Kyoto Bus & Subway Travel Cards & Passes 京都市営地下鉄
Bus in Kyoto
©Andrew Leu, Unsplash
Transportation in Kyoto
Kyoto Bus & Subway Travel Cards & Passes: see a listing of all the bus and subway passes available for visitors to and residents of Kyoto.
There are a number of travel cards, IC cards and passes for use on the city's subway and buses available for visitors to and residents of Kyoto.
Kyoto Bus & Subway Fares
Single fares for adults on Kyoto's subway system range from 210-350 yen and 110-170 yen for minors. Kyoto's subway system has two lines: the north-south Karasuma Line (green) and the east-west Tōzai Line (red) and is much quicker than using the city's buses. Kyoto City Buses have a single fare of 230 yen within the designated central area. As you travel outside the designated area the fare increases. Pick up a numbered ticket on entry. The fare corresponding with your number is shown on an electronic signboard at the front of the bus.
Subway, Bus One-Day & Two-Day Passes
The Kyoto Sightseeing Pass Card (one day card and two-day card) has been replaced by the Subway, Bus One-Day Pass and the Subway, Bus Two-Day Pass.
The passes are valid for the Kyoto subway, Kyoto city buses, Kyoto buses and certain Keihan buses (namely to Yamashina and Daigo). Unlike the Kyoto City Bus One-Day Pass (see below), the One- and Two-Day Subway, Bus Passes include travel to Saihō Temple (Kokedera; Moss Temple), Ōhara and Iwakura.
The Subway, Bus One-Day Pass is valid only for the day it is issued (not 24 hours) and costs 900 yen for adults and 450 yen for children.
The Subway, Bus Two-Day Pass is valid two consecutive days and costs 1,700 yen for adults and 850 yen for children.
Kyoto City Subway One-Day Pass
The Kyoto City Subway One-Day Pass allows unlimited travel on Kyoto's subway and costs 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. The Kyoto City Subway One-Day Pass includes discounts on admission to Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Nijo Castle, Kyoto Zoo, The Museum of Kyoto and Kyoto International Manga Museum.
*See the official website for a full list of discounts and welcome gifts available at oneday-pass.kyoto.
Where to Buy
The above passes are all available at the Kyoto Tourist Information Center (KYO Navi) on the second floor of the Kyoto Station building, Kyoto subway stations, the Bus Information Office outside the main entrance of Kyoto Station, and Kitaoji Bus Terminal.
Kyoto City Bus One-Day Pass
The Kyoto City Bus One-Day Pass allows for unlimited travel on all Kyoto city buses and Kyoto buses within the downtown fixed rate zone (including Arashiyama and Shūgakuin, but excluding Kibune, Kurama, Takao, Ōhara and Iwakura) and costs 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. It makes sense to buy this pass if you are making three or more bus journeys in a day. The date of use will be imprinted on the back of the ticket when you use it the first time. On subsequent journeys show the date to the driver.
The Kyoto City Bus One-Day Pass is available from the Kyoto Station Tourist Information Center, subway station ticket windows, any Kyoto bus and Kyoto City Bus Offices (the Bus Information Office outside the main entrance of Kyoto Station, and Kitaoji Bus Terminal).
K'Loop Buses
K'Loop Buses operate on weekends and public holidays and travel in a clockwise loop connecting many of Kyoto's attractions and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can get on a K'Loop Bus at any of the following stops: 1) Kyoto Station Hachijoguchi, 2) Shijo Kawaramachi and Nishiki Market, 3) Kyoto City Hall/Honnoji Temple, 4) Nijo Castle, 5) Kyoto Imperial Palace (Gosho), 6) Kitano Tenmangu/Kamishichiken, 7) Kinkakuji Temple, 8) Daitokuji Temple, 9) Botanical Gardens, 10) Shimogamo Shrine/Tadasu-no-mori, 11) Demachiyanagi, 12) Ginkakuji Temple, 13) Heian Jingu/Okazaki Museum area, 14) Chion-in Temple and Maruyama Park, 15) Gion and Yasuka Shrine, 16) Kiyomizudera and 17) Sanjusangendo/Kyoto National Museum.
The fare is 1,000 yen (500 yen for children) for a day pass allowing you to hop on and hop off at any stop. Buy the ticket on the bus from the driver.
There are 19 buses a day beginning from Kyoto Station at 8.30 am and then half hourly intervals until 5 pm. One bus leaves Kyoto Station at 8.40 am and stops first at Shijo Kawaramachi and then next at Demachiyanagi.
JR-West Kansai Area Pass
Although not valid on Kansai's subways, the JR-West Kansai Area Pass can be used on JR trains connecting Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Nishi-Akashi and Himeji as well as the Haruka Express from Kansai International Airport (KIX).
The pass can be bought for 1-day (2300 yen), two successive days (4500 yen), three successive days (5500 yen) and four successive days (6500 yen) - with half price for children (age 12 or under). The JR-West Kansai Area Pass is available from major stations in the Kansai area. There are slight reductions for booking in advance online.
The pass is not valid on Shinkansen trains.
Full information and online booking form available here: www.westjr.co.jp
If you book online you can pick up your pass at the following stations in the Kansai area from 5.30 am - 11 pm: Kyoto Station, Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka Station and Kansai International Airport (KIX).
Traffica Kyo Prepaid Card
The Traffica Kyo Prepaid Card is a pre-paid travel card available in 1,000 yen and 3,000 yen denominations giving a free bonus of 10% on each card and is valid on Kyoto city subways and buses.
Icoca and Kansai One Pass
Icoca is issued by JR West in the Osaka metropolitan region, Kyoto, Kobe, Okayama, and Hiroshima.
Showing a non-Japanese passport entitles the purchaser of an Icoca card to a substantial fare discount for the Haruka express train serving Kansai International Airport, in a package called Icoca & Haruka.
The Kansai One Pass is a special Icoca, also for foreign passport holders only, that has the bonus of special deals and discounts at numerous sightseeing spots and tourist attractions throughout the Kansai area.
To enter a ticket gate in an Icoca area, your IC card must have at least 1 yen on it.
Operating Hours of Kyoto Buses & Subway
Kyoto's subway runs from around 5.30 am until 11.55 pm, 7 days a week with reduced services at the weekends and public holidays.
Tunneling was slow during the construction of the two lines to allow time for archaeological research on Kyoto's long history. Items of interest found during the construction are displayed at Karasuma Oike Station.
Kyoto Municipal Subway Map
©Maztani
Kyoto's buses start around 5.30 am - 6 am and finish around 10.30 pm or 11 pm depending on the service.
Visit Kyoto City official website for more information.
