes (Tokyo to Atami)
- Train #2: 2 hours 10 minutes (Atami to Kakegawa)
- Train #3: 1 hour (Kakegawa to Toyohashi)
- Train #4: 2 hours 10 minutes (Toyohashi to Maibara)
- Train #5: 1 hour (Maibara to Kyoto)
- Total time from start to finish including transfer time: Around 9 hours
This is NOT the only way to get to Kyoto by local trains from Tokyo.
There are alternate routes too, but this is just to give you an idea of what it may take to go for the cheaper train option. You would be looking at 4-6 train transfers if you go for this cheaper way.
How to buy train tickets
If you will be buying individual train tickets, then the easiest way to buy your train ticket is at the train station.
You can buy the Tokyo to Kyoto shinkansen train tickets at JR train stations.
You can buy them at the ticket machines. (There is an English option on the ticket machine.) I have had trouble with these ticket machines at train stations accepting my foreign (US) credit card so it’s best to have cash.
You can also buy train tickets at JR offices. You will find these at major JR train stations. You will get in line and buy the ticket from a real person. You can probably expect a line. You can go in and buy train tickets a few days in advance, but be sure to specify the date if you are not doing same-day travel. Otherwise, they may not ask and will give you a ticket for that day, which will not be good for any other day! (Although, if you do make this mistake, I imagine you could plead foreigner mistake and get it fixed. 😜)
Public transportation apps to download before your trip to Japan:
- Google Maps
- Navitime for Japan Travel
Have these apps on your phone and you’ll become a pro in no time at navigating public transportation in Japan!
Top tips for using Navitime to get from Tokyo to Kyoto
- To search shinkansen timings for a JR pass, see the option “tourist pass”
- To search local trains only, unclick the following under search options: shinkansen, added-fare trains, city bus
Can you fly from Tokyo to Kyoto?
Yes, you can take a plane to get from Tokyo to the Kyoto area.
You can fly from Tokyo to Osaka, and then go onwards to Kyoto by train from Osaka to Kyoto.
There are airports in Tokyo.
There is no airport in Kyoto.
The best airport to fly out of is Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) since that’s located in more central Tokyo.
The best airport to fly into for something like this is Osaka Itami airport (ITM). (There is another airport in Osaka though, the Kansai airport KIX which is common as an international airport to fly into.)
You can then take a bus from the airport to Kyoto. I have taken the bus from Osaka Itami airport to Kyoto.
If you’re flying into Kansai, there’s a train between Kansai airport and Kyoto.
Just keep in mind, while initially you might find that the Tokyo to Osaka flights are cheaper, consider that you also need to get to the airport in Tokyo ($). And then you also need to do all the things you need to do for flying. (aka extra time getting there early, checking in, etc!)
You can use google maps to help you figure out time and costs for getting to/from the airport.
For example Shinjuku to Haneda Airport: map
For example Osaka Itami airport to Kyoto: map
When doing searches like this on google maps, you’ll want to make sure you have the public transportation option selected. Sometimes the departure time can make a difference. (Like if you’re looking at it for “leave now” and it’s the middle of the night.)
If you select “options” you can see bus options too, if all you’re seeing is train options.
The major airlines in Japan are JAL and ANA.
It looks like checked bags on domestic flights are free, but confirm that:
Things not to miss in Kyoto
Okay, so now that you have a better idea of how to get to Kyoto…
Use this Kyoto tourist map to plan out a perfect 5 days in Kyoto!
- Day 1: Top tourist spots with one day bus pass
- Day 2: Fushimi Inari Shrine through 1,000 torii gates
- Day 3: Philosopher’s Path
- Day 4: Arashiyama and Sagano
- Day 5: Kurama Kibune Ohara with day pass
Or make it a perfect 2 days in Kyoto.
HAPPY TOKYO TO KYOTO PLANNING!