Getting Around Kyoto and Osaka: Buses, Subways and Day Passes

Short answer: in Kyoto, use trains wherever you can and keep the city bus for places trains don't reach. The old bus-only day pass is gone, but the Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass (¥1,100) still exists. In Osaka, the Midosuji subway line does most of the work, and the Enjoy Eco Card day pass is cheap, especially at weekends. Between the two cities, the JR Special Rapid is the fast, simple default.

An IC card (ICOCA, Suica or PASMO, including on your phone) works on almost everything below, so you rarely need paper tickets. See our IC card guide if you don't have one yet.

Kyoto: why the bus is often the slow option

Kyoto's city buses go almost everywhere, which is exactly why they're packed. On popular routes in spring and autumn, you can wait for two or three full buses before you get on, and traffic makes journey times unpredictable. Kyoto's own tourism site openly advises visitors to avoid some bus routes and take the train instead.

The two places where this matters most:

• Fushimi Inari. From Kyoto Station, take the JR Nara Line to Inari Station, about 9 minutes. Rapid and local trains both stop there, and the shrine's big red torii is right outside. From Gion or Kawaramachi, take the Keihan Line from Gion-Shijo to Fushimi-Inari Station, about 22 minutes, then walk about 5 minutes. Limited Express trains don't stop at Fushimi-Inari, so pick a slower service.
• Arashiyama. From Kyoto Station, the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama is fastest, about 11 minutes by Rapid. The Sagano Line platform is a long walk inside Kyoto Station, so allow extra time. From Kawaramachi, take the Hankyu line and change at Katsura for Hankyu Arashiyama. Or ride Hankyu to Shijo-Omiya and switch to the little Randen tram, which is slower but lovely.

Kyoto also has two subway lines: the Karasuma Line (north–south, through Kyoto Station) and the Tozai Line (east–west). They're a reliable way to cross the city and connect to other lines.

Kyoto city bus fares and the current day pass

Inside the central flat-fare area, a Kyoto city bus ride costs ¥230 for adults and ¥120 for children at the time of writing (October 2026), no matter how far you go. Routes running outside that area charge by distance.

How to ride: on most routes, get on through the rear door and get off through the front door, paying as you leave. Tap your IC card on the reader by the driver, or pay in cash. ICOCA, Suica, PASMO and PiTaPa are all accepted. Credit cards and the Japan Rail Pass are not. The sightseeing express buses EX100 and EX101 are the exception: you board at the front, pay as you get on, and the fare is higher (¥500 for adults).

The bus-only day pass no longer exists. Kyoto stopped selling it on 30 September 2023, partly to spread visitors onto the subway. Lots of older guides still mention it, so don't plan around it.

What you can still buy:

Both are valid for the calendar day you first use them, not 24 hours. You can buy them at subway stations, the bus and subway information center at Kyoto Station, and some convenience stores and hotels. Since a bus ride is ¥230, the Subway & Bus pass pays off from about five bus rides, or a mix of subway and bus rides in a day. On a day spent mostly on JR, Hankyu or Keihan, an IC card is cheaper.

If you hold a JR Kansai Area Pass, check for its coupon: it can be exchanged for a Kyoto subway 1-day pass on one day of your pass.

Osaka: the subway lines that matter

Osaka is much easier. The Osaka Metro Midosuji Line (red on maps) runs north–south through everything most visitors need: Shin-Osaka (shinkansen), Umeda (next to JR Osaka Station), Namba (Dotonbori) and Tennoji.

The JR Osaka Loop Line circles central Osaka, linking Osaka Station, Tennoji and Osakajokoen (for Osaka Castle). It's run by JR, not Osaka Metro, so Metro passes don't cover it. JR passes and IC cards do.

Enjoy Eco Card (Osaka Metro 1-day pass)

Osaka Metro's day pass is called the Enjoy Eco Card. At the time of writing it costs ¥820 on weekdays and ¥620 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for adults (¥310 for children). It gives unlimited rides on all Osaka Metro lines and Osaka City Buses for one calendar day, plus discounts at about 20 sights. Buy it from ticket machines in Metro stations. It's good value if you're hopping between Umeda, Namba, Osaka Castle and Tennoji in one day, and especially at the weekend.

Getting between Kyoto and Osaka

• JR Special Rapid (Kyoto Station ↔ Osaka Station): about 29 minutes, ¥580. The best choice if you're staying near Kyoto Station or Umeda.
• Hankyu (Kyoto-Kawaramachi ↔ Osaka-Umeda): about 43 minutes, ¥410. Cheapest, and it stops right in downtown Kyoto, near Gion and Nishiki Market.
• Keihan (Gion-Shijo ↔ Yodoyabashi): about 50 minutes from Umeda including the change at Yodoyabashi. Best if you're staying in Gion or along the Kamo River.
• Shinkansen (Kyoto ↔ Shin-Osaka): the fastest, but it costs much more and Shin-Osaka is north of the city centre. Only worth it if you hold a JR Pass or you're connecting to another shinkansen. See our shinkansen guide.

All four take IC cards for the normal fare. If you're moving hotels with big suitcases, rush-hour trains are hard work. Consider forwarding your luggage.

Kansai Airport, briefly

• JR Haruka limited express: about 30 minutes to Tennoji, 50 to Shin-Osaka and 75 to Kyoto. The best option for Kyoto. It's covered by the JR Pass and the JR Kansai Area Pass.
• Nankai rapi:t: about 34–39 minutes to Namba, depending on the service. The regular Nankai Airport Express takes about 43 minutes. Best if you're staying around Namba or Dotonbori.

Haruka and rapi:t are limited express trains with an extra charge on top of the basic fare. Check the current ticket options on the JR West and Nankai websites before you fly.

Which way to go: quick table

Fares and times are for adults at the time of writing (October 2026) and can change. For whether a JR pass makes sense for your Kansai days, see Japan Rail Passes: Which Ones Are Actually Worth It.